Today marks an important day for Belgian ice hockey as 73 coaches have begun their certification journey during the Coach Weekend in Mechelen. This annual event, organized by the Royal Belgian Ice Hockey Federation (RBIHF), attracts more participants each year. During the Coach Weekend, four different training programs were offered: Coach Level 1, Coach Level 2, Learn to Play (LTP), and Goalie Coach Level 1. These programs provide a structured path for coaches of various levels and specializations.
As usual, several international guest instructors were invited to lead the kick-off weekend. This year, the instructors included Marius Gliga (Level 1, Romania), Balint Fekti (Level 2, Estonia), Ville Vasainen (Goalie Coach Level 1, Finland), and Quintin Bollue (Learn to Play, Belgium/Norway). Their expertise and experience contribute to the high quality of the training programs. The various courses last several months and continue after the kick-off weekend under the guidance of Belgian mentor coaches, ensuring continuous development and support for the participants.
Belgium is performing excellently in ice hockey coaching and nearly meets all the Minimum Participation Standards (MPS) of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). This year, coaches from Luxembourg also participated in the various programs, thanks to the involvement of Baufort (Luxembourg). With this strong start to the season, Belgium is taking a significant step towards further professionalizing ice hockey in the country.