Our History & Spirit of Hockey

Our History

The club started in 2002 by getting together some players who love field hockey thus interested in playing some weekly friendly hockey and meeting other foreigners living in Prague.  Advertisements were placed in various english language websites in Prague. Initially we played at a pitch on Tynska street in Prague, this was a about half size sand pitch used as a playground for the kids school, not really a hockey pitch, in the center of Prague 1 district behind the famous Kotva shopping mall. We played there until 2004 some very small games with about 8 to 12 members. In 2005 we moved to the American School in Nebusice in Prague 6 district. This was again a kids school playground, not a hockey pitch but was sufficient. We were about 20 members by now playing regularly. Our first indoor games were in November 2005 at a school gym with wooden floors in Prague 6. Our first tournament was in April 2006 – this is the one with the light blue shirts on the website. We rented a real hockey pitch at  Slavia Field Hockey club to play visiting teams until 2007. In 2008 we moved to our first real out-door hockey pitch at Zeleny Pruh in Prague 4 district, indoor/winter games were played at the German school in Prague 5 district  until 2009 when the school decided not to have hockey anymore after which we had no place for our indoor/winter season so 2010 we didn’t play indoor until AJ found and negotiated a new place in Prague 4 district when we started again our indoor/winter sessions in 2011. We continued to see a steady membership of about 20 regular members, however in 2009, even though we had about 50 members on the mailing list, only a handfull would show up for sessions as most had moved jobs, country, injuries, etc. There were some disheartening times that only 3 or 2 players showed up which led to some down time for the club until a revival plan was kicked in 2011. From the very beginning in 2002, Nick Dorrell ran the club as President until his departure permanently to UK in 2009. Jens Geitmann was Captain until September 2011 but due to an ankle injury which kept him away for many month, he nominated Amjad Deen (AJ) as the captain who got elected in October 2011 as the Captain. AJ is the last active pioneering member from the initial start of the club in 2002. Since Oct. 2011 he has managed to launch this new website on 10.05.2012, re-sign a new rent contract for out-door sessions and sourced/hired a hall for indoor trainings plus also designed and launched the new uniforms, marketed the club successfully  which has all seen a steady increase in new memberships.

Our Hockey Spirit.

As hockey players who represent Prague International Hockey Club (aka the Flying Honzas) we acknowledge and embrace the ‘Spirit of Hockey’ and the laws of our game. This Players’ Spirit of Prague International Hockey Club serves as a guide to the shared standards of behaviour that we expect of ourselves and of the values we hold.

Our on-field behaviour

• We play our hockey hard but fair and accept all umpiring decisions as a mark of respect for our opponents, the umpires, ourselves and the game.
• We hope to win but the enjoyment of the game by ourselves, our team mates and our opponents is more important.
• We view positive play, pressure, body language and banter between opponents and ourselves as legitimate tactics and integral parts of the competitive nature of hockey.
• We do not condone or engage in sledging or any other conduct that constitutes personal abuse.
• We encourage the display of passion and emotion as a sign of our enjoyment and pride in the game, as a celebration of our achievements and as a sign of respect for our opponents.

Our off-field behaviour

• It is acknowledged that we have a private life to lead but understand our off-field conduct has the potential to reflect either positively or adversely on us as individuals, our club and also on the game of hockey.
• We consider off field conduct that may be likely to warrant legitimate public criticism to be unacceptable conduct.

Our team

• We take pride in our sense of the importance of the team and acknowledge the role of the team captain, the club official and our fellow team mates.
• We demonstrate this by displaying loyalty and compassion to each other, by accepting our role as mentors and by supporting each other to abide by these values.
• We value honesty and accept that every member of the team has a role to play in shaping, and abiding by our shared standards and expectations.
• We undertake to treat all members of the team with curtsey and respect.
• We strive to be regarded as the best team in the world. We measure this by our on field achievements and by exploring ways in which we might continue to raise the bar.
• We acknowledge and follow the traditions of our game while encouraging and accepting experimentation that will enable us to create our own traditions and history.
• We do this in the expectation that we will leave the game in a better shape than it was before we arrived.

Our opponents

• We acknowledge and respect that our opponents may hold different cultural values and beliefs from our own, and value the diversity and richness this adds to the game. By treating our opponents with dignity and forging bonds of mutual respect, we will overcome any cultural barriers.

Our supporters

• We value our supporters and acknowledge those who support our opponents and the game of hockey.
• We demonstrate commitment to our supporters by always giving our best and demonstrating leadership in everything we do.

Our family

• We value the contribution and sacrifices of our families that enable us to meet these expectations.

Respect

• We respect the governing bodies of the game, our support teams in every capacity and our fellow players.
• We demonstrate this respect by seeking and offering frank and open communication in accordance with the Players’ Spirit of Prague International Hockey Club.