Coaches Clinic is back! 75 partic­i­pants and high-profile guests

“It was an outstanding event with top-class speakers,” says Roger Bader with satisfaction. For the first time since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Coaches Clinic was once again held in person. 75 Austrian coaches came to Salzburg, meaning the event was fully booked.

“One of the reasons why it is important to meet in person was the many conversations between participants during the breaks,” explains Roger Bader regarding the desire and considerable need for face-to-face meetings.

The Sporting Director himself also opened the Coaches Clinic and was able to secure two absolute leading figures in European ice hockey as guest speakers. Thomas Roost, who has been working as an NHL scout in Europe since 1998 and is regarded as one of THE leading experts on the NHL Draft in Europe, gave a presentation on where Germany, Switzerland and Austria stand in comparison with the world's elite.

In the afternoon, Roger Bader provided an in-depth insight into the activities, objectives and strategies of the senior national team, which have been intensively pursued and implemented since he took over as Head Coach in 2016. A review of the 2022 World Championship and the successful debut at the Deutschland Cup were also included.

Reto Kläy, General Manager of Swiss top club EV Zug, then outlined the path of the past ten years from an average top-flight club to its current status as one of the leading names in the country of the 2018 World Championship runners-up. Above all, under the motto “More than just ice hockey”, EV Zug is now not “just” a professional ice hockey club, but a business enterprise.

The Coaches Clinic was rounded off by presentations from Philipp Pinter and Florian Mühlstein. Pinter reported on the U20 World Championship in Canada last August, for which he stepped in as Head Coach, while Florian Mühlstein provided insights into his work as the new Head of Youth Training and Development.

The next Coaches Clinic, which can also be credited towards the mandatory annual coach education, is planned for April 2023.