Minneapolis Storm Return From Sweden

SWPrez · Post by **SWPrez** » Thu Oct 25, 2012 12:06 pm

A group of 22 Minneapolis Storm kids just returned last night from another great trip to Sweden. Thought I would share:

http://minneapolispark.pucksystems2.com ... -trip-blog

O-townClown · Post by **O-townClown** » Thu Oct 25, 2012 12:16 pm

Thanks for sharing. Looks like a fantastic trip.

no5hole · Post by **no5hole** » Fri Oct 26, 2012 12:32 am

This is really cool. I have thought about my own kid trying something like this when he gets a little older. How did the storm get involved in this? and is there any chance for kids outside of the storm to be involved?

SWPrez · Post by **SWPrez** » Fri Oct 26, 2012 10:29 am

no5hole wrote:This is really cool. I have thought about my own kid trying something like this when he gets a little older. How did the storm get involved in this? and is there any chance for kids outside of the storm to be involved?

no5hole,

For about 15 years after I completed playing college hockey, I played on the USA bandy team (in essence, a bunch of rinkrats that could write the check to travel overseas). We would travel throughout Scandinavia and Russia for World Championships and other tourneys. I was also the American Bandy Association President for five years in the late 90's. Through the bandy contacts made over that time, as well as developing the hockey contacts in Sweden, we are able to put together a program every other year with our 'sister city' of Vasteras. Next summer, many of these Swedes will be travelling over here to skate at the Swedish American Bandy camp (in its 14th year) and to attend some of our Summer Training Hockey programs/camps.

The reality is that these trips aren't about high end AAA competition, but rather a cultural exchange through sport. Kids (aged 12-14) of any skill level can participate whether they are C or A players or somewhere in betweeen. Frankly, once the kids play bandy on the 'big ice', they would rather do that than play hockey over there!

The trips are open to anyone. We 'market' it through our association and thus it is mainly Minneapolis kids, but next time (2014) I will post info on this board. We had a kid from Duluth and two from Moundsview join us on this trip (past trips have had kids from Roseville, Highland, St. L Park, EP, Edina, etc.). Attending bandy camp next summer would be a good start (it will have 20 '99/'00 Swedish players attending) but not required.

irish skater · Post by **irish skater** » Fri Oct 26, 2012 2:29 pm

Swp, is this chris m or chris h?

no5hole · Post by **no5hole** » Fri Oct 26, 2012 3:16 pm

There is enough high end aaa competition here and I was looking at it for the cultural experience and memories. I've read over and over on here about how the kids would remember this tourney or that tourney for ever, but I honestly believe that they play so many that they blur together. This is something unique and would have memories for life.
Have to be honest, had to google bandy last night at work. Looks fun!

O-townClown · Post by **O-townClown** » Fri Oct 26, 2012 4:51 pm

This one time, when I was at bandy camp....

O-townClown · Post by **O-townClown** » Fri Oct 26, 2012 4:52 pm

SWPrez wrote: I played on the USA bandy team (in essence, a bunch of rinkrats that could write the check to travel overseas).

Checkbook bandy.

SWPrez · Post by **SWPrez** » Sat Oct 27, 2012 10:39 am

irish skater wrote:Swp, is this chris m or chris h?

Nope, steve j. But chris m and chris h are very good friends.

D3Referee · Post by **D3Referee** » Wed Dec 05, 2012 11:52 pm

O-townClown wrote:This one time, when I was at bandy camp....

SWPrez · Post by **SWPrez** » Mon Jan 07, 2013 4:53 pm

Took a few months to pull this together, but here is Part 1 of our trip. This vid shows the bandy rink we played on (picture an indoor lake with perfect ice) and our first game over there. Bandy game starts at approx. 14:00.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=p ... XfGFok5j68#!

SWPrez · Post by **SWPrez** » Tue Jan 08, 2013 12:12 pm

Parts II & III

Part Deux

http://youtu.be/IQQyPGFJrp4

Continued Bandy highlights via GoPro camera, VIK Pro Hockey Game, Stockholm, hockey training.

Part Three
http://youtu.be/pAuz6pH8l7w

Hockey training with retired Detroit Red Wings Star, Niklas Lidstrom (Lidstrom has four kids in the VIK hockey program) and is an assistant coach, under the stands. Day at school, return to Mpls.

A few interesting take aways ---

The Swedes tend to play their games on Saturdays and Sundays. Mondays are hard skating days. The practice with Lidstrom was on Monday and was one hour of intense skating. Other weekdays they work on team skills and strategy. They play far fewer games than our kids do. Like here...there never is enough weeknight ice.

Practices at all levels are highly structured. Teams meet fifteen minutes prior to going on the ice in order to go over the practice plan for the day.

They typically show up one and a half hours prior to ice time. They do dryland...run three miles...get the skates on and go. After practice, they do a light three mile run to warm down. Our kids thought it was excessive and thought throwing tape balls in the locker room and eating Swedish Fish candy was a much better way to warm down!

Smelly equipment never comes home. They store their gear in large 'milk crates' and it goes into a storage locker rooms. Practice jerseys are handed out for each practice and returned to be washed on site to be handed out at the next practice.

Just about everyone walks or rides bikes....

MNM JMH · Post by **MNM JMH** » Tue Jan 08, 2013 3:19 pm

WOW ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, You should start a Bandy Forum ... I thought this was for HOCKEY?????

stromboli · Post by **stromboli** » Tue Jan 08, 2013 3:41 pm

Pretty darn cool. Thanks for sharing!

SWPrez · Post by **SWPrez** » Tue Jan 08, 2013 3:45 pm

MNM JMH wrote:WOW ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, You should start a Bandy Forum ... I thought this was for HOCKEY?????

ah....parts #2 and parts #3 have your hockey. Even have a Swedish practice plan in there for you. Most of our bandy was the first part of the trip and that is why it shows up there in the progression. The whole concept of the trip is to introduce Swedish culture through ice hockey - bandy is part of that culture.

In defense of bandy - or also called Russian Hockey - the game is hockey's forefather. When the Soviet Union entered Olympic and World ice hockey play - ALL of their players were converted from Russian Hockey/bandy teams. This is why they were completely dominant right out of the gate. They were better skaters and better at keeping control of the puck. It also explains where the "European Style" of ice hockey came from - the Soviets were just playing bandy with hockey sticks and pucks when they were dominating the ice hockey tournaments! For almost 30 years, 'european style' hockey was the dominant international way to play ice hockey and many of its elements are still seen today.

Night Train · Post by **Night Train** » Wed Jan 09, 2013 2:46 pm

You're doing great work SWPrez, thanks for sharing.

Amazing trip and I'm sure none of the kids will ever forget the experience. Very cool to see all the girls too.