NIIHA sends record 117 to Pama Cup

Inline Hockey
Mariud Ngula
  • 22 Hours Ago

A record 117 Namibian inline hockey players will compete at the Pama Golden Knights Academy’s (PGKA) Pama Cup, which gets underway on Monday in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.

The Namibia Ice and Inline Hockey Association (NIIHA) will field players aged between 8 and 47 across 16 divisions at the international tournament, which runs until 28 June.

PGKA has confirmed that it expects more than 60 teams for the showpiece.

Namibia’s ice and inline hockey spokesperson Stephanie Giersch confirmed to this publication yesterday that most of the players will leave today for the open tournament, which attracts teams from across Europe and beyond.

A statement by NIIHA said the event provides a valuable international platform for players of all ages and skill levels.

“This historic undertaking has been months in the making. Team managers Wiebke La Barré, Martie Bajorat and Stephanie Giersch have been coordinating the extensive logistics since October 2025,” the statement read.


Preparations

Preparations included registrations, travel arrangements, accommodation, transport, equipment and tournament administration.

“The scale of this tour is unprecedented for Namibian inline hockey. Moving 117 players, coaches, equipment and support staff across continents requires an enormous amount of planning and dedication,” said the management team.

“We are incredibly proud of what has been achieved and excited to showcase Namibian hockey on the international stage.”

Leading the Namibian delegation is head coach Nadia Schmidt of Badgers Inline Hockey Club.

Schmidt will be supported by an experienced coaching team consisting of Luke Stamatiadis of Kamikaze Inline Hockey Club, Marco Debortoli of Coastal Pirates Inline Hockey Club and Imanol Cárcamo of Scorpions Inline Hockey Club.


Collaborative effort

The coaching staff represents all four major Namibian clubs, who have collaborated to guide players through a demanding week of international competition while continuing to develop the next generation of the country’s talent.

NIIHA said the Pama Cup tour will provide young athletes with valuable exposure to international competition and allow them to test themselves against some of the strongest hockey nations in Europe.

“For many of the younger players, this will be their first experience competing overseas, while veteran players will once again proudly represent the country abroad. The tour also reflects the continued growth of inline hockey in Namibia.

“From grassroots Learn-to-Skate programmes to national team participation at World Championships and The World Games, the sport has experienced significant expansion over the past decade.

“The ability to field teams across 16 divisions demonstrates the depth of talent currently being developed within the country.”

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