"Every Player Excelled in Their Role," Says Václav Tůma on the Women's Championship

The major events for the national teams have concluded for this season. The Czech women's team brought home silver medals from the World Championship, successfully defending their title from two years ago. Assistant coach Václav Tůma reflects on the entire championship and discusses team’s future.

"I Consider the Final Match a Perfect Learning Experience for Future Work"

Coach, it’s been almost two weeks since the World Championship in Switzerland. How do you view the second place in hindsight?

Looking back, it’s definitely a great achievement. The entire journey was long and challenging, with many camps and training sessions. Unfortunately, during these camps, we had injuries that sidelined players who were supposed to be among the top in the squad. That makes us value the silver medals even more because, despite the absence of these key players, we achieved an excellent result with the team. I want to thank the whole team for that because every player more than excelled in their role.

You lost only two games in the championship, both to the United States, and won all the others. Which match do you remember the most?

Yes, unfortunately, that’s true. However, I must say that in neither game was the opponent significantly better—they were just more efficient. In the first match, we were two goals down, but we fought back and took the game to a shootout. That’s the game I remember the most because the team didn’t give up and kept fighting. The energy on the bench was excellent in that game, and it translated onto the field. Such matches unite the team and give strength for the upcoming games, both for the coaches and the players themselves. I consider the final match a perfect learning experience for future work. To be honest, the opponent had more luck in that game; they scored the first goal, which in a final match is one of the biggest steps toward victory. Every player can confirm that it’s tough to get back into the game after conceding the first goal. Unfortunately, we couldn’t respond to the first goal and conceded a second. At that moment, everyone’s morale drops, and we couldn’t recover from it. Despite all this, the girls fought until the end and left their hearts on the field. For that, they deserve enormous thanks.

There were many young players on the team, and for some, it was their first women's championship. Did they meet your expectations?

The team was formed throughout the entire year. The junior world championship last year made our work much easier. The girls who performed well there earned invitations to the senior national team, and we could start working with these "younger" players from the beginning of the cycle. Those who made it to the World Championship in Switzerland didn’t get there for free or for a nice smile. They proved that they belong in the senior national team and certainly did not embarrass themselves. Quite the opposite. Each girl contributed to the silver medals with her healthy, confident performance.

"I Am Proud of What We Achieved with This Team"

The next championship is less than two years away. What is the future of this team? Do you believe that the experience gained will further push the team, and they’ll be even more prepared for the home championship?

This team definitely has a future. We’ll see what happens, but time doesn’t stop, and some girls are already thinking about family life, their next playing career, and the next championship is still "two" years away. Perhaps it’s good that we lost the final to the USA; it might serve as motivation for the “older” girls to win the gold at home in Ostrava in front of the home crowd. My wish is that these players will stay on and pass on as much of their experience as possible to the younger ones, who have just started to “absorb” it but still need time for the team to rely on their performances, as was the case in Switzerland with the girls around our captain Lucie Manhartová. If these girls stick around, I believe this group has what it takes to win the gold medal. After all, they showed it in the group game against the USA.

Both national teams had a chef who took care of the catering during the championship. For the women, it was your father, whom you also helped. How did this major event enrich you overall?

This championship was unique because the teams brought their own chefs. On the other hand, it helped bring the whole team together; it was different and better than just sitting at the hotel for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. For me personally, it helped me get to know the girls better. Everyone was forced to communicate more than usual to express their dietary needs. But it was sometimes challenging, after all, you’re dealing with girls, and some are used to perfect service from their moms, and here they had to fend for themselves (laughs). Everyone is used to different things from home, but in the end, I dare say that this whole thing with our own chef was a success. My father deserves enormous thanks for how he handled it. I know how he cooks, and that’s why I recommended him to join us, and he significantly contributed to the team’s overall comfort and success. I hope he took away a nice experience and another professional skill.

The next Women’s World Championship is in Ostrava. Can you already reveal the situation regarding the choice of the coaching staff? And are you interested in continuing?

I really can’t say how the coaching staff will be formed for the next term and for the World Championship in Ostrava. I can only say that I am proud of what we achieved with this team, both with the coaching staff and those who were “on the ice.” It worked like clockwork, but you know that sometimes the clock stops, and the battery runs out—unfortunately, that happened to us in the final. So, if we are involved in the next cycle, we need to be better prepared for that. But if head coach Michal Broulík continues, I would be interested in staying on. He had everything perfectly prepared, and it was a joy to "watch him work." It pushed me further, and I definitely have the desire to continue.