Second Regional Hockey Academy in Slovakia will be created in Kosice. HC Kosice is also a part of this project.

ADDED: 2.1.2020

Our hockey club joined the ambitious project to create the second Regional Hockey Academy in Slovakia which should be based in the eastern metropolis. For this reason, the main representatives of the three interested parties participating in the project met together on Thursday, December 19, 2019 in the building of Kosice Self-governing Region located at the Peace Marathon Square in Kosice. The representatives of HC Kosice who attended this meeting were the executive director Norbert Koch and management board member Tomas Kuriatnik. The representative of Kosice Self-governing Region was Rastislav Trnka, and the representative of the Slovak Ice Hockey Federation was its president Miroslav Satan.

The meeting resulted in the signature of the Agreement on Mutual Cooperation aim of which is a theoretical and sport preparation of pupils - hockey players at the premises of Sport High School in Kosice whose founder is the Kosice Self-governing Region.

"I am very happy that I could be a part of this event where we as a club can help the Slovak Ice Hockey Federation with development of our youth. I really like the project. We realize that change is inevitable as time goes by very fast and the development of hockey isn't only about the sport aspect. Therefore, we are glad that the hockey federation came up with this idea where boys will be able to progress not only from the aspect of sport, but they will also have the opportunity to get a valuable and high-quality education." stated Tomas Kuriatnik.

One of the main goals of this cooperation is also a creation of a new hockey arena which will offer a complete hockey basis for ice hockey training. According to the plan, the construction of such arena should start during the year 2020, and it should be completed within two years. Region allocated for this construction EUR 2,700,000. Slovak Ice Hockey Federation also promised to contribute financialy in order to raise the quality of sport process in this hockey academy above common standards.

"Firstly, I would like to thank the Kosice Self-governing Region and HC Kosice that they agreed to create such academy. People from the federation take it very positively. Surely, we would be happy if each region had its own hockey academy," outlined his future plans the president of the federation Miroslav Satan.

Our hockey club will offer a high-quality base in the Steel arena until the new hockey arena is completed. "Our ambition is to offer the talented hockey players such conditions that they won't think about leaving abroad. This is the reason we want the Hockey Academy in Kosice to become the first choice of the most talented players in the region. Together with our partners we will do

everything we can to keep this project successful in the long term." expressed his opinion Norbert Koch. Therefore, creation of the hockey academy is another activity of our club in order to get closer to the community.

As a career of a professional sportsman does not last forever, another effort of the academy is to offer the future graduates a high-quality education with which they will be able to succeed in the labor market once they finish their professional careers. This is the reason why the Sport High School prepared four interesting study majors for young hockey players - sport grammar school, sport management, digital services in sport and data processing in sport. All majors are a four-year study completed by baccalaureate exam.

First students should be accepted in the pilot year 2020/2021 20. Pupils from elementary schools can send their applications to the Hockey Academy until February 20, 2020. Admission examination will take place in March, part of which will also be the ability testing. All hockey clubs from Kosice Region can participate in the Hockey Academy.

"All children from Kosice Self-governing Region will have a top preparation as we are talking about the academy that focuses on education, so that parents can also see the added value. Parents can sign their children to the academy where they will be able to play sport and at the same time get a high-quality education. Moreover, they won't have to search for such opportunities abroad," concluded Miroslav Satan.

GALLERY