Fans, the para hockey national team, and the organizing team know that para hockey and the world tournament in Ostrava create new and amazing stories every time. This year’s IPH CUP 2024 is no exception. Ostravar Arena has hosted the first six games of the preliminary round, and despite being a morning match for schools from the Moravian-Silesian Region, a surprising 2,600+ roaring fans showed up on Thursday!
Parahockey players lend a helping hand
Immediately after arriving in Ostrava, the US para hockey team inquired about the situation in the region following the devastating floods. Spontaneously, the players decided to organize a small collection. The tournament organizers connected the para hockey players with Caritas Czech Republic, and on Thursday, the money collected by the players was transferred directly to their official account. ‘My father-in-law read an article about the floods that hit this region. I’ve been here six times myself, so we knew right away that we wanted to do something to help. The United States is currently experiencing hurricanes, so we see this kind of disaster at home too, but we’re here now, and so we tried to help in any way we could,’ commented US para hockey team captain Josh Pauls.
Goal scorer in the evening, a father in the morning
The Czech para hockey family grew by one more little member during the IPH CUP 2024 tournament in Ostrava. Forward Martin Žižlavský shined in Tuesday’s match against Italy and scored a goal. A few hours later, he got signed onto another roster when he sent a message to the Czech team about the birth of his daughter, Amálka. ‘She’ll probably be more like her mother because she has two legs,’ he joked in a message to his teammates. Martin Žižlavský has, therefore, now also joined the list of fathers.
An Electric atmosphere generated by schools
It has become a tradition to connect parahockey with schools in Ostrava and the Moravian-Silesian Region. One morning match of the IPH CUP tournament is always dedicated to them. This year was no exception. The atmosphere created by the children and their teachers during the Italy vs. USA match was absolutely electrifying. It was once again proven that parahockey is about more than just the sport. It’s about sportsmanship, sharing the atmosphere, joy, emotions, and all the values of this sport. ‘We would like to thank the schools, big and small fans, and teachers for creating such an amazing atmosphere in the Ostravar Arena for the parahockey players, a moment they will never forget,’ said an emotional Eva Dawson, coordinator of school and educational projects for Czech Para Hockey.
Parahockey under the watchful eye of the Canadian ambassador
The Canadian ambassador, Emily McLaughlin, was deeply impressed by the Thursday evening match between the home parahockey team and Canada. It was her first visit to Ostrava, and she chose to start it by attending the IPH CUP 2024 World Tournament. This was also her first time seeing parahockey live. She did not hide her admiration for all the players on the ice, and at the end of the match, together with actor Ivan Trojan, she presented awards to the best players of the game.
An atmosphere like no other
The IPH CUP 2024 is reaching its thrilling conclusion, with medals on the line. This Saturday, the Czech team will have a chance to redeem themselves against Canada (the reigning world champions) in the evening semifinal match. After a tough loss in the preliminary round, the Czech team is determined to come out on top. Join us at Ostravar Arena on Saturday from 6:00 PM to cheer on our home team and help them claim victory. Tickets are still available on smsticket or at the box office.
Text: Zuzana Martinčík Glacová Photo: Lukáš Kaboň/ Vladimír Pryček/ Radim Horák
