Jeff MacLeod has been the national women’s coach for just over a year. At the first major international World Cup tournament under his direction, the DEBselection narrowly missed out on reaching the semi-finals and ended up in a strong sixth place. In an interview, the 53-year-old talks about the upcoming season, the challenges ahead for his team and the developments in women's ice hockey.
Jeff, thanks for your time. Before we get into hockey, how did you spend your summer?
Jeff MacLeod: "After the World Championships, I spent some time in Halifax, Canada. My son got married this summer. So the family and many friends who I don't see very often came together. As far as preparations for the new season are concerned, we evaluated the last World Championship. Things that we wanted to change can now be implemented at the first team event in August. There were also a few training camps with the German army, which we completed together with Jennifer Harss. There were already twelve to fifteen players there, which is a very positive number for us - especially in terms of our fitness and athleticism, which we want to continue to improve. We are also making sure that the players who were unable to attend these camps approach the training plans in a focused manner."
Now the first joint team activity for the entire team is on the agenda. How are you approaching this first meeting of the season?
Jeff MacLeod: "It's an important measure for us. We're all looking forward to it because the season will once again bring some big highlights. We'll certainly discuss the approach to the little things and team processes and consolidate the basics so that we're in our best shape at the right time."
Let's talk briefly about the last World Cup again: The perception is that the tournament went extremely well and the team's style of play was extremely positive. Do you see it the same way and what are the things that still need to be improved, apart from fitness?
Jeff MacLeod: "After the end of the World Cup, we were all a bit down because we had the chance to win our last two tournament games and move into the A pool of teams. We continue to work on the mental side and keep emphasizing our belief in ourselves: once you get that far, you can also win a decisive game against top opponents like the Czech Republic. We are good and now we don't just play against the teams that are further down in the world rankings. We have improved many areas of our game, communicate excellently as a team and have earned respect as a result. There are many positive things that we can build on. That's why we as a team and staff realized that a little more is needed from everyone involved to take the next step. We will continue to work on this point this season."
In your opinion, what importance does self-belief have when working with the women's national team? We also hear time and again from the men's team that the basic approach has changed due to the mental attitude.
Jeff MacLeod: "If you don't believe in yourself and your team's abilities, you won't achieve much. It makes a difference if you have a bad day and your team picks it up. The fundamental belief in us as a team is an essential attitude for players and staff. It's a positive feeling and goes hand in hand with hard work that will lead to good results. It's an important factor in our work with the team. We see that some young players come to us with great confidence and a positive attitude. That's an absolutely positive sign that development is going in the right direction."
In addition to the World Cup and the Deutschland Cup In Landshut, the women's team will be competing in the Olympic qualification tournament in February 2025. To what extent does this influence the work with the team?
Jeff MacLeod: "The Olympic qualification in February is the first important major event for us. Only then will the World Cup follow. This means that our schedule is changing in terms of preparations. This will already be reflected in our first team event in August."
How will the two major events be addressed in August?
Jeff MacLeod: "Our plan is to be optimally positioned for the next two years. We want to get better, win the big games against the strong nations and advance. That's what we're training for - whether as a team or individually. When we get together in August, we'll present our plan in the first team meeting and discuss it with the team. This will clarify our approach and start the detailed work without us constantly emphasizing the importance of the tournament in February. We'll take any external attention and pressure positively and see it as a sign that we're working in the right direction."
An important part of the preparation is the Deutschland Cup in Landshut, which will again be held this season as a parallel tournament with the men. What can the Deutschland Cup in your opinion for the women's team?
Jeff MacLeod: "Last year, our results on the ice were not optimal. Nevertheless, the tournament gave us so much. The fact alone of playing in front of so many spectators and having many national and international media on site put some pressure on us as a team. That's a good thing, that's what we want as professional athletes. We have taken our experiences from the first event with us and are further along in our development for the upcoming tournament. For the experienced players, the second year will bring a lot of familiar things, which is good for implementation. For our young players, it will be the chance to show themselves in front of a large audience."
Part of your job is also to observe the games in the DFEL and to follow the developments in the league. Budapest is a potentially strong opponent for the five German teams. How do you look ahead to the upcoming DFEL season?
Jeff MacLeod: “We have many national players in the league. So our first interest is that they are in a strong competition, a high-quality technical hockey with good coaching. We as a national team benefit from this in the measures. DEB has also achieved a lot thanks to the addition of Ronja Jenike, who is active as a development coach, and development is going in the right direction. There have also been a few changes to the squad in the teams, which could lead to greater balance. Ronja and I are there to support the teams and players, on site during visits and also in the future."
You just mentioned the role of Ronja Jenike, who, as part of her task at the DEB will drive the development of women's ice hockey. How closely do you work together?
Jeff MacLeod: "We have a good connection with each other and we constantly exchange ideas. As a link to many contacts, her input will be valuable to me. She has taken on a strong role in our team, she has always been fully committed to the coaching staff and the players. Ronja is a positive person who brings a lot of ideas and will therefore make a difference in her role."
Finally, we want to look across the pond to the PWHL, the first professional women's ice hockey league in North America, which has just completed its first season. How do you rate the league's work and what is it doing for women's ice hockey?
Jeff MacLeod: "They've made a good start with the first six teams that have started and a certain amount of hype has been created. It will be interesting to see how the league develops in the coming years and which new teams will be added - and when. Because there are a lot of players who are available and want to play in the league. It will also be interesting to see how the teams position themselves and establish themselves as local brands in their environments. Community building is an important part that will determine the success of the league. There is a lot of potential and some open questions."