“I would never have dreamed of it”: Spornberger’s promotion to the DEL

Trained in the Rittner Buam talent factory, Peter Spornberger took the leap abroad relatively late. At the age of 16, the defender moved to EV Landshut, for whom he played for three seasons. This was followed by a season in the colors of the Kölner Junghaie and finally the move to EHC Freiburg in the DEL2. There the Rittner quickly became a top performer - and thus aroused the desire of the Schwenninger Wild Wings. Spornberger will get a taste of DEL air for the first time next season in Baden-Württemberg.

When you ask the 22-year-old how he explains this rapid rise, he says very modestly: “I think there was just a lot of luck involved. The crucial thing was that I went to Germany.” The fact that he got to Landshut straight away “was lucky because the coach supported me from the start.” The same applies to Freiburg, says the defender: “After the season in Cologne I only have one offer - namely that of the wolves. In Freiburg I immediately enjoyed a lot of trust and was able to play a lot." That is the most important thing for a young player. “I could never have dreamed that it would work out so well,” says Spornberger, looking back. Shadow of being an athlete As good as life as a professional ice hockey player is, Spornberger has already experienced its dark side in his young career. “Of course I am extremely grateful that I turned my hobby into a career. At the same time, such a career also has side effects,” he explains: “I have moved four times in the last five years, which meant I lost a very important person. The life of an athlete is beautiful, but things like that are part of it too.”

But back to the sporting career: Anyone who collects 2 scorer points in their first two DEL36 seasons and also shines with a plus-minus statistic of +42 is not only blessed with luck, but has class - and deserves to be in one of the best European leagues under contract. How did this commitment come about? “When I played in Cologne, I did a trial training session with Bad Nauheim. Christof Kreutzer, who is now the sports director in Schwenningen, was the head coach there. “That’s how the contact came about,” he explains. The fact that Schwenningen and Freiburg form a cross-league cooperation and that the clubs exchange information about young players with potential would also have played a role, says Spornberger.

In any case, the South Tyrolean is prepared for the DEL adventure and knows what to expect: “From what I saw in summer training, the players are even fitter, more experienced and simply more calm, better. “I expect the game to be faster overall, that you have less time – basically like at the World Cup,” says the 22-year-old. Taking part in this was “definitely a great experience”. The fact that so many players were missing “was a shame on the one hand, but on the other hand it was a stroke of luck for the young players. Who knows whether you would have been there otherwise,” emphasizes Spornberger. The boys would have been able to play a lot, see how the world's best players behave on the ice and experience something unforgettable. “It’s just a shame there were no spectators.” Short vacation at home That is likely to change at next year's World Cup in Finland, when Italy will once again compete in the top division against the best nations in the world. Spornberger doesn't want to think that far yet. First of all, his focus is fully on the season with the Wild Wings. The aim is to fight for a place in the top 6 defenders. Before that, the sports student will take an exam in Cologne and take a short vacation at home before the preparation in Schwenningen finally enters the hot phase next Monday.

OF Germany	SP	TV	P
1. Bremerhaven	51	160:115	104
2. Eisbären Berlin	51	180:132	102
3. Straubing Tigers	51	161:127	91
4. Grizzly's Wolfsburg	51	149:139	87
5. EHC Munich	51	152:129	86
6. Schwenningen	51	154:142	82
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“I would never have dreamed of it”: Spornberger’s promotion to the DEL

As of next season, he will be South Tyrol's only DEL player and, despite his young age, is already an integral part of the national team: About Rittner Peter Spornberger and his rapid rise.

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