Children from the Orphanage will cheer for HC Vitebsk at the opening of the Belarusian Ice Hockey Championship

September 8, Vitebsk / Sergei Kochetov - BELTA /. The Vitebsk ice hockey club will hold the opening match of the 19th Belarusian Ice Hockey Championship, which started yesterday, at its home arena in the Ice Palace of Sports today. Young residents of the Vitebsk Specialized Orphanage for children with psychophysical development disabilities will be guests of the match. This was reported to a BELTA correspondent by the press service of HC Vitebsk. The club's administration has prepared a special program for the youngest fans, and the official club mascot, a bear cub, will be their guide to the world of big hockey. The children will take a tour of the ice palace, visit the ice arena itself, learn the basics of one of the most popular games, and witness the hockey players' preparation for the game. Souvenirs and gifts have been prepared for the orphanage residents, and treats await them at the palace cafe. Then, the children will take honored seats in the stands and will be able to cheer for the Vitebsk team. The club's administration plans to make such charity events traditional, the press service noted. The Vitebsk team will play its first match today against Metallurg from Zhlobin. The game is of fundamental importance for both rivals, as some Metallurg players moved to Vitebsk during the offseason, and several athletes from the Vitebsk team joined the Zhlobin squad. In addition, for Vitebsk, the upcoming match will be the first official game under the leadership of the new head coach Sergei Petukhov, who signed a contract with the club a few days before the championship opening. Now, the Vitebsk team, significantly updated during the offseason, faces the main task for the season - to reach the playoffs of the championship race. -0-