Junior national inline hockey teams receive a three-year sponsorship boost from SPAR
SPAR Namibia has partnered with the Namibia Ice & Inline Hockey Association (NIIHA), to propel the development of inline hockey players and the sport forward, an announcement made this week revealed.
The new partnership will see SPAR headline sponsorship of the junior national teams over the next three years.
SPAR will ensure that all training camps, team wear and battle gear, entry- and coaching fees, as well as travel costs of the teams’ coaches and managers relating to the national teams, will be covered.
Over and above this, SPAR will make provision to cover the travel expenses to the Inline Hockey World Championship of four underprivileged junior national players, taking pressure off of the players and their families to raise much-needed funds, and allowing the inline hockey community to focus primarily on the growth of the sport and team.
“Namibia’s inline hockey team has been making waves at global tournaments for a few years now and is growing in popularity. At SPAR we believe that apart from keeping your body healthy and revitalising your mind, the sport has an amazing ability to build character, improve confidence, and most importantly, bring people together,” said Sean Komlosy, Divisional Marketing Director from SPAR Western Cape & Namibia.
“For this reason, our SPAR sports sponsorships endeavor to assist in areas that have been traditionally overlooked by sponsors. We see immense potential in the national, foundational, and development of the Namibian inline hockey teams as well as the strides being made to ensure greater inclusivity in the sport, and we are extremely excited to be a partner on their journey to success”.
Inline hockey is very similar to ice hockey, only it’s not played on ice and players wear inline skates. In 2017, the first-ever Namibian Federation team was sent to the USA, and they returned with a gold medal from the North American Roller Hockey Championships (NARCh).
“Our vision is to become the preferred sport in Namibia and build a future for our children and through them, where skills acquired in the sport will open doors and shape their characters. This in turn will create future leaders who will value productivity and competitiveness, balanced with a heart for the community. We are extremely excited to welcome SPAR Namibia on board as we get ready to take on the world,” said Bernd Bajorat, President of the Namibian Ice & Inline Hockey Association.
SPAR’s sports sponsorship of both the junior national teams and local events comes from a deep interest in creating inclusive sporting opportunities for all.
“SPAR has, for several years sponsored the NIIHA Championships, as well as the Africa Cup – a growing international tournament which attracts players from around the globe – and the aim is to now help take the sport to even greater heights. We are very proud to attach our brand to inline hockey in Namibia and look forward to an exciting future together,” concluded Sean Komlosy, Divisional Marketing Director from SPAR Western Cape & Namibia.
