The Journey to the Top is Tough and Complex, and We Will Do Everything to Reach the Summit, Believes U18 National Team Coach Vít Čapek

The World Championships for U16 and U18 categories in Žilina, Slovakia are fast approaching, where both teams will defend their titles as world champions. The coach of the U18 team, Vít Čapek, shared insights into the preparations and his satisfaction with the current performance of the team.

We are Particularly Interested in the Performance of Players This Season

Coach, the season for most ball hockey leagues is currently reaching its climax. At the same time, the World Championships in Žilina are rapidly approaching. Are you able to keep track of the players you have selected?

We are managing well. Our coaching staff is large, and we have our "people" who provide us with reports on the identified players.

At the last World Championships in Liberec, both the U18 and U16 teams won gold. During the training camps, players from these two teams were present. Was it your intention to merge the core of both teams and maintain a winning mentality?

It is not our intention to merge the U18 and U16 players, but rather to select the best players from the 2006 and 2007 birth years. The fact that someone won the World Championship last year, regardless of the category, does not guarantee them a spot on our team. Of course, players from previous national teams have experience in international ball hockey, but we are primarily interested in the performance of players this season.

From your comments and those of your assistant coach, Jaroslav Procházka, it seems that the team's intensity and performance during the camps have been increasing. What is the reason behind this?

We tested many players in the previous camps, and not all of them met our quality standards, but the quality was present, especially in the last camp. We have a larger squad of 25 players and 3 goalkeepers. The training sessions were designed to be conducted with high intensity. Additionally, the players are competing for a spot in the World Championship squad, which contributed to our satisfaction with their performance.

We Try to Instill the Importance of Team Spirit in Every Camp

You have already completed four national team camps. Have any players emerged as natural leaders?

I think we have some, but I won't name them (laughs). We try to instill the importance of team spirit in every camp. We are not only looking for scorers and passers, but also for players who will block shots, make three sprints, and simply sacrifice themselves for the team. In the last camp, we even had a team-building activity—bowling, which the guys enjoyed and I think it helped to strengthen the team.

In June, the national team will have its final camp before the World Championship. Will there be any cuts after the camp, or will the complete team attend?

We have two camps in Pardubice in June. For the first camp, 25 players plus 3 goalkeepers will be invited. After the camp, we will announce the final squad, and the players who are selected will go directly from Pardubice to the World Championship in Žilina.

We have to ask about defending the title. Is it on your mind or the players' minds, or is it still too far away?

The coaching staff does not have it in mind, and I hope the players don't either. We will take it game by game in Žilina. The journey to the top is tough and complex, and we will do everything to reach the summit.