Ten years ago, on February 17 2008, the Greek National Ice Hockey Team qualified for the IIHF World Championship Div.III after a 9-year absence.

A new video dedicated on the greatest qualifier in the history of the sport, with all the goals, the great moments, scenes from inside the locker room, the National Anthem and the celebrations. An opportunity for the young to learn and older to remember the glorious history of ice hockey in Greece.
A big thank you again to the guys of the national team, and to those who helped make this dream a reality. We hope to see the great athletes of our country participate in the World Championships again wearing our national colors with pride.

The 2008 IIHF World Championship Div.III video was missing from our collection. Enjoy!
Nine years after their previous participation, the Greek National Team is back at the World Championships!. Watch the goals and best moments at the 2008 IIHF World Championship Div.III that was held Luxembourg in March/April 2008.

Once upon a time….02.20.2008

The members of Team Greece have pulled off one of the most remarkable comebacks in international hockey history. After a nine-year absence from international competition, they’ve made a successful return. Even more notably, the team has fought to preserve a sport that was on the brink on extinction and given it hope for the future.

Recently, Team Greece emerged victorious in the IIHF Division III World Championship qualification tournament played in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina on Feb. 15-17. In addition to the host nation and the Greeks, the round-robin tourney included Armenia. The members of Team Greece celebrate their Division III Team Greece defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina by a 10-1 count and downed Armenia, 8-5. As a result, Team Greece has earned a spot in the 2008 Division III Worlds in Luxembourg.

“It has been a very long road to get to this point,” said Team Greece captain Dimtris Kalyvas. “There’s still work to do before Luxembourg, but our team is prepared to continue working hard to do whatever it takes for Greek hockey to succeed. We are as hungry and passionate a team as you will find anywhere.”
Continue reading “Greek Hockey gets back in the game!” →

Efforts by leaders like Kalyvas bring the Greek national team back to IIHF competitions.

If there was a gold medal awarded for perseverance and determination to overcome severe hardships, the national hockey team of Greece would be a richly deserving winner. The story of the players’ inspiring fight to keep their team together – and keep the sport of ice hockey alive in their homeland – has all the makings of a Hollywood film.

For most of the last fourteen years, the Greek team has persevered in the face of long odds. In the 1990s, the Greek government cut off all funding to the hockey program. Since 2003, Greece has been just one of one two European member countries without a viable hockey rink in the country.

Through it all, the Greek hockey players found ways to persevere. Under the leadership of team captain Dimitris Kalyvas, the players have gone to extraordinary lengths to stay together on and off the ice. The players pooled their own resources to continue playing, even selffunding trips to practice and play in the Czech Republic.

Continue reading “Greek hockey – against all odds” →