The History of
Gyergyó Hockey

Gyergyó Hockey Club carries forward a 77-year-old tradition. Ice hockey is not only the national sport of the people living in the Gyergyó Basin but also a defining element of life in the region. The movement began with the formation of the first ice hockey team in 1948 in Gyergyószentmiklós. This passion didn’t just flourish in the town itself but spread throughout the entire Gyergyószék area. Hockey boards were built in every major settlement, allowing locals—from toddlers just learning to walk to those over seventy years old—to skate during the harsh winter freezes.
The History of Gyergyó Hockey

In 1882, the Skating Club was established in Gyergyószentmiklós, featuring a rink between the two branches of the Békény Creek, complete with a warming hut and changing rooms. Skating was already popular in Gyergyószentmiklós by the late 19th century, but ice hockey only took root relatively late, in the winter of 1948.
The first ice hockey team was formed at the end of 1948, initiated by physical education teacher Tibor Basilides, after organizing matches between local high school classes. According to records, the team played its first official game on January 1, 1949, in Csíkszereda against the local high school team. It was during this match that the boys from Gyergyó saw a hockey board and a real puck for the very first time…
Csapatok alakultak, és legendás rangadók zajlottak a gyergyói települések között, akár több ezer ember szurkolásától kísérve. Aki részese volt val
Teams were formed, and legendary rivalries took place between Gyergyó’s communities, often cheered on by thousands of fans. Anyone who has ever been part of it knows what a local championship means when teams like Gyergyóremete’s Kereszthegy, Gyergyószárhegy’s Bástya, Gyergyóalfalu’s Bucsin, Gyergyócsomafalva’s Délhegy, and Gyergyóújfalu’s Katorzsa competed—whether in the elementary school age groups or at the veterans’ level.
Unfortunately, winters in Gyergyó are no longer what they used to be a few decades ago, making it difficult to keep these traditions alive. There’s no longer the opportunity to hold outdoor tournaments on natural ice. However, the love for hockey remains strong. Under the coordination of the Gyergyó Hockey Club, children and youth across all Gyergyószék communities still have the chance to play ice hockey through the GYHK youth development program.
aha, az tudja, mit jelent egy olyan helyi bajnokság, ahol a Gyergyóremetei Kereszthegy, a Gyergyószárhegyi Bástya, a Gyergyóalfalvi Bucsin, a Gyergyócsomafalvi Délhegy és a Gyergyóújfalvi Katorzsa együttesei mérték össze tudásukat akár az elemi iskolások korosztályában, akár az öregfiúk szintjén. Ma már sajnos Gyergyóban sem olyanok a telek, mint pár évtizeddel ezelőtt, így ezek a tradíciók már nehezen éltethetők, nincs lehetőség a szabadtéri természetes jégen zajló kupák megrendezésére, de a hoki szeretete változatlan, a Gyergyói Hoki Klub koordinálásával minden gyergyószéki településen lehetőséget kapnak a gyerekek, fiatalok, hogy jégkorongozhassanak a GYHK utánpótlásban.
Here are the key milestones in the history of adult ice hockey:
- 1949: The Vasutasok and GYMTE teams are founded
- 1952: The two teams merge under the name SPARTAK
- 1955: The team continues under the name Haladás
- 1958: Haladás wins the national third place, the first championship medal for Gyergyó hockey
- 1961: The team adopts the name Lendület
- 1990: The senior team disbands due to lack of support
- 1995: The team is re-established as Progym under coach Csaba Baslidesz, based on players from the local U18 champion team
- 1999: Progym wins the bronze medal in the Romanian Championship, the second medal after 41 years
- 2002: Progym achieves the greatest success in Gyergyó hockey history so far: coached by Balázs Kémenes, they reach the final and become runners-up in the Romanian Championship
- The team also won bronze medals in the Romanian Championship in 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2014, and 2015
- 2018: The Gyergyói Hoki Klub is founded
