New Namibian inline hockey pro league SPORT REPORTER The Inaugural Festival of the Namibian Inline Pro League (NIPL) started on Saturday, 8 October at DTS in Windhoek.
Forty inline hockey players, many of them national team players, competed against each other in international length games; each game taking an hour for completion.
The goal of the NIPL is to create a league that is fun, challenging and competitive so that the best of the country’s players can showcase their abilities and prepare for the Inline Hockey World Cup.
It is also aims to help stimulate the more senior players with high-level games that are aimed at improving the level of hockey in the country.
All of the players will still continue to play in the NIIHA league for their respective clubs.
Liam Strydom was named Festival MVP (Most Valuable Player) and Ulfried Cramer was named Festival and Championship Game MVG (Most Valuable Goalie).
Strydom beat all competitors in scoring, tallying 12 goals and three assists through three games; while Cramer beat all goalies with a 3.67 goals against average (through three games).
Maike Thiem led the female competitors, who played alongside the men, with 1 goal and 3 assists.
The festival concluded with a championship game between the top two teams (White and Blue).
The game was full of excitement with four lead changes and ties during the one hour match.
In the end, Team Blue won 7-6 and Otti Foerster, the Blue team’s captain, was named Championship Game MVP with three goals and an assist.
“The day was a complete success,” said Brian Sobel, the commissioner and creator of the NIPL.
“It was amazing to see how far inline hockey has come in the last ten years. The passion that the players brought to the games made each game memorable and added to the excitement for the spectators.”