Former national team defenceman and U16 team national team head coach Bence Svasznek has been promoted from the U16 age group to the U18 national team. Hungary will be competing in the Division 1/B World Championships on home ice in Székesfehérvár in April.
Bence Svasznak last season was the head coach of the U16 national team that won three tournaments last season, including the Richmond International Bantam Midget Hockey Tournament in Vancouver, Canada. During the season he also worked with the U20, U18, U14 and U13 teams as well. In the past Svasznek has been an assistant coach on U18 and U20 World Championship teams and had been an assistant coach for MAC Budapest.
Last season you were with the U16 team, how much of a bigger challenge will the U18 national team be?
This will be a greater challenge, at the U16 level, the emphasis was on developing the players, where as the at the U18 level the results will be important especially at the World Championships. This position carries more responsibilities.
You have been an assistant coach on U18 and U20 national teams in the past, how much will your past experience at these levels help you?
It will help of course but each year and each team is different, just as there is turnover on both our roster and the opponents.
What was the biggest reason that you took this job when it was offered?
In the past few seasons I have been working with the youth national teams, however I really like to work with the U18 age group. I am very happy that the Hungarian Ice Hockey Federation has decided to work with me. It is an important age group in my opinion. I think have an advantage that I worked with the U16 team last year and the players are moving up to the U18 and I am familiar with them.
You have worked profession teams in the past, who will this help you with this position?
I think that any experience that I gained during my coaching career is important and I will be able to use it in this new position. Just as I can also use what I learned as player since I played at the pro level and also on the senior national team. I feel you can always pass on what you have learned as a player and a coach.
The Hungarian U18 national team will be playing in their first tournament of the season in August, what will be your next steps?
I need to put my staff together first and then look at the players that I have at my disposal and invite them into the first camp.
