It Would Be a Great Honor to Wear the National Team Jersey, Reveals Rebels' Leader Roman Koch

Roman Koch has become the driving force of the Prague Rebels' youth team this season, leading both the team in points and the scoring charts. Throughout the season, he has also started playing regularly in the Junior Extraliga, gaining valuable experience for the fight for a spot at the U16 Worlds

We Strive to Defeat Our Rivals and Earn Valuable Points for the Standings

Roman, with the Rebels, you are holding fourth place in the Eastern Division of the Youth Extraliga. Does this meet your preseason expectations?

Our goal at the beginning of the season was to secure a position in the top five, and we have achieved that.

You are positioned among two other Prague teams in the standings. Are these matches more intense? After all, it's not just about the derby but also about crucial points.

I must admit that the matches against Kert and Hostivař are among the most intense. On our home ground, we managed to handle these teams. These games are always filled with a lot of emotions. We strive not only to defeat our rivals but also to gain valuable points for the standings.

You are both the top scorer and the most productive player on your team. What's behind this? Do you also prepare individually?

Yes, it's also thanks to our team training sessions and my linemates. I have been playing hockeyball since I was five years old, so that also plays a role.

I Will Continue My Consistent Performances

This year, you have also been playing regularly in the Junior Extraliga, where you have been consistently collecting points in recent games. What is it like to play against players up to four years older?

At the beginning, I had to get used to the pace of the game, which I think I managed to do over the course of the season. We are used to playing in higher categories. I'm just disappointed that the season has already ended for our junior team.

At the end of March, you participated in the U16 national team camp, which will culminate in the World Championship in Žilina. What will you do to secure a spot on the final roster?

I will continue my consistent performances and help the team go as far as possible.

And what would it mean to you to wear the jersey with the lion on your chest at the World Championship?

It would be a great honor to wear the national team jersey, and I would consider it the pinnacle of this season from an individual perspective.