Junior Belfast Giants Travel to Austria for Landmark Grow the Game Exchange

This EHC initiative brings together clubs from ever-developing hockey communities with established European organisations, giving young athletes the chance to experience different coaching styles, facilities, and performance environments first-hand.

The Junior Giants players spent their time in Salzburg training on the ice with academy coaches, joining small group skills sessions and taking part in video analysis normally reserved for academy athletes. Off the ice, the group toured the wider Red Bull Soccer & Ice Hockey Academy complex, including the gym, recovery facilities, and learning spaces used by prospective athletes preparing for professional hockey careers. The visit also allowed the Junior Giants to meet Salzburg’s staff and players, learning about their pathways to elite hockey and gaining a clearer picture of the standards expected at that level.

Steve Thornton, Sports Director at The Odyssey Trust, said: “This visit gave the Junior Giants genuine insight into what a top European academy looks like day-to-day. Seeing how athletes train, study, and prepare at Salzburg helps broaden their understanding of the sport and what’s possible for them. It’s exactly the type of visit that can spark ambition and raise expectations.”

A core aim of the EHC’s Grow the Game exchange programme is to support the strengthening of relationships across European hockey and support development across the continent. For the Junior Giants, the exchange offered a rare opportunity to step into an environment that’s purpose-built for nurturing high-performance athletes.

Caroline Jonsson, Managing Director of the Alliance of European Hockey Clubs, commented: “The exchange programme is about opening doors. When setups, like the Junior Giants, spend time with an academy such as Salzburg’s, it gives players and coaches new ideas, new references, and a clearer sense of what long-term development can look like. These experiences help connect European hockey in practical and meaningful ways.”

For EC Red Bull Salzburg, hosting visiting clubs is part of a wider commitment to supporting the future of the sport. Their academy, which has been central to the development of world-class athletes including Erling Haaland, Sadio Mané, Dominik Szoboszlai, Noah Dobson, and Martin Pospisil brings together athletes from multiple nations and has become a recognised hub for high-level development.

Helmut de Raaf, Director of Development at the Red Bull Ice Hockey Academy, added: “We want young players from across Europe to feel welcome at the Red Bull Academy. Sharing our approach, whether through training sessions or simply spending time with our staff, is something we value. Hosting the Junior Giants was a positive experience for our academy, and we hope it contributes to their continued growth back in Northern Ireland.”

For more information about the EHC’s exchange programme, please click here.

Image Credit - EC Red Bull Salzburg / Schaad.