U18: It Started Today

The U18 national team was through grueling and strenuous first day with the national team camp.

On Monday a team of nearly 30 players from the 1998 age group strated the competition for the final U18 world championship roster. Last week the younger half, from 1999 was on the ice. There were a couple of players missing because of injury from the original training camp roster.

The guys were already on the ice Monday morning for a practice session, which was followed by a fitness test. In the afternoon they had to take a written test as well to see what their hockey smarts are and so that Glen Williamson and his staff know what they need to work on from the theory side. This was followed by a 100 minute inter squad scrimmage in which assistant coaches András Horváth and Szabolcs Fodor coached from the benches as Williamson watched from the bench.

Tuesday the boys will be back on the ice in the morning before the rosters will be trimmed for the four nations tournament, and a 100 minute ice session in the afternoon.

“Today was a high workload day, it was welcome to the program. We need a tough,  mentally strong, physically strong team if we want success in April.” said Glen Williamson after the second practice yesterday. “It started today we had 50 minutes on the ice today followed by a fitness and a theory test to see what their knowledge of the game is and what systems they know and two times fifty minutes game this afternoon. I am really happy with their work they are really passionate and they are getting right into it.”