There was a special board meeting held by the Hungarian Ice Hockey Federation where Pat Cortina was named the nead head coach of the Hungarian Women’s national team. The board also thanked the work that Jari Risku had done has head coach of the national team. The two sides are still discussing in what role will Risku continue working in. In case of a successful World Championships the contract of Pat Cortina will be extended through the 2019-2020 season. The Hungarian national team will be participating in the Division 1/A World Championships in Budapest, Hungary between April 7th through the 13th. The goal is to win promotion to the A-Pool. Hungary will be taking on the national teams of Austria, Denmark, Norway, Slovakia and Italy.
The head coach of the 2008 Sapporo team was brought in as a mentor coach in February to work alongside of Risku as the women’s team prepared for the February international break. Cortina noticed that the players have the individual talent and skills that are needed to move up to the A-Pool however they need to learn to play as team. The federation expects the new coach to be able to bring out the maximum from a team.
The goals are no less than what the mens team achieved 11 years ago in Sapporo, Japan. The Hungarian women's team has been on the cusp of the A-Pool for the past few years and has the potential to qualify to the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing China. Pat Cartina could be a key figure to this.
Cortina was the head coach of the men's national team starting in 2003 all the way through 2009. He left Hungary after the A-Pool World Championships. We would go on to be the head coach for Innsbruck in the EBEL and for Münich and the Schwenninger Wild Wings of the DEL as well as the German national team. After a decade away he has returned to Hungary.
