A BIT OF HISTORY
From Eburons to Belgium Old Lions
We shall not go back to the origins of hockey 4000 years ago, but it's good to know that at the beginning there were the EBURONS that proudly carried the colors of Belgium in national and international tournaments for many years.
Multi-aged, the EBURONS team participated in a several competitions in Belgium as well as in France and in The Netherlands.
The criteria to play with the EBURONS was that the players should have played in the first division of the national competition.
Some exceptions have of course confirmed the rule.
In 2010 the EBURONS gave way to the BELGIUM OLD LIONS at the initiative of Alain Mertens, a old grumpy of Royal Racing Hockey Club, and René Pirlot.The objectives were to structure and organize teams by groups of different ages
in order to be able to meet WGMA standards and bring projects to a long-term.
The engagement in the different teams has been extended to players from other divisions.
All players are affiliated, through their respective clubs, to ARBH, the 'Belgian Hockey Federation'.
We now have 4 men's teams O60, O65, O70 and O75 as well as one O60 ladies team called ... BELGIUM OLD PANTHERS.
ORGANISATION
In 2019, given that we had more and more player members, the captains of the 3 teams (60, 65 and 70+), and the sports managerdecided to create a non-profit association.
This association is made up of the 4 founding members, President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer, and has added a marketing manager, a representative of the 60+ and a representative of the Ladies team.
Just before the start of the pandemic, our ladies formed a 60+ team and are about to create a second team.They joined the association under the name Belgium Old Panthers after the name of our national hockey team, the Belgian Red Panthers.
Recently, a team of men O75 has been created. They played their maiden game against the Netherlands 75+B on October 6, 2021.
Context
Barely twenty years ago, Belgian hockey players most often stopped playing their favorite sport at the end of their first team career, between 30 and 40 years old.
We have set ourselves the goal of stopping this, on the basis that for the future of Belgian hockey it was essential that the elders continue to play their favorite sport for as long as possible ...
Let us never forget that we carry the pyramid of Belgian hockey: player, trainer, sports manager, manager, sponsor ... not to mention, the best customers of our bars and restaurants.
Our mission
Make Masters hockey as attractive, competitive and fun as possible while respecting our fundamental values: fair play, fun, family so that we can play it with as much pleasure as possible for as long as possible.
Barely twenty years ago, Belgian hockey players most often stopped playing their favorite sport at the end of their first team career, between 30 and 40 years old.
We have set ourselves the goal of stopping this, on the basis that for the future of Belgian hockey it was essential that the elders continue to play their favorite sport for as long as possible ...
Let us never forget that we carry the pyramid of Belgian hockey: player, trainer, sports manager, manager, sponsor ... not to mention, the best customers of our bars and restaurants.
Our mission
Make Masters hockey as attractive, competitive and fun as possible while respecting our fundamental values: fair play, fun, family so that we can play it with as much pleasure as possible for as long as possible.
