Swiss Hockey: Dear Stefan, thank you for taking the time to do the interview with us. We really appreciate it. And that brings us to the first question: As Chief Business Development & Marketing Officer at a MedTech start-up, you certainly have more than enough to do. So why did you volunteer to be a member of the Swiss Hockey board?

Stefan: Thanks to the sport of field hockey, I’ve been able to experience great friendships and unforgettable moments. With my commitment to the board, I would now like to “give something back” to the sport of field hockey in the hope that many players will also be able to experience this great sport in such a positive way.

Swiss Hockey: Tell us more about your unforgettable moments. How did you get into field hockey and what “achievements” can you show on your “tombstone”?

Stefan: My younger brother played field hockey and persuaded me to train at Rotweiss Wettingen. The field hockey virus quickly took hold of me and has not let go to this day. I played 140 international matches for the national team, with great tournaments in Europe, Japan and Malaysia.

Swiss Hockey: Wow, 140 caps is indeed impressive. We’re not sure if there’s anyone in the Swiss Hockey family who has more caps than you (PS: Call – please get in touch if you have more than 140 caps!) … But what exactly do you do on the board?

Stefan: With my area of responsibility “competitive sport”, I try to support the head of competitive sport and the national coaches/national teams. However, I am aware that there can only be successful national teams if grassroots sport is also well positioned. A major goal must therefore be to make field hockey better known and more popular in Switzerland.

Swiss Hockey: Exciting. Are there any particular challenges you see in achieving these goals?

Stefan: I see many motivated people who try to support field hockey in Switzerland with a lot of commitment and passion. I think it’s great and very positive that we on the Board are all pulling in the same direction. In my view, the very limited financial resources are a major challenge at the moment.

Swiss Hockey: Yes, that is indeed a challenge. Christmas is just around the corner, not immediately, but quite soon. So, you have one wish, what would it be?

Stefan: With the U-21s taking part in the World Cup, I’d like to finish in the top half of the table. In the longer term, I’d like field hockey to achieve a level of recognition in Switzerland that does justice to one of the oldest Olympic sports.

Swiss Hockey: Thank you Stefan for the interesting interview. And all the best for your work on the board. PS: We said ONE wish … 😉