Attention!
Changes have been made to the player placement and employment system in the Academy in Slovakia.
On June 16, 2019, the National Ice Hockey Union Congress took place in Bratislava, where new rules were approved, including changes for foreign players (legionnaires).
From the 2019/2020 season, all foreign players will be considered legionnaires until they obtain Slovak citizenship. Upon signing a contract, they must pay a fee to the Slovak Ice Hockey Federation (SIHF) over the next two seasons:

• Field players: 3,000 EUR.
• Goalkeepers: 6,000 EUR.

Limits on the number of legionnaires in teams have also been set:

• Children’s Ice Hockey League (from 5th grade to 9th grade (U-16)) and the 1st Kaufland League (Dorast U-18 and Juniors U-20): no more than 2 foreign players.
• Extraliga (Dorast U-18 and Juniors U-20): no more than 1 foreign player.

For the 2023/2024/205/2026 seasons and beyond, the National Ice Hockey Union Congress approved new rules for youth age categories and the development of playing models:

New age categories and competitions:

• Juniors (up to 20 years): Extraliga Juniors, 1st Juniors League.
• Adolescents (up to 17 years): Extraliga Dorast, 1st Dorast League.
• Senior schoolchildren (9th grade up to 15 years; 8th grade up to 14 years): Senior Schoolchildren League “AA,” Senior League “A.”
• Junior schoolchildren (7th grade up to 13 years; 6th grade up to 12 years): Junior Schoolchildren League “AA,” Junior League “A.”
• HP5 Preparation (5th grade up to 11 years): Preparatory competitions 5th grade.
• HP4 Preparation (4th grade up to 10 years): Preparatory competitions 4th grade.

These changes aim to synchronize age categories with school grades, simplifying the planning of training processes and creating equal conditions for competitions. This helps enhance individual player development and minimizes the problem of “aging out” within their categories.

Europa Stars International Ice Hockey Academy announces tryouts for the preseason camp from March 17, 2025, to April 7, 2025,
for the following playing positions:

• Forward L/R
• Defenseman
• Center Forward

During the summer preseason training, the following age groups for the 2025/2026 season will participate:

• from September 1, 2009, the entire 2010, up to September 1, 2011, birth years.

All state entrance exams for the international hockey academy (private bilingual high school) for U16 players (2010, 2011 birth years) or U18 players (2010, 2009 birth years), which correspond to the 9th and 10th grades of high school, must be taken strictly in March—on March 24, 2025, or March 31, 2025, respectively.
Athlete-students must arrive a few weeks in advance to prepare and pass all exams!

Participation cost for the TRY OUT and exams:
2,700 EUR for 10 days.

Included in the cost:

• Education, school attendance, and exams
• Accommodation in a host family on a full board basis
• 5 meals a day, laundry
• Transfer from Vienna/Bratislava airport
• Transfer to and from school

The number of spots is limited in accordance with sports legislation for foreign players. Apply now!

Europa Stars Hockey Academy – your step into professional hockey!