The Catalan town of 735 inhabitants with a world champion team

BarcelonaOnly in Catalonia could a town of just 735 inhabitants have a world-class roller hockey team. A sport rooted in the town has allowed many towns to have teams that are now part of their identity, from Sant Hipòlit de Voltregà in Reus to Sant Sadurní d'Anoia in Caldes de Montbui. But the case of Vila-sana is different. Never had such a small town come so far, because this year the Pla d'Urgell women's team won the Club World Cup held in Argentina and the Queen's Cup last weekend. Two titles that make for a big party for a club founded only in 2003.

"When we started setting up the activity, I was the president of the Parents' Association (AMPA). At that time, we didn't have any sports clubs in the town, so they looked for a sport for young people. And they also appointed me president of the club, while they waited for a successor to take over as president." In Vila-sana, they joke that when it's foggy and cold, it's not easy to live, so they had to find a sport for the younger ones. And choosing hockey was partly a coincidence, as the coach of the Mollerussa club was fixing the phone at the Porta family home just as they were considering what to do, and from that conversation, they decided to go ahead with hockey. That club, which was founded to allow children to play sports with the help of the residents of Mollerussa, has evolved to win titles. "We need to have extracurricular activities, as happens in many towns, but we take it seriously," adds Porta, the brother of Carles Porta, the journalist famous for hosting the successful TV3 and Catalunya Ràdio program. CrimesIn fact, Carlos has always congratulated the Vila-sana fans whenever they win a title, since, in addition to having his brother in the box, his nieces, Maria and Victoria, play on the team.

After rising to the top flight of women's hockey in 2017, Vila-sana decided to take a step forward in 2021 by signing internationally acclaimed players such as Argentinians Luchi Agudo and Valentina Fernández, and Portuguese goalkeeper Sandra Coelho. All this while taking care of the grassroots, as Vila-sana has brought together players from various nearby cities and created a residency. To this end, they sought the support of more than 60 companies in the Pla d'Urgell region, as well as various institutions, to provide the region with a top-level club with an annual budget of €300,000, half of which is allocated to the grassroots. The combination of Argentinian talent with youth hockey led to their first title, the Spanish Super Cup, in 2024. A success that was mixed with the bitterness of two lost Champions League finals.

The president's two daughters, essential on the court

But that European runner-up finish allowed the club to qualify for the World Cup held in San Juan (Argentina), a city with a long hockey tradition. Victoria Porta. The president's two daughters, Maria and Victoria, have been playing for the club their entire lives, since its founding until now. Fifteen years ago, they were crowned champions of Catalonia -BK_SLT_LNA~ The icing on the cake to close out the season came this past weekend with victory in the final phase of the Copa de la Reina in Cerdanyola del Vallès, securing their third title in a year in Don. Titles that spur Vila-sana to try to win the OK League for the first time—won this year by Club Patín Gijón Solimar—and the Champions League, lifted by Generali HC Palau.