EUHA – European University Hockey Association meets members of European Parliament

On the 17th of November, the leaders of EUHA (European University Hockey Association) attended a negotation with the members of the European parliament in Brussels, at which they presented the project of the European University Hockey League (EUHL). It offers university students from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Poland and Austria an option to combine higher education with quality amateur hockey already for the third season.

Jaroslav Straka (President of EUHA), Ľubomír Sekeráš (Vicepresident of EUHA) and Boris Sloboda (Director for European Affairs) presented the benefits of linking education with hockey and sports in general. Students – active players – are taught discpline, responsibility and commitment during their sports activities. In combination with a good education, it predetermines the important functions in the public and private sector. They also pointed out that EUHL with its transnational dimension infuses true European integration and asked the members of the sport parliament for the support in expanding this hockey league into other countries. Great benefit of EUHL is also forming a new university culture in Europe, that is more open to sports in terms of both teaching and in terms of student identification with the sport and strenghtening their identity to the university. It´s important to not forget about the prevention of crime, or the fact that thanks to regular transnational competition EUHL, the involved universities will be visible to other athletes – prospective students, both from Europe and America, and in case of others sports from around the world.

The idea of a European University Hockey League was founded in Trenčín in Slovakia, where the headquarters of EUHA is also located, hence the association which is the governing body of the competition. „I am proud that through our project we could help hundreds of players in a short time, who have decided to combine sport with education. It´s a clear proof that this idea makes sense and the fact that new teams from new countries join the EUHL every year only confirms this,“ said the former great hockey player Ľubomír Sekeráš, after which the EUHL trophy is named – Sekeráš Trophy.

author: Janka Danková