Gold and silver for Czechs at the last edition of WJC. What success will local players achieve in Liberec?

As Czechs, we often like to say that we are going for something different, but that's just a way of not accepting the role of favorites that we have in every event. In Canada, everything came together for the Czech U20 ball hockey team. An important building block of their success was the preparation before the tournament. Coaches Milan Maršner, currently the head of the national teams section of the Czech-Moravian Ball Hockey Federation, and Jan Donauschachtl put together four balanced formations that focused on offensive ball hockey with good defensive coordination. These factors likely played a role in the Czech success.

"I think from the first camps, we were a very strong team, and the quality of all the players was evident. Enthusiasm and the desire for victory were radiating from all the guys. At the same time, I would add that we were also a very good group of friends, which may have been key. I also don't want to forget the coaching team. From the beginning, we aimed to be as strong as possible," said Matěj Štefka from the SK Kometa Polička club, an important player of the U20 team that won the gold at the Junior World Championship in St. John's. He added, "Why would I play ball hockey and participate in the World Championships if not for this? As Czechs, we often like to say that we're going for something different, but that's just a way of hiding and hypocritically not accepting the role of favorites that we have in every event. For me, it was important not to shy away from that responsibility. I think we accepted the role of favorites and were prepared to bear it even with the potential for failure."

The Canadian tournament started for the Czech U20 team, which included Adam Kubík from Kladno at that time, with a match against the United States. The Czech team confirmed their form and desire for a medal with their first victory in the tournament, defeating the USA 9-1. Their next opponent was Great Britain, who lost to the Czech U20 team 10-1 as the underdog of the tournament. After that, Canada stood in the Czech team's way in the group stage. The Canadian ball hockey players clearly had the upper hand in this group duel, leading 3-0 towards the end of the match.

Adam Kubík, together with Matěj Štefka from Polička, showed that it was possible to play against Canada by scoring two goals in the last minutes, reducing the final score to 3-2. The Czech team's last match in the U20 category was a federal derby against Slovakia. The Czech Republic won 7-3 against the well-playing Slovaks. After this match, the Czech team awaited the completion of the group stage, where the semifinal fate was decided. Unexpectedly, Canada lost to Slovakia, which brought the Czech team to the semifinals against the United States. In their second meeting, the Czechs were more successful and defeated the United States 8-1. Canada also advanced to the final by defeating Slovakia again.

In the final match, the Czechs had the upper hand, leading three times, but the Canadian team always managed to equalize. The winning goal for the Czech Republic was not even recognized, so the score remained 3-3 and the game went into overtime. In the overtime period, the Canadian team was defending while being short-handed. This was a disappointment for the Canadians as they lost the opportunity to become world champions. The winning goal, a fantastic shot, was scored by Matěj Štefka from Polička, which secured the Czechs the U20 title of world champions after 16 years. "After scoring that goal in overtime, I had one of the strongest feelings I've ever experienced in sports. I remember that moment. The world stopped at that moment. I felt a childlike joy. Seeing everyone, in retrospect on the video, sharing this immense and sincere happiness shows what a great team we were," recalls Matěj Štefka from SK Kometa Polička.

And how does professional hockey player Adam Kubík, who also participated in the 2022 Senior World Championship in Montreal, remember the Canadian tournament from 2018? "It was an absolutely fantastic experience. We had a great team, a very talented team, and everything came together perfectly. The celebrations were amazing, and I always remember it with joy," mentioned Adam Kubík. Milan Maršner, the coach of the last ball hockey junior champions, added: "I have only good memories of the 2018 World Championship in Canada. Especially the great group of guys, including the coaching staff, who pulled together. The result was an unbelievable victory in the final."

The Czech U18 team showed a similar performance as the U20 team, but they were stopped by the host country, Canada, in the final. The two-year younger juniors from the Czech Republic entered the 2018 World Championship like a hurricane. In the first group match, they defeated Italy 6-1, followed by a 13-1 victory over Great Britain. With high ambitions for gold, this team flew to Canada, as they did not concede a goal against strong Slovakia and won with a score of 5-0. Even the Swiss couldn't find a solution against the Czech U18 team. However, the first defeat came at the hands of the host country, Canada, who took two points for winning in overtime. In the last group match, the Czechs defeated the USA 4-2.

"I still vividly remember it. From the preparation camps to the great coaching staff and the team itself. We had amazing support from the parents in the stands. We had a great group of fighters, and we really enjoyed the World Championship in Canada, not only from a sporting perspective. More teams participated. We played against Italy for the first time, overcame Great Britain, and dominated Slovakia. The total commitment and belief in victory brought us a turnaround in the match against the USA and a win. We were also satisfied with the point from the match against Canada," said Martin Davídek, the former U18 coach from St. John's, who will also lead the U18 team at the 2023 World Junior Championship in Liberec. Thanks to their second-place finish in the group, the Czech team secured a spot in the final against Canada. The Czech U18 juniors kept up with the Canadian team throughout the game, but Canada was more productive. With a 3-1 victory, Canada won the gold medal while the Czechs settled for silver.

Martin Davídek reflected on the emotions after the lost final: "At first, there was a great disappointment, and tears were shed as well. But shortly after the final match, we all appreciated our success in winning a medal. Being second in the world is not bad (smile), even though it's not a title."

And how does the current coach of the Czech U18 team view the upcoming World Junior Championship 2023 in Liberec? "Considering that there hasn't been any major international event since the last championship, we don't know the strength of our opponents. But based on how the boys have performed in the preparatory camps so far, I believe we will put together a very strong team. We have players who have experienced the Extraligue and play in the 1st League and junior competitions. We need to work on our systems and fine-tune the team chemistry. Yes, I think the current U18 team has what it takes to win a medal, and we will go to the home World Championship with the highest goals. But the ball is round, and the line between success and failure is very thin. I would really wish them that," mentioned Martin Davídek and continued, "I know that the Czech-Moravian Ball Hockey Federation will prepare the home championship excellently. It's great that it will be played in Liberec, in a beautiful arena, a hockey town. Playing in a home environment is an advantage for the families and friends of the players. I am convinced that they will create a great atmosphere for us, and the boys will experience an amazing ball hockey celebration."

Tickets for the tournament are available for purchase at ticketportal.cz.