Marcel Skokan becomes the new Val Gardena coach. © Podhale Nowy Targ

An old acquaintance is taking over in Val Gardena

Hockey Club Gherdëina has found its new coach: Marcel Skokan will be in charge of the Furies in the future.

27 November 2025

From: pm

The name Skokan is well-known in Val Gardena: After beginning his career as director of youth departments in his hometown of Poprad and Bratislava, he joined HCG in 2014. As youth coach of the U16, U18 and U20 teams, the Slovakian celebrated great successes, winning the Italian championship twice.

In 2017, the club and the coach parted ways, and he subsequently moved to the youth department of HC Pustertal for three years. He then moved to Poland, where he was responsible for the entire youth sector at Podhale Nowy Targ and also coached the U16 team. In the 2022/23 season, the 50-year-old was promoted to assistant coach at the then-first-division club.

Beginnings in the German Regional League

Skokan gained his first experience as head coach of a first team with EC Lauterbach in the German Regionalliga. He was under contract with the Luchse, with whom he reached the semi-finals, for a year and a half before returning to his home country.

He was an assistant coach at HC Presov, which was promoted to the Slovakian first division last season. Later that season, he took over as head coach of the Kosice university team. Skokan has already arrived in Val Gardena and will be behind the bench for Thursday's home game against Jesenice.