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Post by DanCan on Apr 11, 2004 15:14:55 GMT -5
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Post by 13LuckyLacky on Apr 15, 2004 10:52:24 GMT -5
hey all, another fellow Brit here. i too was at the Play off finals, its just a shame that my team didn't qualify (Coventry Blaze). anyway, still really enjoyed myself, and i was 1 of about 5 blaze fans that stayed to cheer the Steelers off the ice. congratulations.
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Daffy
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Post by Daffy on Apr 15, 2004 11:30:01 GMT -5
Guys we have just given Belarus a big scare!! Boy that would have been fantastic if we had tied the game or even better won it!!! Yipee!!! from yet another fellow Brit
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braveheart
Prospect
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Hockey,a game with no spectators...only witnesses!!!!
Posts: 91
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Post by braveheart on Apr 15, 2004 11:49:22 GMT -5
Just got home from work and saw the the result V Belarus,i thought this was going to be our hardest game but we seemed to have given them a run for their money.Maybe asking to much now to qualify but there is always next year,and with a few more Brits getting experience in the Elite League who knows eh!
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Daffy
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Post by Daffy on Apr 15, 2004 11:52:11 GMT -5
Yep. we have given some a scare and shown that we can give teams a run for their money and with more Brits getting more experience next yera could see a change! Hopefully.
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Post by DanCan on Apr 15, 2004 16:37:27 GMT -5
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Daffy
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Posts: 65
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Post by Daffy on Apr 16, 2004 8:07:20 GMT -5
We are definatley on the way up! If we keep doing things like this we are going to get alot of people worried. Especially when it comes to next year will the up and coming players aswell. I just hope that we can improve on what we have done so far
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Post by 13LuckyLacky on Apr 16, 2004 11:06:57 GMT -5
well, we thought we were on the up, but the Dutch didn't think so did they?!? oh well, lets just beat the Belgians and have another go next year!
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Daffy
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Post by Daffy on Apr 16, 2004 11:13:43 GMT -5
yep. I think we can beat the Belgians, win one and keep some pride especially after coming so close to causing an upset v Belarus. We have scared a couple of nations and woken the others up to us. They will be watching for us next year and hopefully we can come out strong and prove how good we can play even if we are British. Im a hockey coach for the Swindon junior club and i can tell you weve got some fire crakers out there that can take on the best regardless of country and that goes for any club! If only they can get the chance to play in Europe or North America! If they get the chance they have got to take it
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braveheart
Prospect
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Hockey,a game with no spectators...only witnesses!!!!
Posts: 91
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Post by braveheart on Apr 16, 2004 14:37:41 GMT -5
Daffy,Couldnt agree more with you on that one Some of the players from the junior teams in Sheffield were over in Quebec recently and gave a good account of themselves playing for the England under 14,s and even though i am Scottish,it was good to see them doing well .I heard that a team from the midlands played in Germany about a week ago and only lost to a strong under 14 team from Czech Republic so the future does look bright.I just wish that our game could get some backing from the Lottery but....!Hopefully if Gb senior team can do well in the Olympic Qualifiers who knows.
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Daffy
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Posts: 65
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Post by Daffy on Apr 16, 2004 15:04:54 GMT -5
Braveheart i agree entirley, it just goes to show it doesnt matter what nation you are, anyone can be taught how to play the game. I was and now i am passing that on. The GB team to date has just shown the world that we can compete and give teams a scare and a good run for their money. We need backing and recognition for our beloved sport. Most importantly of all we need money and TV coverage to help promote it at all ages and levels. Unfortunatley Ice hockey is a minority sport here way below football which is classes as our national sport. We used to get TV coverage on sky and that was only the Superleague as it was then! I know it wasnt much but at least it was a start, but what happened? Any coverage is better than nothing but we do need it Your thoughts?
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braveheart
Prospect
Sophomore
Hockey,a game with no spectators...only witnesses!!!!
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Post by braveheart on Apr 17, 2004 8:31:09 GMT -5
Daffy,i couldnt have put it better myself.Dont know what happened to Sky coverage at least it was something as you say.I have said that we would need another ice age for all the football pitches to freeze up for months on end and there would be no where for the t.v camera to go then some one would say'hey wait a minute ,theres ice hockey we can cover on BBC and ITV !' then i would wake up from my beautiful dream! The only thing we can hope for is that people like yourself can keep the youngsters interested long enough and give them the hope that they can play for their local teams at the highest level in the UK, and can represent their country at the highest level. Also the ice hockey' governing bodies' get together and under one umbrella and push the Lottery commission for help and then we may get t.v. companies interested,after all its the fans and the players(and coaches of course),that make this sport so special.Any way i'm off to iceSheffield to see the Scimitars v Flintshire Freeze in the ED1 play-offs then counting the days to going to Prague at the end of the week. .Cheers.
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Post by 13LuckyLacky on Apr 17, 2004 16:08:39 GMT -5
i e-mailed the government a few months back, saying that they should back the ''best sport'' with government funding, and they replied with the fact that they can't give funding until the sport has a unified and stable structure. so basically we have to sort it out before they will help us.
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Daffy
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Post by Daffy on Apr 17, 2004 16:35:59 GMT -5
Looks like the govening bodies will have to get together and get their act together and then something may happen! We can only hope. Speaking from a coaches and a fan point of view we have got our act together but the governing bodyies havent. Ive been screaming at the EIHA to sort out the under 10s play off fixtures before the finals in May. they have just given them out and guess what? i aint available! Typical Now you can guess what will happen ....my players or some of them wont be available either i can just see it happening! this is exactly what i wanted to avoid! Oh well maybe if i shout enough and so does everyone else we can get funding and TV Coverage sorted out. I will endeavour to keep players motivated and interested enough to keep aiming for the big time! Have fun in Prague Braveheart...i wish i was going
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