In 2016, the civic association HK Sršne Košice founded the youth hockey club HK Sršne Košice, which is constantly developing and today already has 500 sports hockey players. The fact that their older students made it to the Slovakian hockey championship this year also proves that it is not just a club for children. Currently, they are among the six most successful clubs in Slovakia.

With the idea of ​​the project Come learn to skate and play hockey with us! came Marek Mergleský, founder of the civic association HK Sršne Košice. The intention is to create such conditions that every child who wants to play hockey can try it, regardless of the economic or social status of the family. And that through the hockey equipment that the club lends to children in the hockey training camp. Many parents are discouraged from hockey by its financial demands with uncertain results. Not all children survive hockey. In the club HK Sršne Košice, it has been proven to lighten the wallets of parents by renting starting hockey equipment for a child for the whole season for free.

"At the first training session, I provide the parent with introductory information and the little athlete with skates, a hockey stick and a helmet. After training, I award him with candy and a competition sticker to motivate him to train regularly. I am doing well, we are the record holders in Slovakia, when in the category of third and fourth graders we have more than 50 children in the club and as the only ones in Slovakia four teams of children are registered in competitions managed by the Slovak Ice Hockey Association. I am working to ensure that in the future we have more and more small hockey players in the hockey club, because only competition will move our hockey forward," says Marek Mergleský.

Like other consumables, hockey equipment wears out and also needs to be changed for safety reasons. In the first four months of this year, the club purchased skates, hockey sticks and helmets for approximately 5,000 euros.

The Together for the Region 2024 grant program supported children in hockey preparation with the sum of 1,000 euros.

"Your financial support has at least partially helped to relieve the parents of young people interested in hockey between the ages of 4 and 8, so that we can make it easier for them to start a sports hockey club. If only all companies could provide such grants, it would be more enjoyable for us to work with our children."

Aréna Sršňov is not only dedicated to club activities, but is available to the general public all year round and attracts children to spend their free time meaningfully.