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After a three days before the tournament “Tuxer Shkoda Spring Cup 2012” the director of the hockey Academy “Donbass - 98” Jim Brithen said about the progress on the Tour of Stockholm.
 
- What are you expecting in the tournament? 
- In advance of this trip we didn’t know what we are capable for and at what level we are ready to play. The leadership of the Club and Academy have ambitious plans for the future – we want to develop the Ukrainian hockey, bring world-class professionals including giving the players for the first team. For now, we want to plan the development of our U-14 team for the period before the new season,  to see what our players are capable for and above what we need to work  and the most important we should show it to them. Of course this is not enough to win the championship of Ukraine. I am familiar with many Clubs, coaches, assistants, referees, and leadership of the Swedish Ice Hockey Federation. By a join effort we were able to organize such kind of program like being in Stockholm that every game is a challenge, a test of strength and a great experience for our players, and the schedule we have is very rich. Every day we are playing games with the best teams of Stockholm, in the tournament schedule there will be two games per day."
 
- Did you meet the team goals and hopes after the first games?
- "First of all, the players should justify their desire because the biggest part of their final success depends on their attitude, self-analysis and hard work. The guys have shown that they can play even at a higher level than they thought. We’ve opened the new qualities of the team and continue to look after the players. Lack of experience effect but I can see a good present level and potential growth. At the moment we have already played three games of the season, in all attitudes. Will see what happens next…"
 
- Tomorrow is beginning of the Tournament. What is your approach for it? What do you prepare for?
- "It will be a good and difficult tournament. We will play six games with the strong opponents, and this is very good for us, because this is the reason why we are here. But we are not preparing for the tournament in purpose, because each game here is a game with high class opponent (in 10 days tournament – there are 12 games). We want to win! In every game, even in every period, we are coming out with one goal - to win. However, the victory in the tournament isn’t the main target for us, the goal is to develop individually and play well and learn from the each team and how we compare to them."
 
- The priority is - …?
- "Priority – is to develop and victory for the result but not in the other way. Although I am certainly happy with the victories, but you can lose without playing and in a bitter struggle to gain more experience, and this is another matter. Thanks to the leadership of HC "Donbass", who understands and shares these priorities, and through this we have all the possibilities and conditions for the development of our youth."
 
Aleksandr Khryakov for the press service of HC "Donbass", from Stockholm