While many people have flocked to London for the Olympics, there’s been another sport that’s been making its way to the UK’s largest city. And it might be something that you’ve never heard of.
Select hockey is the brainchild of Egon Müller—the seven-time Olympic gold medallist and current president of the International Hockey Federation. After coaching and competing in the sport for more than 40 years, Müller saw the potential in a younger generation and decided to pursue a new idea: a “masters” competition that would pit the best players from around the world against each other.
With hockey’s popularity rising worldwide, Müller knew that there was still plenty of interest in the sport even though it might not be as glamorous as the Olympic Games. So he and his team put together a plan to stage the first-ever World Masters Hockey Tournament in London this summer. The tournament will feature eight teams, with each team made up of five players. Fourteen of the game’s greatest players are set to take part, with Müller himself looking to prove that age is just a number.
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Why Is It Called “World Masters”?
The name of the tournament is a mouthful, but it all makes sense when you consider the goals that Müller had in mind when he came up with the concept. First and foremost, he wanted to create a competition that would allow older players the opportunity to play at the top level, even though they might not have the physical abilities of their younger counterparts.
Secondly, he wanted to give the sport a big push in the UK. The country has produced some excellent players over the years, but there’s never been a proper national team to represent the country. The World Masters will allow UK players to shine on the world stage, alongside the best players from other nations.
Last but not least, Müller wanted to raise the bar for coaching and training in the UK. The idea behind the tournament is to provide the best environment for the next generation of hockey players to flourish. Not only will they have the opportunity to play against the best in the world, but they’ll also get the best coaching and training possible. The UK’s National Hockey Centre has been at the forefront of the sport’s development for many years, but this will be the first opportunity for a fresh crop of coaches and managers to prove their worth.
Biggest Name Involved In The Tournament
Apart from the president of the International Hockey Federation himself, Müller, the tournament organisers have managed to lure some truly big names to the inaugural event. As mentioned previously, Müller is the mastermind behind the World Masters as well as the Olympian who came up with the idea. The English midfielder and coach Bobby Robson will be taking part as a player-coach, while the Netherlands’ Dick Pol will be leading the team of Asian masters. Ireland’s Tommy Burns, Denmark’s Brian Gottfrid and Canada’s Kevin Lowe are also involved.
The list of participants goes on. Sweden’s Ulf Samuelsson, Germany’s Jürgen Schalff, Switzerland’s Alain Bonadio and Australia’s Shane Mackinnon are heading up the teams made up of players from their native land. Finally, the teams of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine will be led by Alexander Semenko, Mikhail Ryzhkov and Yuriy Shcherbak, respectively.
These are certainly some of the greatest names in the game. But that’s not all that the tournament has to offer. For those who are interested in watching the world’s best hockey players in action, it’s going to be a real event to remember.
How Does It Work?
The idea behind the World Masters is to create a tournament that is easy to follow and understand. The organisers have gone above and beyond to create a structure that makes sense in today’s world of digital marketing and social media. The tournament will be made up of eight teams, each made up of five players. Fourteen of the world’s best and most passionate hockey players are set to take part. The competition will feature several stages, with the group stages being played over a series of weeks and the knockout stage being decided in a final day of matches.
After a group stage that features four teams, the top two from each group will progress to a knockout stage that brings the total number of participants down to eight. The winner will be determined by points gained in the competition. Three points are on offer for a win, while one point is on offer for a draw. If there’s a tie at the end of the competition, then a shoot-out will determine the winner. Teams will be made up of five players, and each team will be managed by a head coach who’s also a participating player. The tournament’s head coach will be drawing on his experience to guide the younger generation of hockey players through the competition. Every team will have a captain, and all matches will be played in a single-elimination format with three points awarded for a victory and one point awarded for a draw.
The World Masters Hockey Tournament is set to be the biggest event of the summer in London, so make sure that you don’t miss out on the action. With several great days of hockey ahead, get your passport ready and make sure that you’re registered for the event.