The hockey national team is stepping up its preparation for the European Championships which will be played in Croatia this summer.

National coach Pieter Bregman has been holding training regular training sessions since last November. This week, the Malta national team will be involved in a number of friendly matches with English side Old Cranleighans.

These matches will be a good testing ground for the players to stake a claim for a place in the team for the Euro Championships which will be played between July and August.

On the development front, the Hockey Association Malta has teamed up with their Cypriot counterparts for a training camp at their National Hockey Centre in Corradino.

Around 25 Cypriot junior players will be teaming up with 40 Maltese youngsters for a long weekend of activities to develop their skills and make new friendships in a rigorous programme prepared by the respective coaches.

“This is a big stepping stone for our young players to get used to playing in different environments,” Bregman said in a statement.

“I’m sure that this will be a valuable experience for all the participants.”