Deniz Ince (front), coach of the Istanbul men's and women's ice hockey teams, instructs players during a training session in Istanbul, Turkey, Dec. 21, 2021. (Xinhua/Shadati)
by Zeynep Cermen
ISTANBUL, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- As the 2022 Winter Olympics is drawing near, professional ice hockey players in Turkey's largest city of Istanbul have been getting excited to watch and analyze the game structures of the Olympic participants as an effective training method.
Both the men's and women's national team of Turkey failed to qualify for the Beijing 2022 Winter Games scheduled in February, and they want to waste no time in getting prepared for the next Olympics, according to Deniz Ince, coach of the Istanbul men's and women's ice hockey teams.
"Like every athlete and every coach, we also have Olympic dreams," Ince told Xinhua during a training session in the Silivrikapi Ice Rink located on the European side of the city.
"As Turkey, unfortunately, we are not there," Ince lamented, noting that most of the qualified Olympic teams have a deep-rooted culture in the sport.
He added that he's particularly interested in the Chinese ice hockey and expressed a willing to have his teams play friendly matches with their Chinese counterparts in the near future.
"In recent years, China has made a huge leap forward and invested heavily in this sport and athlete and coach training," he said. "With such a developing pace, the team will be better and better."
Ice hockey started in Turkey at the end of the 1980s only in Istanbul and the capital of Ankara. In Ince's view, it has made a lot of progress since then.
Currently, there are ice rinks in many provinces of the country, and numerous teams have been established, playing in different leagues and categories.
Aleyna Lokbas, a 23-year-old national player, said the Turkish ice hockey teams have been preparing for the next Winter Olympics, targeting "better places with better opportunities."
"Everything starts with watching (the games)," she said, adding that her team will analyze all the plays, the games and especially the performance of those world-known players at the Olympics.
In Lokbas's view, the Chinese women's ice hockey team has a unique style with a different game structure that does not resemble any other one.
17-year-old Ziya Efe Guclu is now playing in the local men's super league. He hopes the sport can develop more rapidly in his country and he may have the chance to play alongside with foreign players and coaches.
"We still have a long road ahead, but we will do better for the next Olympics," he said. Enditem
Players of the Istanbul women's and men's ice hockey team take part in a training session in Istanbul, Turkey, Dec. 21, 2021. (Xinhua/Shadati)
A player of the Istanbul ice hockey team takes part in a training session in Istanbul, Turkey, Dec. 21, 2021. (Xinhua/Shadati)
Players of the Istanbul women's and men's ice hockey team take part in a training session in Istanbul, Turkey, Dec. 21, 2021. (Xinhua/Shadati)
Ziya Efe Guclu (R), a 17-year-old ice hockey player, receives interview in Istanbul, Turkey, Dec. 21, 2021. (Xinhua/Shadati)
Deniz Ince (2nd L), coach of the Istanbul men's and women's ice hockey teams, instructs players during a training session in Istanbul, Turkey, Dec. 21, 2021. (Xinhua/Shadati)
Deniz Ince, coach of the Istanbul men's and women's ice hockey teams, reaceives interview in Istanbul, Turkey, Dec. 21, 2021. (Xinhua/Shadati)
Players of the Istanbul ice hockey team take part in a training session in Istanbul, Turkey, Dec. 21, 2021. (Xinhua/Shadati)
