An ex-handball player works for the Pusterer Wölfe

Since this season, physiotherapist Andrea Eder has been taking care of the physical well-being of the Puster players. “It all came as a bit of a surprise to me,” smiles Eder, who has been working as a physiotherapist in Bolzano since 2014 after graduating from Claudiana. The native of Schennen, who has lived in Brixen for three years, initially worked in the Burggräfler area. “I had my own practice in Algund before I joined Helmut Seyr’s team in Brixen,” says Eder.

Her name should be familiar to South Tyrolean handball fans. After all, Eder had recently played for the women of SSV Brixen for 6 years and won the 8th Italian championship title in the club's history with them this spring. The defensive specialist led coach Hubert Nössing's team onto the field as captain and was the first to lift the winner's trophy on May 17th. “Luckily I managed to do that. “I tore two tendons in my right shoulder in the final of the Italian Cup on February 5th and was only able to play thanks to the help of my work colleagues,” says the 2-year-old, who underwent surgery on her damaged shoulder after the end of the championship.

“It all came as quite a surprise to me.” Andrea Eder, physiotherapist at HC Pustertal

Handball is over for now. But not quite like that. Eder helps out as an assistant coach for the Brixen Serie A2 team and visits her teammates from last year whenever possible. Will there be a comeback? "Let's see. But definitely not this calendar year because I'm not allowed to do shoulder sports. I would like to train with the team again. Ultimately, the Gitschn have grown very dear to my heart. But first I have to get completely healthy again. Then I have to buy new handball shoes,” smiles Eder, who has repeatedly stepped in as a physiotherapist at the Brixen team’s away games. How did the collaboration with the wolves come about? It was her boss Helmut Seyr who referred her to HC Pustertal. “I told Helli a year ago that it would probably be my last season as a handball player. After all, it’s not easy to combine work and sport at this level: you have to reconcile 40 hours of work, four training sessions and a game a week,” Eder points out.

“I sat down at the table with those responsible at the HCP in the summer and we quickly came to an agreement. It has always been my dream to work as a sports physiotherapist in a professional environment. That's what I found here in Brunico. There are not many clubs in South Tyrol that are set up like this. If I need something, I get it. It's a great experience and a great challenge at the same time," Eder enthuses and continues: "Everything here is very family-like. I was well received and respected by everyone: the coaches, players and also the supervisors. I am one of them – part of the team. There is also a good collaboration with our athletic trainer René Baur.”

The former handball player only followed ice hockey on the sidelines until the beginning of August. You just looked at the results. That was it then. But she has been fascinated by the fastest team sport in the world for almost two months: “In the beginning everything was new to me. As a woman, I see certain things differently than a man. So we often have two different perspectives, which certainly doesn’t hurt.”

Andrea Eder follows the wolves' training.

Andrea Eder is also the only woman in the HCP physio team. This also includes Helmut, his son Simon Seyr and Lukas Weissteiner. “There are always two of us at the home games. Otherwise, I'm alone: both at every training session and at every away game," says the cheerful nature proudly and adds: "If I want a day off to catch my breath, my colleagues will step in for me." This is how a working day goes The working day in her little room in the catacombs of the Intercable Arena usually begins at 8 a.m. Before training begins, which starts at 10 a.m., she often has to put on tape bandages. After the exercise session at around 11.30:5 a.m., massages are scheduled before she locks the treatment room door behind her after around 2 hours. “In the afternoon I work in the Aquarena in Brixen, where Helmut Seyr opened a physio department two years ago,” explains Eder.

Your main task at the “Wolves” is to either work preventatively or to intervene in the event of injuries: “I primarily work manually. We have recently had new equipment such as therapeutic ultrasound. These can be used immediately in the event of acute injuries. I often have to relieve muscular tension or treat sprains, bruises and tendon injuries. I can hardly help with fractures. The Trauma Center in Reischach is responsible for this, with whom we work very closely and very well.”

Not all players have used their hands so far: “Some players have never been with me before, but others have come over and over again. I think I probably won't see some of them all year. Unless there is something more serious missing.” Andrea Eder behandelt das rechte Knie von Verteidiger Reece Willcox." data-fancybox="inline-127955" target="_image" href="https://s3-images.sportnews.bz/_images/scale/1280x1280/img/2022/09/zeandrea-eder-behandelt-das-rechte-knie-von-verteidiger-reece-willcox.jpg"> Andrea Eder treats defender Reece Willcox's right knee.

Pustertal's sports director Patrick Bona thinks highly of Eder: “Andrea is very professionally competent, down-to-earth and hard-working. As a former handball player, she also knows from her own experience what is important in team sports. The players are super happy and like coming to her. For some, Andrea is not only a physiotherapist, but also a psychologist and like a second mother. The club has invested several thousand euros in new equipment so that we can have the therapy center in-house.”

ICE Regular Season ICE	SP	TV	P
1. Klagenfurt	47	183:101	102
2. Fehervar	46	146:126	89
3. Salzburg	46	142:107	87
4. HCB South Tyrol	46	137:125	76
5. Linz	46	146:116	75
6. Villach	46	155:136	74
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An ex-handball player works for the Pusterer Wölfe

Some fans will have already asked themselves after the first preparatory games in Bruneck's Intercable Arena who the only woman on the players' and coaches' bench at HC Pustertal was.

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