Ball Hockey Championship to Be One of the Region’s Top Events

On Tuesday, May 20, 2025, a press conference was held at the Secondary Sports School in Poprad to discuss the upcoming U20 Ball Hockey World Championship, which will take place from July 2 to 6 in Poprad.

The press conference was co-organized by the Prešov Self-Governing Region and the Slovak Ball Hockey Union. Among the participants were:

Milan Majerský, Chairman of the Prešov Self-Governing Region
Miroslav Dragun, President of the Slovak Ball Hockey Union
Ondrej Buday, Chairman of the Championship Organizing Committee and Secretary General of the Slovak Ball Hockey Union
Ladislav Bolcár, Director of the Secondary Sports School in Poprad
František Majerský, member of the Prešov Self-Governing Region Council

Also present was Daniel Lipár, President of the Poprad Ball Hockey Club Poprad Pirates and Assistant Coach of the Slovak Junior Women’s National Team. It was Lipár who originally proposed that the U20 World Championship be held in Poprad.

During the conference, Milan Majerský emphasized the importance and uniqueness of the event for the region:

“The Ball Hockey World Championship is without doubt one of the biggest events in our region. The Secondary Sports School in Poprad is a showcase for ball hockey. It offers not only the playing surface, but also facilities such as the dormitory, which will host the women’s national team. This environment is ideal not just for showcasing what we have, but also for achieving sporting success.”

Miroslav Dragun, President of the Slovak Ball Hockey Union, expressed his gratitude to the regional authorities for their willingness to cooperate:

“I deeply appreciate the willingness of the Prešov Region as the founder of the Secondary Sports School in Poprad, and also the director's openness to collaboration. Thanks to their initiative and support, this championship can take place in Poprad. We’ve been given access to excellent facilities, both in terms of accommodation and sports infrastructure.”

František Majerský, regional council member, noted:

“Poprad is becoming more and more of a ball hockey town. The people involved in ball hockey here are doing outstanding work.”

The Secondary Sports School in Poprad is quickly becoming a major sports hub for various national teams, thanks to its high-quality sports facilities and excellent transport connections. This was one of the key reasons why the junior ball hockey elite will be coming to Poprad at the beginning of summer.

The school’s director, Ladislav Bolcár, shared a message for all participants:

“We’re very glad that we have the conditions needed for ball hockey. We will do everything we can to ensure that not only the athletes and spectators, but also the entire organizing team remember our city and our school fondly.”

Photo caption:
From left: Ondrej Buday, Chairman of the Championship Organizing Committee and Secretary General of the Slovak Ball Hockey Union; František Majerský, Member of the Prešov Self-Governing Region Council; Milan Majerský, Chairman of the Prešov Self-Governing Region; Miroslav Dragun, President of the Slovak Ball Hockey Union; Ladislav Bolcár, Director of the Secondary Sports School in Poprad.

Other images:

Left: Miroslav Dragun, President of the Slovak Ball Hockey Union; Right: Milan Majerský, Chairman of the Prešov Region
Left: Milan Majerský, Miroslav Dragun; Right: Miroslav Dragun, Ondrej Buday, and Ladislav Bolcár