“Training personalities, not ice hockey players”

In an interview with s+, he talks about the training of young ice hockey stars, his next goals, and a new adventure that awaits him in the coming season.

The Alps Ice Academy won two titles last winter: the Elite Cup U16 and the U19 Italian Cup. What is your assessment of the past season? "When we started this ambitious project two years ago, we told ourselves that success and titles would have a positive side effect, but the focus from the very beginning was on the development of the players. We knew it would be difficult at first because our players in the U19 championship were three, even four years younger than most of their opponents. It was nice to see how the boys grew – on and off the ice. With few exceptions, we were competitive against every team. The longer the season lasted, the better we became. In the U16 Elite Cup, the level was very high and there were many good games. However, we know that we are still in the early stages. Typically, five years is the time frame before you see the first results. Our goal remains talent development. We want to develop personalities, not hockey players."

How has the Alps Ice Academy developed beyond its sporting activities, and what are the goals for the coming year? "The same applies organizationally as in terms of sport: The foundation has been laid, but there are many areas where we still need to improve. We are very fortunate that the management of the home in Dietenheim supported our project from the very beginning. The challenge of balancing the demands of sport with school and accommodation should not be underestimated – we must continue to improve here. There is certainly still room for improvement in the internal communication between the Academy, athletes, and parents. However, with Tobias Kuen, we have excellently filled the position of educational director. He treats the athletes as equals and manages to find solutions even in difficult academic situations. Our coaches Lara Tondin and Joachim Treyer also performed indispensable work by looking after the players' well-being off the ice. They will receive support from Paul Oberlechner this winter. Without their voluntary commitment, an essential building block would be missing. Despite all the challenges, one must remember that this project started from scratch two years ago. In view of this, we can be proud of what has been achieved so far. be. "

Günther Hell is the Vice President of the Alps Ice Academy.

In recent months, the coaching staff has been strengthened with the addition of Slovakian Lukas Bacik. The team has also been expanded with ten new players, bringing the squad to 31 players. "Our goal from the beginning was to grow slowly. Eventually, we'd like to have two or three teams. That depends primarily on financial resources. Other academies have four or more teams. We also want to promote women's ice hockey and become the reference center for ice sports in Italy. Our coach Ryan Hunter was a stroke of luck. The Canadian is only 32 years old. He has a lot of patience, is an excellent instructor, and always remains calm on the bench. With 35-year-old Lukas Bacik, we have supplemented the coaching staff with a young Slovak who has done outstanding work in South Tyrol for the past three years."

Next season, the Alps Ice Academy will participate in the multinational "U18 International." How important is the comparison with other nations? "It's essential to compare ourselves with other nations. Our thanks go to the Italian Ice Sports Federation, especially Andreas Gios, Thomas Rottensteiner, and Marcello Cobelli. They didn't put any obstacles in our way and gave us the green light to participate in this cross-border championship. We need international comparisons to know where we stand. But this is just the beginning. The U18 international teams come from Central Europe. Our goal is to compete with Scandinavian teams at some point."

You played ice hockey as a goalie for many years. How much would you have liked to have had a training facility like the Alps Ice Academy? "In my time, there were no academies. I would have naturally loved such a training opportunity. We had other options and, for example, were given the chance to play in the first team very early on. In my time, many young players – as they still do today – moved to North America, Germany, or Scandinavia, where the training was better than here. Therefore, it was high time that there was an academy in Italy as well."

What role do parents play in their children’s education? "Without parents, none of this would be possible. They play a crucial role and must support the project not only financially. Parents must be 100 percent behind it. We try to keep expenses as low as possible. Compared to other academies, we are considerably more affordable."

In 2006, you played two games at the Olympic Games in Turin. Next year, the Olympic Games will take place in Milan. What significance does this major event have? "There aren't many Italians who have had the opportunity to compete at the Olympic Games. That's why I'm proud to have been part of the team in Turin. We were a great team and did well. I haven't forgotten the many wonderful moments. Now, of course, memories are coming back. I really hope that some young local players will be on the ice in Milan."

You've been working as Vice President, both strategically and operationally, for two years now. What's your personal assessment so far? "Working with the Board of Directors continues to be a great pleasure. It's impressive to see how eleven South Tyrolean clubs have joined forces to focus on the well-being of young people. This sense of community and willingness to cooperate are truly extraordinary. We are particularly pleased that we are also receiving great support from local politicians and South Tyrolean sponsors. This gives us confidence that we can achieve our long-term goals. Of course, we hope to attract even more sponsors to our project in the future – because the Alps Ice Academy has great potential that needs to be further developed."

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“Training personalities, not ice hockey players”

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