The Deutscher Eishockey-Bund (DEB), the German Ice Hockey League (PENNY DEL) and the DEL2 have completed their certifications as part of the "5-Star Young Talent Program." Following the relevant on-site surveys and the final evaluation of all facts, the club managers and talent developers of the three highest German ice hockey leagues, Uli Liebsch (PENNY DEL), Markus Gleich (DEL2) and Florian Ondruschka (DEB-Oberligen) draw a positive conclusion regarding the development of the clubs.
Across all leagues, seven clubs were awarded a five-star rating in the 2024/2025 season. Eisbären Juniors Berlin and the Jungadler Mannheim were once again delighted to receive the “5 Stars Plus” award – again among the best rated this season are the Kölner Junghaie, and with Dresden, for the first time a club in the DEL2. In the DEB-Oberligen was also able to increase again compared to the previous season - two more stars were awarded in the south and three more in the north than in the previous year.
The star program is an essential part of the DEBThe program represents the core of the sports concept and offers young talent clubs structural and content-related guidelines for their work in recruiting and training young ice hockey players. Within the program, participating clubs are evaluated through visits by their respective club managers, who conduct their assessments based on a comprehensive catalog of requirements. Points are awarded starting with the young talent acquisition program and extending to the U20 age group, where the requirements for training, promotion, and further development are the most demanding.
DEB-Head coach talent development and club support Florian Ondruschka: "In the 2024/2025 season, the clubs have once again invested heavily in further developing themselves as young talent centers. The increases in ice time and full-time coaches, but especially in the U-11 division, are encouraging. The goal in the coming years will be to further expand the training content in order to provide the best possible training for the children. As every year, a big thank you goes to all the volunteer coaches, helpers, organizers, and parents, without whose commitment this would not be possible."
Coordinator for the German Ice Hockey Young Talent in cooperation with the German Ice Hockey League Uli Liebsch: "In the PENNY DEL, the parent clubs were certified for the tenth time last season. Augsburg, Berlin, Cologne, and Mannheim have achieved at least 5 stars in all previous certifications. Infrastructure conditions, especially available ice time, often hinder further development. Young talent development is becoming more difficult for all locations. Increased costs—for example, for ice rental and away trips—must be managed. Due to all-day schools, clubs have a narrower time window for on-ice training, making it increasingly difficult to offer the appropriate training scope. A big thank you goes to all those responsible for the Young Talent organizations, to the many volunteers, the dedicated parents, and, of course, to everyone who financially supports our Young Talent programs. We need your commitment in the future to ensure that children and young people can enjoy valuable time in our ice hockey family."
Talent and location development DEL2 Markus Gleich"We are extremely proud of the development of our young talent departments in the DEL2. With Dresden, we have our first location that has achieved the 'Five Stars Plus' award. Almost all clubs have been able to maintain or even improve their standards, despite annual adjustments to the star concept. The increase in the number of children at all locations is particularly encouraging, reflecting our successful recruitment efforts. We have been able to secure additional ice time at many locations, although some locations are already reaching their capacity limits – more ice surfaces are urgently needed in this area. Our special thanks go to all locations and the numerous volunteers for their extraordinary commitment to the young talent area. Without them, young talent work on this scale would not be possible. We look to the future with confidence and will continue to do everything in our power to provide the best possible support for young ice hockey talent."