Turkish Ice Hockey Federation

Turkish Ice Hockey Federation (Türkiye Buz Hokeyi Federasyonu, TBHF) is the governing body of the ice hockey sport in Turkey. It was established in 1991 as the Turkish Ice Sports Federation (Türkiye Buz Sporları Federasyonu, TBSF). It is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). The TBHF is based in Ankara and its current chairman is A. Kadir Dökmeci.

TBHF conducts two ice hockey leagues for men's, one for juniors /U20) and since February 2007 one for women's teams. The federation organizes also the national teams for men's, women's, juniors U20 and U18.

History
Ice hockey playing started in Turkey in the beginning of 1980s at Atatürk ice rink and on the frozen pool of Youth Park in Ankara and Korukent ice rink in Istanbul. The first ice hockey match dates back to January 9, 1988 played at Atatürk ice rink in Ankara between the teams of Ankara and Istanbul, which were coached by an American officer Glenn Brown and Sinisha Tomic from Yugoslavia respectively.

By February 1989, the "Buz Pateni Sarayı" (literally "Ice Skating Palace"), country's first Olympic size hockey rink was opened in Ankara, which initiated the ice hockey in Turkey. Founding of an ice hockey school the same year by Cüneyt Kozan and Fahri Paslı was one of the most basic and important steps in the development of this sport branch in Turkey. Some of the sportspeople, who learnt playing ice hockey at this school, are still members of the national team.

Ankara Buz Pateni Sarayı hosted the first match ever played in compliance with the international rules and regulations end of 1989 between Ankara Tarım Kredi Spor and Istanbul Paten Kulübü teams.

By January 1990, ice hockey sport was subordinated to the Turkish Ski Federation, and the first official championship ever was organized among two teams from Ankara and two from Istanbul.

With the foundation of the Turkish Ice Sports Federation in 1991, ice hockey sport separated from the Turkish Ski Federation and came along with figure skating sport under the authority of the new organization. Turkey became member of the International Ice Hockey Federation IIHF the same year, and formed the national team to participate at the 1992 World championships Group C tournaments.

The rising interest in ice hockey effected the increasing number of players and then the teams. Rino Ouellette, a Canadian diplomat in Ankara, who coached two teams consecutively, contributed much to the development of ice hockey sport in Turkey. A tournament, organized in 1992, laid the ground stone for the establishment of Turkey's first ice hockey league in 1993.

From 1992 on, the federation conducted regularly courses for referees and trainers.

Under increasing competition pressure, the teams were forced to transfer valuable players from countries with ice hockey tradition like Canada, Russia, Ukraine etc. The presence of the foreign sportspeople contributed considerable to the enhancement of this sport resulting in Turkey's first international win in 1997 against New Zealand.

In the end of 2006, ice hockey sport detached on International Skating Union's recommendation from the Turkish Ice Sports Federation establishing its own organization.

Domestic events and teams
The TBHF conducts in the 2006-2007 season four leagues and an outdoor ice hockey tournament. In the Turkish Ice Hockey Super League, 8 teams compete. Turkish Ice Hockey First League compromise 5 teams. In the Juniors (U20) League, there are 11 teams. The Turkish Ice Hockey Women's League debuted in February 2007 with 7 teams. Currently there are 625 registered hockey players in Turkish ice hockey leagues.

Turkish Ice Hockey Super League

Turkish Ice Hockey First League

Turkish Ice Hockey Women's League - Group A

Turkish Ice Hockey Women's League - Group B

Turkish Juniors (U20) League
 * Anka S.K., Ankara
 * Ankara Büyükşehir Belediyesi S.K., Ankara
 * Ankara Emniyetspor, Ankara
 * Ankara Truva Paten S.K., Ankara
 * Başkent Yıldızları Buz Pateni ve Buz Hokeyi S.K., Ankara
 * İstanbul Ted Kolejliler S.K., Istanbul
 * İzmit Buz Sporları Paten Klübü Derneği, Kocaeli
 * İzmit Çenesuyu S.Ki, Kocaeli
 * İzmit Şirintepe, Kocaeli
 * Kocaeli Büyükşehir Belediyesi Kağıt Spor, Kocaeli
 * Şampiyon S.K., Ankara

International events
Turkish national ice hockey teams took part in the following events:


 * 2002
 * The 2002 Men's World Championship - Division II (Group A) held from March 31-April 6, 2002 in Cape Town, South Africa.
 * The 2002 Men's World Championship - Division II (Group A) held from March 31-April 6, 2002 in Cape Town, South Africa.


 * 2003
 * The 2003 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships - Division III played from April 3-April 6, 2003 in Auckland, New Zealand.
 * The 2003 IIHF World Junior Championship - Division III held from January 21 through January 26, 2003 in İzmit, Turkey.
 * The 2003 IIHF World Junior Championship - Division III held from January 21 through January 26, 2003 in İzmit, Turkey.


 * 2004
 * The 2004 Men's World Championship - Division III held from March 16-March 21, 2004 in Reykjavík, Iceland.
 * The 2004 IIHF World Junior Championship - Division III held from January 5 through January 11, 2004 in Sofia, Bulgaria.
 * The 2004 IIHF World Junior Championship - Division III held from January 5 through January 11, 2004 in Sofia, Bulgaria.


 * 2005
 * The 2005 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships - Division II (Group A) played from April 10-April 16, 2005 in Zagreb, Croatia.
 * The 2005 IIHF World Junior Championship - Division III held from January 10 through January 16, 2005 in Mexico City, Mexico.
 * The 2005 IIHF World Junior Championship - Division III held from January 10 through January 16, 2005 in Mexico City, Mexico.


 * 2006
 * The 2006 Men's World Championship - Division III held from April 24-April 29, 2006 in Reykjavík, Iceland.
 * The 2006 IIHF World Junior Championship - Division III held from January 3 through January 9, 2006 in Kaunas, Lithuania.
 * The 2006 IIHF World U18 Championships - Division III held from March 13 through March 19, 2006 in Miercurea-Ciuc, Romania.
 * The 2006 IIHF World U18 Championships - Division III held from March 13 through March 19, 2006 in Miercurea-Ciuc, Romania.


 * 2007
 * The 2007 IIHF World Championship - Division II (Group A) tournament was played from April 11-April 17, 2007 in Zagreb, Croatia.
 * The 2007 Women's World Ice Hockey Championships - Division IV held in Miercurea-Ciuc, Romania from March 26 to April 1, 2007
 * The 2007 IIHF World Junior Championship - Division III held from January 8 through January 14, 2007 in Ankara, Turkey.
 * The 2007 IIHF World U18 Championships - Division III held from March 5 through March 11, 2007 in Beijing, China.
 * The 2007 IIHF World U18 Championships - Division III held from March 5 through March 11, 2007 in Beijing, China.


 * 2008
 * The 2008 IIHF World Championship - Division III held from March 31-April 4, 2008 in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg.
 * The 2008 Women's World Ice Hockey Championships - Division IV held in Miercurea-Ciuc, Romania from March 23 to March 29, 2008.
 * The 2008 IIHF World Junior Championship - Division III held from January 16 through January 24, 2008 in Belgrade, Serbia.
 * The 2008 IIHF World U18 Championships - Division III (Group B) played in Izmit, Turkey from March 3 through March 9, 2008.
 * The 2008 IIHF World U18 Championships - Division III (Group B) played in Izmit, Turkey from March 3 through March 9, 2008.

Coach
The national team's head coach is Jim MacEachern form Manitouwadge, Ontario, Canada. Jim coached the four Turkish national teams for the 2007-2008 season and is currently negotiating an extension of his contract.