"Playing with Boys as Long as Possible is Crucial for Development," Says Girls' National Team Coach Ctibor Coufal

Over 60 young female hockeyball players gathered last weekend at the Plzeň hall for the U16 national team camp. The highlight of the season for these girls is expected to be a friendly match at the Junior World Championship in Hradec Králové. Leading the team into these games as head coach.

"It Allowed Us to Observe the Players More Closely and in Greater Detail"

Last weekend, you held a two-day camp with the U16 national team. How satisfied were you with the camp?

I was very satisfied because, for the first time, we decided to split the camp into two parts. This allowed us to invite all the players recommended by clubs who have experience playing on full-sized rinks. It also enabled us to observe the players more closely and in greater detail than during previous camps.

The camp spanned two days and involved over 60 players. How do you work with such a large group?

Thanks to splitting the camp into two sessions and having a four-member coaching staff, it worked well. On Saturday, we welcomed players from farther regions, such as eastern Bohemia, Moravia, or Prachatice. On Sunday, players from other parts of the country attended.

The U16 girls’ national team is still relatively young and somewhat unconventional. How do you approach working with players this young?

At the initial camps, the diversity is quite broad due to the large number of players. We had players born between 2009 and 2013. Two-thirds of the players were familiar to us from previous camps or tournaments, while the rest were entirely new to us, and we hadn’t seen them play before. Often, we’re unfamiliar with their skill levels or the standards they’re used to at their clubs. The first practice is mainly about getting to know them and trying out various drills. By the subsequent sessions, we have a better understanding of their training habits and what we can work on with them. This also helps us identify their potential for future tournaments or camps.

"The U13 Category is an Adequate Opponent for Us"

Do you have additional camps or friendly matches planned for this season?

The plan isn’t entirely finalized yet. We aim to participate in friendly matches during the Junior World Championship in Hradec Králové. Options include a doubleheader against Slovakia or other scenarios with multiple games. Traditionally, we also take part in the U13 regional selections tournament, which has often been our season's highlight in the past. This year’s preparation is geared towards that tournament.

Before this event, we plan to play friendly matches against U13 regional teams, as we did last year. The U13 category is an adequate opponent for us. In the past, we’ve played matches against older students, but that level was often too high for us. The rest of our end-of-season preparation will depend on our schedule for Hradec Králové.

What do you believe is the best competition for girls in this category to develop? Could it be youth leagues, the Women’s League, or perhaps a future girls-only league?

In my opinion, it’s crucial for girls to play as much as possible and stay with boys’ teams in youth or junior categories for as long as they can. It makes a huge difference in their development. Another possibility would be regular girls’ tournaments, like last year’s Konrad Cup. Often, we see 12- or 13-year-old girls in the Women’s League, and for some, it’s just too early. Girls-only tournaments with similarly aged players would help them significantly.