Finnish coach Juhani Ijäs fuels growth of PH Men’s Ice Hockey
In a country where sun blazes year-round and basketball courts are found on nearly every corner, the idea of building a national ice hockey team might seem impossible. Yet, inside the cold confines of the rink, Finnish coach Juhani “Jay” Ijäs is helping the Philippine Men’s National Ice Hockey Team carve out a story that’s both unlikely and inspiring.
Having led the squad for the past three years, Coach Jay witnessed the sport’s evolution firsthand, from its early days to its growing presence on the international stage.
“The Philippines started to go international in 2017,” he said. “There were half Filipino players who helped build the program, some of them are still playing today, but now it is a good blend of older and younger players.”
Since making their international debut, the Filipino ice warriors have steadily gained recognition across Southeast Asia and is currently ranked 54th in the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Ranking.
While the program remains relatively young, he sees its progress as a testament to the players’ passion and perseverance, proof that love for the sport can thrive even in the tropics.
When Coach Jay arrived in the Philippines, he knew the challenges ahead: limited ice time, scarce training facilities, and a small player base. Yet, the Finnish tactician, who grew up surrounded by one of Europe’s most hockey-crazed cultures, approached it with patience and optimism.
“We are still a very small and young program,” he said. “Not only the national team, but we also need to recruit more younger players so that ice hockey will continue to grow in the Philippines.”
He believes that the real growth begins at the grassroots. Beyond building elite athletes, it is about introducing the sport to the next generation, one child at a time.
To ensure the ice hockey’s long-term future, Coach Jay, who is also the program director of the team, and the federation launched a “Learn to Play” program every Sunday morning open to children as young as three or four years old.
“It’s not really ice hockey yet,” he explained. “It’s just to get the feel of the ice. We need to start young because hockey is demanding, learning to skate, controlling the puck, and adapting to the physicality of the game.”
By partnering with schools and promoting the sport among families, the goal is to make skating, and eventually hockey, more accessible to Filipino youth.
Developing both talent and teamwork has been another challenge for the Finnish coach. With limited rink availability shared among men’s, women’s, and youth teams, training time is precious.
“We don’t have much extra ice time,” he admitted. “So we have to balance individual skill development with team play. Usually, about 30 minutes go to individual drills and the rest to our game systems and structure.”
Despite these constraints, the team continues to refine its systems, relying on discipline, conditioning, and camaraderie, in which Coach Jay emphasizes every session.
For him, physical conditioning is non-negotiable. Ice hockey demands more than technical skill; it requires resilience and athleticism to withstand 60 minutes of intense, high-speed play.
“We want to be a stronger skating team,” he said. “It is very demanding to play a full 60-minute game, so we cannot get fatigued. That’s the number one thing to be in good shape and be an athlete.”
With improved fitness and structure, he hopes the national team can stand toe-to-toe with more established programs in future tournaments, including the Southeast Asian Games.
Despite the challenges of promoting an ice sport in a tropical country, Coach Jay remains hopeful. He has seen how the energy of the players and the enthusiasm of young fans can create something special.
“Come here to the ice rink and watch our national teams play,” he urged. “It is really exciting, it is a unique sport. And if you don't like the game of ice hockey itself, maybe just ice skating, Philippines is fun, you can get away from the heat of outside and come here inside the cold."
From Finland to the Philippines, Coach Jay has brought with him more than just experience, he has brought belief. Under his guidance, the Philippine Men’s National Ice Hockey Team continues to prove that even in a land of sunshine, greatness can be forged on ice.
