Schliersee/Kjelsas – Elizabeth Schlier of Schliersee ended her career in the best cross-country skiing era. If you ask her today after two years if she has ever regretted her resignation, she gives a candid answer. “I still have a feeling it’s as good as that,” she says in the telephone interview. Because recently Shicho has moved to Norway, where she has been working as head coach at the country’s biggest ski club since early June.

There in Kjellsas, a suburb north of Oslo, we reach her in the evening at her shared apartment. Because there is a ring above the A, the place is actually called Kjellsos, explains Shicho, who during the interview enjoys the glare of the evening sun in his room overlooking the ski jump on the legendary Holmenkollen mountain. “My everyday life here is good. A good mix of my business studies and my work as a trainer,” says Shicho.

But because as head coach he is now responsible for U23s and juniors between the ages of 16 and 19 who are training for professional careers, things can get a little tense during the exam stages of university. Nevertheless, he immediately accepted when his predecessors moved to Canada and athletes brought him into the sport as the new “howedtrainer”, ie head coach.

While the curriculum is in English, the coaching job is entirely in Norwegian. But now more than two years later, Shich is fluent in the language. “From the beginning I did a lot to learn Norwegian and forced myself not to speak English. The ski club was a big help here,” says Shicho. Because cross-country skiing adds up. Like football in Germany, cross-country skiing is a full-fledged national sport in Norway. “The ski club is in the middle of the circus. When we train in the stadium during the week, there are about 200 people running, from parents to five-year-olds, and often cinnamon rolls after that,” says Shicho. “Everyone here is positively crazy. That’s why I fit in so well here.”

Shicho is also oriented towards football coaches.

Because Elizabeth Shicho’s passion for cross-country skiing hasn’t changed since retiring from the World Cup. Sometimes she still runs with juniors. “But I’m not good enough to run with the big guys anymore,” she says with a laugh. In general, she laughs a lot during conversations.

During her career, Shicho had only the outlook as an athlete, today she is learning different areas of responsibility. “I find it really exciting to see what’s going on in the background,” she says. Because from training plans, meal plans and technical analysis to bus outfits and hotel bookings, the Schliers woman has to keep an eye on everything. He is supported by two assistants. “I draw a lot from my own experience.” Because during his career he has had positive and negative examples. That is what today tries to orient herself as a trainer.

“I also noticed that girls are happier when there is a woman. And I often know how they feel before or after a race.” Because in addition to the purely sporting aspects, shicho is the best in communication and togetherness. When asked about role models for a coach, he replied: “I sometimes watch YouTube videos with lectures by soccer coaches like Jurgen Klopp. Because I can learn a lot from football coaches, especially in communication and team building.”