Defending champions Frozen Flames take on Ice Lions Pride in the season-opener as the local ice hockey league returns to action this morning, starting at 9 am.
The season will feature 13 games in total, with 10 games in the regular series and three in the playoffs.
The league will also act as a build-up towards Kenya’s participation in the African Cup in June next year. Ice Lions Pride captain Benjamin Mburu said they are eager to begin the season strong after weeks of training.
“Personally, I look forward to growth. The game is gaining traction, and we are working towards making this more than just a competition,” said Mburu.
Mburu, whose team fell to the Flames last year, said his squad currently has 10 members and are looking to increase the number of players to 15.
“Last year, Frozen Flames beat us. They are younger and quite aggressive. We got to the ice about two Thursdays back and have been sharpening our skills. We will hustle for the puck until we can’t do that no more. We aim for shots on target and, at the end of the day, we want to enjoy the game,” he said.
Flames goalkeeper Charles Tumba said they are ready to defend their title with a more disciplined approach.
“We look to win and have clean sheets,” he said.
“We will also ensure we address our undoing in terms of our mistakes, among them not back-checking once we tackle our opponents. We will also man-mark them to minimise their chances of scoring. We want to improve on both attack and defence.”
Meanwhile, Ice Hockey Federation president Ali Kilonga said the upcoming season is part of a bigger developmental plan to strengthen the sport across the country.
He said the inclusion of new, younger players marks a positive step in developing the game locally.
“The best part of this is that we have young players on board, and this is part of the development that the federation is working towards. We want the senior players to now transition to coaches once this season is over. Our players are keeping up well, and we look to increasing their game IQ and enabling them to be fast breakers and good ones for that matter,” he said.
He noted that the federation continues to receive support from Hockey Canada and Morocco, who are “impressed with the development of the sport locally.”
Kilonga, however, highlighted equipment shortage as one of the biggest challenges facing the sport.
“Most of it gets donated, but it takes a very long time and resources to have them cleared. A senior player uses equipment for about five years if it’s well-maintained. We are shifting our focus towards the young generation as they are our future. This sport also demands different types of coaching, especially to improve their IQ, and this comes naturally but also gets taught,” he added.
