A group of men from my church will be visiting the Czech Republic in July to conduct basketball clinics for children. None of us speak Czech, but we are trying to pick up on some key phrases for conducting the clinics (e.g., stop, go, run, good, left, righ, etc.). However, we really want to connect with the kids and I wondered if anyone could give us some pointers concerning the culture from a kid's perspective. What kind of things do kids in the Czech like? What do they do for fun? What is the most popular sport or games for kids in the CR? Also, how popular is basketball in the CR? I know that soccer (football) is the main sport, but do most kids have a basic understanding about basketball? Thanks in advance for any help or insight you might provide and God Bless You. Bret
Hi Bret, I can't answer all your questions but I do know that hockey is a major sport in the Czech Republic and there are several dominant players in the NHL from the CR. Tomas Vokoun is a fan favorite here in Nashville and was the goaltender for the Czech Republic National team in the World Ice Hockey Championships held in Prague and Ostrava this year. Again, I'm not sure about basketball but I believe that Jiri Welsh of the Boston Celtics is from Pardubice. What city/cities will you be visiting? Maybe someone local to that area may be able to provide you with more information. Anyhow, I just wanted to say "hi" and welcome. Enjoy your time in the Czech Republic! Danny
I played basketball a few times with some Czech teenage boys, aged 14-18. Generally basketball is not very popular in the Czech Republic, although the guys I played with understood the basic rules and the basic mechanics of the sport. Rather I would say that they lacked enough practice to compete well against an American like myself, who has played several years semi-competitively. Note, these were boys were fairly athletic, particularly in soccer (they smoked us Americans pretty well), so the discrepancy in our competitiveness was definitely not in athleticism. I must admit, however, that I'm not sure if what I have described is generally the case among Czechs, or just specific to the guys I played with.
Thanks. I know that basketball has gained popularity in some European countries, but I wasn't sure about the Czech Republic. We are conducting clinics for school age kids during the day and playing exhibition games at night against HS and club teams. Hopefully we won't embarass the USA
Football (soccer) and ice hockey are the two far most popular sports. Basketball and volleyball are about the same - known, but not favourite. Florball started to gain popularity recently in many grammar and high schools.
Well, I returned from my visit to the CZ Sunday and it was a blast. First, the Czech Republic is a beautiful country. From the countryside to Prague, it was breathtaking. Second, the people of the CZ are awesome. Very friendly, hospitable, and intelligent. A great place to visit and live. I hope to return again next year. Thanks for the info and advice.
