NIIHA training camp

Namibia Ice and Inline HockeyAssociation (NIIHA) and the National Program held their annual “long” recently held a training camp at the MTC Dome in Swakopmund.

The five-day training event loaded with matches, skill building, team building and fun The camp started with a fun styletournamentWednesday night, followed by individual sessions the whole of Thursday morning and afternoon, then matches on Thursday night.

Friday saw two team training sessions and matches at night. Satur- day morning was a team training session, followed byateambuildingcompetitionbetweenalltheplayers The team building competition was a collectionofphysicalchallenges (push-ups, sit-ups, running,etc.)andthenaphoto and video scavenger hunt thatsenttheteamsoutinto Swakopmund to find or create each task given to them.

More matches were play- ed on Saturday night and on Sunday a last team training session to close off the weekend This campalsoservedasaspecial“kick-off”asNamibia has been invited to participate in the European Championships, held in Belgium from July 20 to July31.

Namibia will be the first non-European country to everattendthisprestigious event.Namibiahasbeena steady presence in the world of inline hockey overthepastdecade,climbingtherankingsinJunior MenandJuniorLadiesand having consistent performances with their Senior MenandSeniorWomen.

Last year the Junior Ladies of Namibia claimed its first everWorld ChampionshipdefeatingUSAin the gold medal game, in Argentina. While the Junior Men, in the same course handicaps, respectively; 2nd Place: Marco Swarts & Tendakai Chinyundura 64 points;3rdPlace:Rina&BillyKnight63points count out over Wim Hollander & Dean Kock ; 5th Place: Helmut Ndjendja & Sebulon Tsuseb 60points.

Was a good day to shoot a 2-club well done to Justin Noabeb & Tendakai Chinyundura – who sharedthepool;unfortunatelytheNearesttothe Pin markers were lost in transit – the allocated prizes went out by lucky draw – this always bringsinalotofbanter Tothesponsorwesaythankyouforawonderful day;thefantasticprizesandlastbutnotleastthe excellent snacks supplied on their behalf, after prizegiving, bytheclubhousekitchen.

Championships, reached themedalroundforthefirst timeever The long training camp weekend also served as a mini-trial for an U17 team that will go with to Belgium Coach-selected players in certain age groupscameandgavetheir best and got to experience what an actual National Camp is like and what it is allabout.

Attheendoftheweekend, Lourens Borstlap and Max Ihms were selected to join theplayersthathadalready been selected from the beginningoftheyeartrials. The two players were very excited to be selected and arelookingforwardtojoiningthenexttwocampsand beingapartoftheProgram.

Namibia will send: Senior Women, Junior Men, Junior Ladies and U17 to

Belgium to compete A

Senior Men's team was not available at this time Danielle Dobberstein, who makes her return to the National Team this year, hasrepresentedNamibiain the Senior level of the World Championships 4 times (2008, 2013, 2014 & 2016) and after a short breakinthesport,tostarta family,isbackandlooking sharp and brining her unique blend of tenacity andgrittotheteam. Following the camp she said, “This camp was great. Everyone is getting alongnicelyandthereisa real sense of team and friendship.Ithinkthiswill make us tough to play against. I am really happy with everyone and looking forward to the next camp.” The next national trainingcampwillbeheld in Swakopmund from 23 to25June.