Two national-level Canadian hockey coaches arrived in Tallinn on April 18 to head a week of training for local junior players and their coaches in a style of hockey philosophy that is very "Made in Canada". Not that anyone is expecting the Canadian style to be adopted in Estonia. Coaches Vern Stenlund and Dean MacIntosh stressed that by making note of Swedish, Russian and other approaches to play, a country must create its own hockey philosophy.
The coach’s main goal is to develop the game in as many ways and places as possible, in this case with the support of Hockey Canada and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) in Geneva. "We hope to start a process of development that will one day lead to Estonia beating Canada", University of Windsor Lancers hockey head coach Vern Stenlund said at a press conference held at Tallinn’s Premia Arena. Hockey Canada coaches have previously trained locals in Finland and the Czech Republic; this is their first so-called mission to the Baltics.
Canadian Estonian Business Association (CEBA) president Dietrich Wehrmacher is the man behind the idea to bring some "hockey aid" to Estonia. While attending local games he was shocked to see how few fans were coming to watch the sport. Searching for local companies to sponsor the week of training also proved to be more difficult than anticipated, but with the help of the local office of the Canadian Embassy the plan was put into action. It is the hope of all involved that this will not be the last such venture. In hindsight perhaps Russian businesses should have been approached for sponsorship, since Russians living in Estonia are greater hockey fans than Estonians; it is their national sport.
Hockey isn’t quite rooted in Estonia (yet)
Estonians take basketball seriously. And soccer as well. Cross-country skiing is the no. 1 winter sport and the Olympic medals and World Cup race victories brought home by Estonians will no-doubt fuel the aspirations of young skiers for generations to come. The problem with ice hockey is that there is a shortage of rinks with artificial ice that can be used year-round. Following the collapse of the USSR the number of people involved in the sport in Estonia fell dramatically, since suddenly there was no financial support or concrete plan of action. According to Priit Vilba, president of the Estonian Ice Hockey Association, the situation for hockey in the former Estonian SSR was also better due to the simple fact that most schools flooded and maintained their own recreational rinks during the winter months.
For a long time the only indoor ice arenas in Estonia were in the city of Kohtla-Järve, Narva’s Kreenholm arena and the Linnahall in Tallinn. The new Jeti jäähall in the Vana-Lasnamäe neighbourhood used to be a missle factory. (It was officially opened in 2000 by five-time Stanley Cup winner Jari Kurri of Finland!) Currently the largest rink in Tallinn, it is however open to the skies. Since the year 2002 hockey players have also had the Premia jäähall, where the current week of training took place. It is located in the Haabersti region between Õismäe and Rocca al Mare and bears the name of a brand of locally made ice-cream.
Plans are underway to build arenas in Viljandi and Paide, although the biggest trend in sports / recreational facilities in the Baltics is currently the construction of water parks. There are new veekeskused in Tartu and Pärnu. The next city in line for such a "water centre" is the capital Tallinn, but its new ice arenas definitely are not starving for skaters. It’s also quite interesting that the Tartu Välk (lightning) 494 men’s hockey club have been the most dominant in Estonia, winning five of the last seven national champion titles, even though it’s only possible to skate in Tartu with the blessing of Jack Frost.
My only personal hockey experience in Estonia was when I went to watch a game against Croatia sometime in the late 1990s. The players had the Estonian coat of arms emblazoned on their chests, compulsory Nike "swoosh" on their shoulders and almost exclusively Russian names on their backs. Simultaneously a very enthusiastic Russian-speaking crowd was proudly waving huge Estonian flags – an interesting experience to say the least.
Most competitive hockey players still come from families of Russian heritage in Ida-Virumaa, the county bordering Russia. A search on the Internet did result in some stats featuring Estonian names: Olle Sildre was voted the Estonian national team’s best forward and Kaupo Kaljuste was named most effective defenceman at the World Championships series. Lauri Lahesalu plays in Finland and Estonia’s most renown hockey player Toivo Suursoo was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in 1994, but has spent the last few years playing in Sweden and this past season in Russia.
The introduction for the participating coaches was translated only into Estonian (there was also a Russian-translator on the ice) and the Canadians were pleased that 3 of the 30 coaches in attendance were young women! This notice has been posted on the home page of the HC Dreamland Queens: "All women and girls regardless of age, nationality or previous athletic experience are invited to come participate in HC Dreamland Queens’ ice hockey training at the Tallinn Premia arena". (Could this be the start of my hockey career?!...)
500 000 kids in Canada play hockey under the supervision of 75 000 coaches in over 4000 arenas. In Estonia the number of total players is currently said to be around 2000, of whom the more serious train with the help of the same 30 coaches who had come to learn from the Canadians. The Estonian Ice Hockey Federation chose the youngsters aged 14 – 18 to be worthy of the week long special training session which was composed of both classroom and on-ice time.
Canada is in 1st place, Estonia is ranked 24th in the world
Naturally it would be fantastic to see the Estonian national team rise into the ranks of the international A group. Currently they play in the B group and came away with a fourth place finish at the World Championships 1st division B group series. They beat Romania and South-Korea, tied Poland and lost to Italy and Slovenia. (Final B group standings: 1. Slovenia; 2. Italy; 3. Poland; 4. Eesti.) Slovenia is thereby pushed to the world’s top 16 teams and since Belarus won the 1st division A group, they rise to the elite group. The IIHF’s 2003 list of the 43 hockey nations ranks Estonia as 24th and Canada in 1st place overall.
The greatest wish of the Estonian Ice Hockey Federation’s president is to see this, the greatest growing sport worldwide, gain popularity throughout Estonia as well: "We are a northern country; if not here, then where else?" Mother Nature may need a bit of artificial help but support in the form of training and advice can surely be found in Canada in the future. Canadian-Estonian companies could join the cause by becoming members of the Estonian-Canadian Business Association (www.ceba.co.ee). The most important thing is that children are not out on the street, getting into trouble with nothing better to do. That threat seems to be so far be haunting Estonian children more than their counterparts in Canada.
In the hopes of teaching the spirit of good competition a fair play award is given out each season. This spring it was presented to the Narva Paemurru Sports Club team who were penalised with the least number of penalty minutes all season.
The front page photograph of Eesti Päevaleht on April 20 was taken from between a Canadian and Estonian flag. Beyond the colours, players could be seen listening to coach Vern Stenlund’s instructions on the ice. There was a longer article in the sport section of that issue along with a small piece entitled "Maple Leafs relinquished their lead". Being Toronto-born and the daughter of a die-hard Leafs fan who grew up with the sounds of Hockey Night in Canada in the background, I have no choice but to add a fervent fingers-crossed "Go Leafs GO!"
Canada's Gift to Estonian ice hockey (1)
Viimased kommentaarid
Kommentaarid on kirjutatud EWR lugejate poolt. Nende sisu ei pruugi ühtida EWR toimetuse seisukohtadega.
After a vacation in estonia I was unable to locate a hockey fan, let alone a hockey jersey of our world cup team. Would you know how to get one? At least there are estonian flags waving in the crowd and the estonian coat of arms on their chest.
Sorry to bother you with this request, but I am at a loss as to how I might locate one. I have family in estonia that could travel almost anywhere for me, I just need to know where to send them.
Thank you in advance for any help you could offer.
Peeter Musta
Sorry to bother you with this request, but I am at a loss as to how I might locate one. I have family in estonia that could travel almost anywhere for me, I just need to know where to send them.
Thank you in advance for any help you could offer.
Peeter Musta
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