The Saints: the young ice hockey team doing Ireland proud all the way over in South Korea this week

What a brilliant experience this will be for Ireland's ice hockey hopefuls.

A young Irish ice hockey team will represent the nation later this week in a tournament bringing together teams from across the world. Ireland's Under 12 Junior Development Team, The Saints, will participate in the inaugural Commemorative Imjin-Pyeongchang International Youth Ice Hockey Tournament, which commemorates the 65th anniversary of the end of the Korean War. The tournament begins on Thursday (18th January). The Saints, comprised of players from Dublin’s Flying Ducks, Kilkenny City Storm and the Cork Wolfpack, travelled to Pyeongchang in South Korea on Sunday evening ahead of a packed tournament schedule which will see them play eight games across four days. Irish Ice Hockey Association president, Aaron Guli, told SportsJOE that Ireland's involvement in the tournament is a significant step in the progression of ice hockey in the country.

"There will be teams from Korea, Japan, Canada, USA, Hungary, and ourselves. It’s significant in that this is by far the furthest a team of this age has travelled."

[caption id="attachment_147467" align="alignnone" width="1024"] The Saints after arriving in Pyeongchang on Monday[/caption] Ice hockey is not widely recognised as a major sport in Ireland. However, Guli - who has been the IIHA's president for nearly five years, says he is proud to be involved with such a dedicated group of people trying to promote the sport in Ireland.

"We are constantly referred to as a minority sport therefore we often get dismissed. I will tell you though, and this is for players and parents worldwide, we have a solid base of very dedicated people. Our teams, and some individual players, are travelling all over this country and the world to play the game."

Travelling to Korea to play in the tournament is a remarkable accomplishment for the IIHA, which is short on resources and facilities. In fact, Anna Capcarrere, the sole female member of the Saints team heading to Korea, raised almost €400 for the trip by hosting a non-uniform day at her school, Lucan Community College. However, despite a lack of funding, the IIHA remains determined to make ice hockey a flourishing sport in Ireland. Guli believes the tournament in Pyeongchang will be a great way of getting the kids to realise that there are exciting opportunities in Irish ice hockey as well as introducing them to a new culture while they take on some of the best players in their age group from countries across the world.

"With these opportunities come other opportunities for hockey," Guli added. "Our players really bond well on these trips. We have really seen the benefits of this off ice and at other events. Lastly, our kids really get a chance to see different parts of the world, meet other kids their ages and see the similarities. It’s educational for them. In a sporting, cultural and educational sense."

You can follow the Saints' progress in Korea on the IIHA's Facebook and Twitter pages. There is also further information on the tournament and the team itself on the IIHA official website.