DEB-President Franz Reindl: “Structural rejuvenation and reorganization in competitive sports” / POWERPLAY 26 in focus
The Deutscher Eishockey-Bund (DEB) sets the course for the future: One week after Marco Sturm (36) was hired as the new national coach and general manager of the national ice hockey team DEB Christian Künast (44) and Stefan Schaidnagel (34) are on board. While the former national goalkeeper Künast will take over the care of the U20 national team, the Sonthofen sports scientist Schaidnagel will be responsible for the newly created position of national coach for science/training.
“With the structural reorganization and rejuvenation of our coaching staff, we are implementing a core point of our POWERPLAY 26 concept,” explained DEB-President Franz Reindl. The personnel details were decided in close coordination with the German Ice Hockey League (DEL). Both Künast and Schaidnagel will also be involved in regional club and talent support.
Meanwhile, the engagement of Stefan Schaidnagel still requires the final approval of the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) and the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) as sponsors. "However, we are very confident that we will receive a positive decision quickly, as both institutions have signalled their willingness to DEB to support them on the new path,” explained Reindl.
Schaidnagel's area of responsibility includes the technical coordination, support and control of the training science projects DEB, as well as the technical support, conception and organization of trainer training, for which he is also responsible for the teaching concepts and content. Another central area of responsibility is working with those in the sports sector DEB relevant national institutions.
“I am pleased about the trust placed in me. Now it’s time to roll up our sleeves and bring POWERPLAY 26 to life and make it a success,” explained Schaidnagel, who most recently looked after clubs and associations in the sports sector as part of his work for an international consulting company.
“As a former ice hockey professional, Stefan Schaidnagel not only has a high level of expertise, but also the necessary sports science background. What convinced us most was his positive energy,” explained DEB-Vice President Daniel Hopp (Mannheim). Schaidnagel is supported by Jim Setters (61), who supports him as a speaker on competitive sports and has been with him for over 20 years DEB works in various positions.
“I am happy about my new tasks. It's going to be hard work. The immediate goal is to get the U20 back into the top division as quickly as possible,” explained the former national goalkeeper, who himself took part in two World Cups and the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City (USA). The DEL-experienced Landshuter was most recently the sporting director and head coach at EHC Straubing.
“Christian belongs to a generation of players that represents a successful period in German ice hockey, which we want to build on again,” said the person responsible for finance and young talent DEB-Vice President Berthold Wipfler (Mannheim).
There will also be further changes in the expanded trainer area DEB give. Accordingly, Ernst Höfner will act as “head coach for club/talent promotion, young talent game operations and player development” in the future. The position temporarily occupied by Höfner DEBThere will no longer be a sports director. Rick Böhm (55/Bad Tölz) and Thomas Schädler (47/Rosenheim) will be responsible for the U18 national team on a fee basis. Only last year, the positions of women's national coach and U18 women's national coach were filled by Benjamin Hinterstocker (35/Garmisch-Partenkirchen) and Tommy Kettner (45/Bad Tölz).