Israeli ice hockey team’s big expectations

ILAN HERRMANN

Opposition comes in the form of South Africa, China, Bulgaria, Mexico and New Zealand.

Israel is currently ranked 32^nd in the world and has almost an even record between victories and defeats. This won’t be the team’s first time in South Africa and they will fondly recall this country as the place where they recorded their biggest ever win – 26-2 – against Greece in 2011. In 2013 the team took gold in the Division II Group B tier, beating far more experienced and better ranked opposition along the way.

“The players are very motivated and the team atmosphere is positive,” says veteran and highest ever capped Israeli player Yefgeny Gusin, who is president of the Ice Hockey Federation of Israel and team leader.

When asked how he expects the team to fare, Gusin played down expectation, pointing to the fact that the squad is a very young one with the bulk of the players having just graduated and some having just completed their IDF service.

“We are in a phase of transition in Israeli ice hockey. We’re moving from the old guard, players that served the national team for the past many years, towards a view to building a side that will lead us into the future. That said, we are determined and hopeful that we can return home with a medal too.”

Gusin, a Russian-born immigrant to Israe, represented the Israeli team as goalkeeper for 22 years and has been instrumental in advancing the sport in Israel which amazingly boasts some 1 200 registered players. “Most are young kids and most are Israelis or children born in Israel from immigrant families.”

While there has been a growth in numbers of participants of the sport to the extent that the Israel Ice Hockey Federation has tripled its number of registered players in the last five years, the same could not be said of its facilities.

There is just one full-size ice rink in Israel, the Canada Centre. It is located in a small city called Metula in the country’s northern-most region that hugs the border of Lebanon and is about a 3 1/2-hour drive from the centre of Israel. Besides that, there are two smaller rinks and that’s all.

Interestingly, the Metula rink hosts an ice hockey school where Jewish and Arab children learn to play hockey together, guided by Canadian Jewish coaches.

More recently a campaign has been underway to raise funds to build a full size rink somewhere more accessible.

“If we can actually have a rink in the centre of Israel, we can substantially increase the popularity of hockey, its development and the overall skill level,” says Tal Avneri who has played defence man for the Israel side.

On the current senior team’s style of play, Gusin warned that the Israeli players were generally not as physically forceful as some of the bigger players and teams out there. “We tackle each game individually with strategies applied against the opposition on a team-by-team basis.”

Overall, the Israel team focuses on speed and intelligence of play and has a strong emphasis on teamwork.

When pressed for which players to look out for, Gusin said: “We will have to wait and see who shines in the tournament.”

Due to budget constraints the Israeli side were unable to have a pre-tournament training camp which is so vital to developing team camaraderie and working techniques, especially before big events such as this one in South Africa.

Gusin bluntly says that more is needed to be invested in the game if Israel wants to raise the bar of its ice hockey. “We need to complement the incredible enthusiasm of our young players with the opportunities to achieve. And I know we can achieve.”

Some of the players will have family at the rinks on match day, who have come to support their boys, while many back home will be watching and rooting with live screenings of the games on TV. Gusini expects there will also be support from the locals in the Cape Jewish community at the Grand West Ice Rink in Goodwood, waving the blue and white flag.

This is a milestone year for Israeli hockey as it celebrates 25 years of development of the sport. If Gusin has his way, Israel will have even more reason to celebrate by carrying some silverware back with them to Israel.