It is with great enthusiasm that I am writing to you today, as Chairman of the Inline Hockey Technical Commission of World Skate Europe, to introduce you to a project that is close to my heart and vital for the future of our sport: the creation of the European U17 Women Regional Championship.
This initiative is born from a conviction: if we want our sport to thrive in 10 years’ time, we must act today, with innovation, solidarity, and a renewed vision for youth development. Inline hockey has always been about energy, creativity, and passion — and we now can translate those values into a long-term structure that serves our athletes and our community.
The cancellation of the last U19 Women’s European Championship revealed a structural weakness: the lack of a sufficient pool of young female players at national level. Rather than accepting this limitation, we propose to innovate. By involving regions as the backbone of youth development, we aim to mobilize local clubs, families, and volunteers to create new opportunities for young women to play, grow, and meet across Europe.
This project is not only about competition. It is about building bridges between countries, regions, and cultures. It is about offering our youth the chance to live the European dream through sport, to share experiences beyond the rink, and to strengthen our collective future. In doing so, we also contribute to the wider construction of Europe — not only politically or economically, but socially and culturally, through sport and solidarity.
We count on each of you, as leaders of your federations and regions, to embrace this initiative and to help make it a success. Together, we can create the conditions for every young player to find her place, to develop her talent, and to represent her region with pride.
I invite you to carefully review the project we are sharing with you. Let us engage, innovate, and move forward — stronger, together.
With sincere enthusiasm and deep trust in our collective energy,
Boris Darlet
Chairman
WSE Inline Hockey
