What fantastic news: Croatia will for the very first time compete at the Men’s Ball Hockey World Championship in the U.S. during May 2015. Organising the team, getting ready for the tournament – all from scratch – is a big task that deserves the highest of praises and support, both moral and financial though sponsorship.
The newly formed Croatian Ball Hockey Association said in its 30 January 2015 Press Release:

“We are pleased to introduce the Croatian Ball Hockey Association (CBHA) whose Team Croatia will be competing in its first bi-annual Men’s World Championship tournament in Pittsburgh, PA USA in May 24-31st, 2015.
The CNBHA’s Team Croatia, comprised of players drawn from across North America and Croatia who are of Croatian lineage, is a recognized member of the International Street & Ball Hockey Federation and the World Ball Hockey Federation.

We are inviting members of the Croatian community across the world to show their support for the CNBHA. This is a tremendous opportunity to raise awareness of your organization within the Croatian community globally. For tournament information, please visit https://www.facebook.com/pages/WBHF-World-Ball-Hockey-Championship-2015-Pittsburgh-USA/1444024295859989?sk=photos
Sponsorship information can be obtained from Zoran Nosić at hrvballhockeygm@gmail.com or https://www.facebook.com/croatian.hockey.
All donations are tax deductible and donors will be issued tax receipts.

Thank you in advance for your support.
Croatian National Ball Hockey Federation”

According to Canada based Tomislav Kranjcevic the Association’s President as well as one of the players to compete for “Team Croatia” at the World Championship tournament in Pittsburgh “This journey was started in 2013, as I watched the 2013 Men’s World Ball Hockey Championships being held in Toronto, at the old Maple Leaf Gardens.
As I watched some of my teammates, and opponents representing their countries with pride, I told myself, that come 2015, Croatia will be represented at the World Championships…
With the help of the players, and Zoran (Nosic) our G.M, the dream has become a reality. I now sit back and think about that day 2 years ago and say, now the world will see what we are all about.
I am not just the President of this association, but a player that will represent the grb (emblem) from beginning to end.”
In an interview given to the World Ball Hockey Federation in 2014 Tomislav Kranjcevic said:

“The objectives are quite simple. First and foremost, I want to be able to build a team for the 2015 World Championships that can compete. We are not going to the championships just to go and show up, we are going to Pool B to show the other nations that we can play with them and beat them. We may not have a storied program, but I believe with the hard work I am putting into this, and with the players I will have representing the nation, we will indeed be tough to beat. We are going to Pittsburgh to hear our anthem being played, ‘Ljepa Nasa Domovino’ (Our Lovely Homeland)… I am not building this team to lose, but to go there and show the world that we are not just a soccer nation, we can also play ball hockey.”

The Croatian Ball Hockey Association’s team at the World Championships will be as follows and as announced by the Association:

OUR TEAM

The team will consist of a maximum of 20-25 players, 2 coaches, 1 team trainer, 1 team official, 1 team doctor and 1 team therapist.

OUR PLAYERS

The players are drawn from ice and ball hockey leagues across North America, Switzerland and Croatia. Our team will have representatives from the following professional hockey leagues:
• American Hockey League (AHL)
• East Coast Hockey League (ECHL)
• Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL)
• Croatian Ice Hockey League (CIHL)
• Other professional players include members who play in the Swiss Street Hockey Association (SSHA)
Many of our younger players are joining us from their playoff runs in Junior A:
• Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) from teams like the Oakville Blades, Hamilton Red Wings, St. Michael’s Buzzers, etc.

OUR AFFILIATIONS

The Croatian Ball Hockey Association/Hrvatski Savez Hokeja sa Loptom is a member of the World Ball Hockey Federation and the International Ball and Street Hockey Federation.

OUR MOTTO

SVE ZA GRB

(Everything For The Emblem)

Sponsorship packages include:

Bronze Package $500 +; Silver Package $1,000 +; Gold Package $2,000 +; Platinum Package $3,000 + and Marquee Package $5,000 +
Please click HERE for the pdf file on sponsorship prospectus.

And so the Croatian name spreads valiantly in a new field – the field of ball hockey sport! It is by no means an easy task to get a team off the ground that will represent Croatia in a new way across the world and I hope their efforts will be made easier by numerous sponsors from across the world who shine with pride at playing an important part in achieving a yet another brilliant feather in Croatia’s cap – Croatia competing at World Ball Hockey Championship. Please visit the Association’s website at http://www.croatiaballhockey.com and get involved. Good luck in Pittsburgh Croatian National Ball Hockey Team! Ina Vukic (Prof); B.A., M.A.Ps. (Syd)