The school was the brainchild of Mr. Milan Figala, one of the first Czech players to visit our shores. Based in Scotland, Milan enjoyed many years success as a player and then moved into coaching with his partner and friend Jim Lynch. Together they took the Ayr Scottish Eagles to some of their biggest successes, including the Grand Slam.

Milan's idea was to forge links with his home country, the Czech Republic and to give something back to the sport he loved so much. It was at this time Milan approached the school's director, Mr. John Wright with the idea. John would become the contact in England while Milan covered Scotland and the Czech Republic.

They started by inviting Czech junior teams to visit our shores competing with teams en-route, through England to Scotland where some great tournaments were waiting for them. With overwhelming success on each visit, they gave us a taste of what was to be. These visiting teams were so often the best juniors from clubs such as Kometa Brno.

Seeing such commitment to the sport, the Czech people presented the opening needed and offered the opportunity to take young British players to schools / camps in the Republic, to be coached by some of the very best. Over the past 17 years, players from our schools have been selected to train/ play in Canada and the Czech Republic, some with scholarships. These offers were accepted by several young British players who have stayed on to further their ice hockey careers.

Sadly on the 3rd November 2000 after a long illness, Milan Figala passed away. The links he helped forge between the two countries are an example of what can and is often achieved by our sportsmen and women, and these links have allowed the Anglo Czech Ice Hockey School to grow from strength to strength.