CALLBACK AND DEL FROM CANADA . until

Leuven Frankfurt is looking for a coach and half a dozen top performers

There’s no ice, but slides instead, onto which discs or wooden balls can be shot instead of real pucks, and above all: “It smells like medicine balls,” says Jan Barta and when He becomes excited as he talks about the work, he observes the situation with a delegation of relatively young Frankfurt Lions at the Athletics Hall in Kalbach. “That’s exactly what we need,” says the assistant coach of the team promoted by DeL about the sports facility. German ice hockey awaits them – and also for a classic that will be relaunched at the Esporthalle am Ratsweg even before the start of competitive sport.

first test in august

On 12 August (7:30 PM), renowned club and old arch rival Adler Mannheim will arrive for the first Test match – along with four other dates: the Bietigheim Steelers (2 September), Schweinger with the Wild Wings (September 4). , the second home game as a dress rehearsal against Kölner Hahn (9 September) and Dresdner Islöwen (11 September). More behind-the-scenes preparations are on in Kalbach as well and some things have already happened. For example, the issue of licenses was introduced on time, and there is every reason to be in good spirits at the Leuven camp and to expect the word yes to be related to the league at the end of June. And most of the team already is.

DEL 2’s 16 champions move on with the Lions, with three new ones officially announced so far. “It is important that we show ourselves as climbers with positive vibes. So we put in a lot of players who have the spirit to make it together,” says sporting director Franz-David Fritzmeier. Which really helps us with their quality. At least three defenders and three strikers are still missing as of the start of the season, players who should be top performers and each without a German passport to the DEL for professionals. will fill one out of nine possible positions.

The same applies to all that Fritzmeier formulates as a requirement for the most important open personnel issue, the replacement of the position of head coach after his separation from Bo Subar. “The head coach has to accept the fact that we are not Isberen Berlin or Adler Mannheim, but a club with mature structures and a lot of potential,” explains the sporting director. Can input into this environment.” When can the coach expect the casting to be done? “Definitely tomorrow, but I don’t mind if it takes four weeks or more,” Fritzmeier says. It is important that we find the best possible solution.”

He attaches particular importance to the fact that the new boss on the gang organizes himself as a team player alongside the existing team, a tribe that has been around for a long time – Barta and fitness trainer David Dubel, proven supervisors Lasse Joaquinen. Along with and Marco Suvello, Fritzmeier is also a new goalkeeper and video coach to succeed Valtteri Salo himself. “The head coach is important, but the one-man show is not,” says Fritzmeier. “The coach is often more involved in putting the team together. However, in our situation, he has to fit the team and the coaching staff.

training in canada

Since 16 May, most of the Second Division champions have resumed work, just three and a half weeks after promotion was completed with the final Del-2 victory at Ravensburg. “We are having lively exchanges with every player, even those who are not on site,” Barta reports. Many lions prepare for the summer in their Canadian homeland according to individually designed training plans, which can be adjusted based on feedback. Anyone living in Frankfurt trains three days a week in Kalbach and two days a week at club partner Prime Time Fitness, with Daubil assigned to the Lions as a coach: youths such as Marcus Freis or Konstantin Vogt, There is also goalkeeper Bastian Kussis. , in total this time seven, eight players.

“We make sure that we take the players to Frankfurt with the maximum body you can develop over the summer,” explains Barta. On August 1st, when things are really going on Ratsweg and when the snow is ready two or three weeks earlier than usual. And where less than two weeks later Mannheim’s old familiar will offer up strong first-class flavors.