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The Coastal Pirates Inline Hockey Club in Swakopmund hosted a fun-orientated InLine Hockey event for junior players last weekend, which proved a huge hit with spectators, players and coaches alike.

Inline hockey players from Swakop-mund, Windhoek and Otjiwarongo - from beginners to advanced level and from 5 to 15 years of age - showed just how far they have come with their favourite sport. Their enthusiastic performances kept the crowd entertained for two days, and ensured plenty of fun for all.

The event was a tribute to the professional coaching programmes being run at development level, both at the coast and in the capital. It was also an encouraging indication of continued success for this fast-growing sport, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in Namibia this year.

16 teams of seven members battled it out in five age categories, while the Coastal Pirates’ junior coaches and referees took over from the adults to officiate many of the games and to show what they have learned about all aspects of the game.

The Coastal Pirates junior de-velopment pro-gramme, which is currently run by club coach Philippe Bou-dreault, has gone from strength to strength over the past three years. However, this is the first time that the club has staged a tournament specifically for junior and development players, in addition to its annual NIIHA tournament commit-ments and business league fundraisers.

A highlight of the event was the well-supported skills competition specially devised for the tournament by Boudreault. As head coach of Namibia’s national team - which qualified this year for the World Inline Hockey Championships at senior level - Boudreault is keen to develop sound basic skills from as early an age as possible.

Participants in the skills competition completed tests in speed skating races, shooting accuracy, stick handling and puck control. They were faced with stop watches, targets and obstacle courses; while goalies pitted their wits and skills against their team mates in penalty shoot-outs.

And since the event was part of the club’s development programme and the celebration of a hard season’s work, every player received a reward. Said Coastal Pirates chairperson Ulrike Rodenwoldt: "Every player shared in the feeling of success and thus was a winner."

"Your limits are where you set them," she told the young competitors. "But FAIR PLAY and good sportsmanship are what we strive for most of all."