ACHA and EUHA delegation visit to Poland: New perspectives for university hockey

From October 5th to October 9th, 2023, the PUHA and UHT SABERS boards hosted representatives of ACHA (American Collegiate Hockey Association) in the form of: President Paul Hebert and Executive Director Craig Bernet, as well as representatives of EUHA in the form of: President Ľubomír Sekeráš, Vice-president František Sádecký and General Manager Peter Špankovič.

The purpose of the visit of guests from North America and Slovakia was:
– Confirmation of the possibility of organising the World University Hockey Championships (WCOUH) in April 2025 in Poland;
– Help for PUHA in promoting the academic model of hockey training in Poland;
– Determining opportunities for exchange between young coaches and players (students) practicing ice hockey in North America and Poland.

On October 5th and October 6th, 2023, the guests had the opportunity to learn about the turbulent history of the city of Oświęcim by visiting the largest German concentration camp, KL Auschwitz-Birkenau. They also visited Krakow, which is the essence of Poland’s interesting history. During these two days, there was also a sports aspect – together with the Management Board of Replast Unia Oświęcim and UHT SABERS they watched the top league match between Replast Unia Oświęcim and KH Toruń.

On October 7th, 2023, at the Małopolska State University in Oświęcim, in the presence of the university authorities, represented by Vice-Rector Radosław Folga, held a meeting of representatives of the Polish University Hockey Association (PUHA) and the North American University Hockey Association took place. University Hockey Association (ACHA) https://www.achahockey.org/ and the European University Hockey Association (EUHA).

During this meeting, the guests visited the only university in Poland with an academic ice hockey team, saw the conditions in which UHT SABERS players study, and also saw the accommodation facilities in the city of Oświęcim.

The parties exchanged interesting experiences and benefits for the country, city, university and ice hockey from the concept of developing this discipline at the university level. The parties declared the need and willingness to exchange young coaching and player staff between national associations, offering them training at universities in the USA, Canada and Poland.

The culmination of this meeting was the declaration of three associations about their will to organize WCOUH in 2025 in Poland, in Oświęcim.

On September 8th, 2023, representatives of PUHA and ACHA visited the ice rinks in Nowy Targ, Łódź and Zgierz, meeting with representatives of the authorities of clubs that declare their willingness to join the European University Hockey League in 2024/2025.

At the end of the visit, Paul Hebert invited PUHA representatives to a return visit to the USA and Canada, where he wants to show many excellent functioning university hockey centers.
PUHA representatives also received an invitation to one of the biggest events in college hockey; The 2024 Annual College Hockey Conference in Nashville.