Just before Christmas, a ceremonial presentation and "launch" of the book "Polemic about Slovak hockey and its prospects" was held in Bratislava. The book was written by the authors Ján Golian and Ján Holek. As the title suggests, it is a live history of the development and evolution of Slovak hockey, but the range of knowledge and observations described in the book can be applied far beyond the borders of Slovakia. By asking critical questions and revealing the problems of a non-systematic approach to the development of new generations of players within the hockey federation, the authors go far beyond the borders of one specific country. They provide food for thought for all hockey professionals and experts around the world.

Already based on the feedback of several experts in the field of hockey, it can be seen that this work really succeeded. Professor FTVS UK Eugen Laczo summarized: "This broad-spectrum over 400-page book publication contains varied and detailed information not only about the Slovak hockey movement but is based on the development tendencies of Czechoslovak and world hockey. It points to the contribution of great personalities who significantly influenced the historical development of the complex methodology of sports training in ice hockey."

The international scope of the published book was also noticed by the former dean of FTVS UK Prague, one of the main creators of the success of Czechoslovak and Czech hockey, Josef Dovalil: "It is not only an excellent analysis of not only Slovak hockey, but also a view of the development of the concept of hockey and training on a global scale. And if you were to limit the focus on Slovak hockey, some of the Western publishing companies (Germany, Canada, possibly Russia, etc.) would certainly reach for it."

Hockey is an incredibly dynamic sport that requires many nuances in the preparation of players. Indeed, even in most "hockey" countries, there is room for development. After all, the level of competition and the demands on players are constantly growing. New methodologies and processes for training players are increasing, based on the analysis of data obtained with the help of modern technologies. The implementation of these methods will improve the level of the younger generation of players and hockey in the country as a whole. Dušan Hamar, professor of FTVŠ UK in Bratislava agrees with the authors: "A significant part of the publication is devoted to the issue of training methodology and the use of functional diagnostics to increase the efficiency of the training process. The publication, which none of the popular sports games can boast of, is an interesting read not only for hockey experts but also for all enthusiasts of this still popular sport in our country."

"I was also interested in the number of passages with fresh statistics, and comparisons with other hockey countries in Europe. High-quality methodology, the necessity of lifelong education for trainers, and active contact with foreign countries are emphasized very well. The passage based on NHL statistics about the importance of player education is also instructive," shared his impressions of the book, legendary Czech coach Slavomír Lener (Czech national team that won gold at the Nagano Olympics).

The HDTS company and the group of authors of the book agree in many aspects regarding the vectors of hockey development and the principles of player training systematization, the introduction of new technologies, and a scientific approach to achieving better results. We are glad that this can be a good prerequisite for a professional polemic, not only in Slovakia and the Czech Republic but also abroad.

On behalf of HDTS, we would like to congratulate Ján Golian and Ján Holek on the publication of the book "Polemic about Slovak hockey and its perspectives". At the same time, we would like to wish the authors many successes and interesting discussions about the development of hockey, which will certainly arise at various levels in the hockey environment. Certainly, our company will be happy to cooperate in the future as well, at the same time we would also like to participate in the eventual creation of an English-language version, as we already see huge potential abroad.