Kenya has joined Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and South Africa a few of the African cohort within the IIHF, which has 84 contributors, however captain Mburu says the after step will turn out toughest.

“We must now reach IIHF standards, and that is where our work is cut [out],” he defined.

However it is a crew that has already confronted many demanding situations, no longer least creation itself in a recreation just about exceptional in east Africa.

The Ice Lions have been began through a gaggle of expats from the US and Canada, who fixed a recruitment force.

With curler hockey being extra out there and usual in Kenya, many more moderen contributors have been scouted when dressed in skates with wheels on them in lieu than blades.

Tim Colby, who has coached the Ice Lions since their inception, says love for the game and willpower has introduced the squad this a ways.

“Playing ice hockey on the equator is not easy,” the Canadian instructed the BBC.

“The biggest challenge is ice time. Access to ice is expensive.”

Only one presen on the ice rink in Panari Resort prices just about $100.

The ones top charges heartless that the crew are simplest normally in a position to coach as soon as a while.

Their house may be one quarter of the scale of an Olympic rink, so the Ice Lions are limited to taking part in four-on-four fits (together with goaltenders).

Complete video games are six-a-side and require a goaltender, two defenders and 3 forwards.

Colby provides that obtaining enough quantity protecting apparatus for the crew proves tricky.

“We need a lot of specialised gear and that is only available in Europe and North America,” he mentioned.

For the primary few years many gamers simplest wore shin pads, forgoing apparatus similar to helmets.

Changing hockey sticks may additionally speed a number of months.