Bern­hard Stark­baum: “I’ll miss the thrill”

“During my time in office, since November 2016, he was my number 1. He won the important games for us and was a key performer for the national team. He played a major part in our successes of recent years. As head coach, I associate a good and successful time with him, both in sporting and personal terms,” said Roger Bader.

Bernhard Starkbaum retires as the goalie with the most international appearances. Starkbaum made 153 appearances in national team colours (note: this includes all games in which he was in the line-up), featuring at several World Championships in both the Top Division and Division IA, as well as at the 2014 Olympic Games. His final official game was the World Championship clash against Hungary in Tampere (FIN) on 22 May 2023, which Austria won 4:3 in the decisive penalty shoot-out, not least thanks to his saves, thereby securing their place in the division for the second successive year.

How do you feel as a newly retired athlete?

Bernhard Starkbaum: “The decision came as a surprise, but I have come to terms with it by now. I have more time, especially now in the summer, to spend with the children, as training has almost completely stopped. I train individually because I am simply an athlete and need to be active. There is no longer any pressure on my shoulders, and I am looking forward to the new things that now lie ahead of me.”

You will remain involved in ice hockey in a new capacity. How do you assess the goaltending situation in Austria, and what will your measures to address it be, so to speak?

Bernhard Starkbaum: “At present, too few domestic goalies play in the top league. Most of the time, they are only backups and get hardly any ice time. Our aim should be to develop more Austrian goalies. It starts at youth level, with every team having to do its part to train more young goalies and, above all, train them properly. The role of a goalie coach is very important nowadays, and it would be desirable for every team to have a full-time goalie coach responsible for everything from the senior team to the youth set-up. You need coaches who provide individual, specific training with the children. Goaltending today is very technique-based, and it is an area in which a coach can achieve a great deal through quality work. Especially at youth level. That would benefit Austrian ice hockey. The more goalie coaches support young goalies, the more will emerge at the top. This is nothing new, but it is important to take the first step. Then, in a few years, you can reap the benefits. With David Kickert and David Madlener, the national team has two experienced goalies who have already played and seen a great deal. But we need more coming through from below. There are individual goalies with good technique, but they still have too little ice time to continue developing. That is one area where we can start.”

In several respects, you retire as a hero: your saves in the penalty shoot-out secured the national team’s place in the division, and you are now the goalie with the most international appearances. What were your personal career highlights?

Bernhard Starkbaum: “Whether or not I retire as a hero is open to debate. I was part of the successful team that secured its place in the division at this World Championship. I was able to contribute with my saves, but you win and lose as a team. I am pleased that I was able to do my part in ensuring that we could remain in the Top Division. Just like last year, it was a really great group and, of course, an incredible feeling when you win the decisive game and secure your place in the division. There were many wonderful moments. Olympic qualification and the Olympic Games themselves are events and highlights that you do not forget. Just like last year’s win over the Czech Republic, or securing our place in the division at the 2018 World Championship in Denmark with the shutout against Belarus, the game against Sweden in Vienna last year and so much more. Standing on the ice and hearing the anthem, knowing that you have given everything for the team, with the eagle on your chest, and then having your children there as well – all of those are moments that meant a great deal to me both athletically and emotionally. There are incredibly many highlights that I cannot possibly summarise them all. Too many wonderful moments that I would not want to miss. And who knows, perhaps my path will cross with the national team again in another capacity.”

What will you miss most?

Bernhard Starkbaum: “Spending time and hanging out with my teammates, the feeling when you step onto the ice, the thrill, and to some extent the pressure that has now lifted. It is only after your active career that you realise how much pressure you have been under in recent years, something you enjoy on the one hand because you can handle it, but now I also realise that I can simply do my own thing. I enjoyed skating out, playing in front of the fans who supported us so emotionally and loudly. Seeing, especially from a family perspective, how the children stand in the stands and wave down. I will definitely miss that. However, I am convinced that new, different situations that I have not experienced before will inspire me in their own way and help me develop as a person just as these moments on the ice did. I am happy and grateful that I was able to make this journey, with all the support I always had from every side, from the children, my family, teammates, coaches, support staff and many more. So many people are part of a long journey like this and accompany you along the way; without them, it would not have been possible. I would like to thank them. One door closes and a new one opens, and I am already excited to see what the new chapters hold.”