Welcome to April issue of the DEB-Podcasts “Coach The Coach”In this episode, we welcome none other than the current coach of the men's national team: Harold (Harry) Kreis. The focus is on a topic that is fundamental for all coaches – the Coach development.
To start with, we take a look at Harry Looking back on his personal career. Right back to the beginning of his career. How did he become the coach who now leads the German national team? For him, one thing is clear: You are the sum of your own experiences. His career has been marked by successes, setbacks, and the ability to reflect on both. In particular, dealing with defeats, critical self-examination, and the continuous acquisition of (specialist) knowledge – even beyond the confines of ice hockey – are key building blocks in his development to become a better coach.
Another central theme of this episode is a real hobby of Harry's – one that he not only talks about passionately, but is also regularly invited to speak about: Conflict management and conflict resolution.
Conflicts are inevitable in team sports – whether within the team, the coaching staff, or the environment. But how does a national coach handle them? What is Harry's attitude toward this?
For him, it's clear: conflicts aren't disruptions, but opportunities for further development. Instead of avoiding tensions or sweeping them under the rug, he relies on early addressing, open communication, and a solution-oriented approach. He shares with us the principles he considers essential in conflict management, how important active listening and empathy can be in heated situations – and why, especially in competitive sports, clear values and understanding of roles are a stable anchor when things get difficult.
In the last third of the conversation we will focus on another important aspect of modern coaching: Bank managementHere, too, Harry provides deep insights into his development over the years. Harry gives us fascinating insights into what he demands of a functioning coaching team during a game, how many coaches he believes should ideally be on the bench—and what distribution of tasks makes sense to him.
We'll also take a broader look: Which tactical developments are currently shaping international ice hockey – and what can we derive from them for player development in Germany? Harry will provide a clear analysis of the trend and what conclusions the German young talent and professional sector should draw from it.
The new podcast episode is available here.