Preparation will be more or less the same as for any other championship, says Vanesa Halbrštátová

Playing at a home World Championship is probably the absolute peak

Vanesa, summer training for the new season is in full swing. The upcoming year will culminate in a home World Championship in Ostrava. What stage are you currently in with your preparation, and how are you approaching it?

During the week, I don’t have time for team training, so I do my summer preparation individually. I had a training plan focused mainly on running, and I also included gym workouts. I’m now finishing the physical part of my preparation and shifting my focus more to stickhandling and ball work.

At the end of August, you’ll take part in a national team camp. Do you have any details about its content or expectations for it?

I’m not sure about the exact program, but since I’ve been to several camps before, I don’t think it will be anything new. There will definitely be a few on-field sessions, and maybe a physical training component as well. I know we’ll play a game against the U18 team from Letohrad on Saturday, and I’m looking forward to that.

You already have experience from senior World Championships. Is a home World Championship something different for you in terms of motivation and preparation?

The motivation is definitely higher — playing at a home World Championship is probably the ultimate highlight. Also, when the next championship comes around, who knows if I’ll still be playing. The preparation will be more or less the same as for any other tournament, though the spring phase will likely be a bit more intense.

There are many young and talented players, so the competition is strong

The Czech women’s team ranks among the best in the world. How do you perceive the current competition within the squad, and what do you think will determine the final roster for the championship in Ostrava?

I think the core of the team will remain the same. Some of the girls have already played at several championships, and with their experience, they definitely shouldn’t be missing. But there are also many young and talented players, so the competition is strong. The final selection will surely depend on current form, especially in the spring, and I think physical fitness will also play an important role.

After four missed seasons in the Women’s League, you returned last year with Svitavy. What was it like to come back to this competition after such a break?

At first, I wasn’t planning to play in the women’s league at all. I live quite far from both Svitavy and Letohrad, so I didn’t even consider it — playing in the youth team was enough for me. But then I thought, why not try it, at least for a few tournaments. At first, I took it more as a nice change of pace during the season. But I have to say, I really got into it — I ended up playing all the tournaments and enjoyed the whole season. The girls are great, which made me look forward to every event even more.

In addition to this club, you also played for the Letohrad U18 team. Do you plan to have similar game involvement across multiple teams in the upcoming season as well?

Yes, that’s my plan. It will definitely be time-consuming, but as I said, I really enjoy playing with the women’s team — and the youth team remains my priority.