Nostalgia for Arosa – or how hockey caused a political earthquake

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The EHC Arosa has long since left the big stage, but it still evokes nostalgia. Coach Rolf Schreepfer hopes to apply for promotion to the Swiss Sky League. On the sidelines of a road game in the Lowcountry, it also became clear to us that anyone who loves hockey and is committed to the game can cause a political earthquake, a political sensation.

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Oh, what fond memories: EHC Arosa was still rocking our hockey in the early 1980s. There are very few photos from the National Championships. For example, none from Langnau. Legend has it—or rather, the Uhremental conspiracy theory prevails—that the local Napf Mountain in Emmental made it impossible for signals to reach Leuzenbach.

Chasper Stupan covered the heroic deeds of EHC Arosa for Beromünster radio until 1984. Featuring a great sound and a unique blend of mountain romance, passion and hockey awareness. We take pictures of EHC Arosa in our minds. Such images are more effective than the best live broadcasts on Sports Color TV MySports. We love the blues and yellows on jerseys, hats, scarves and sweaters and the sunshine in Arosa. EHC Arosa is as popular as HC Davos.

All of this may be why Arosa Romance remains such a strong presence in the hockey world. EHC Arosa visits Hartwell on Saturday. Heading to a MyHockey League game – unless local rivals Langenthal are coming, at most and rarely more than 400 men, women and children descend on Campus Perspectives, the temple of hockey. But even though winter has set in, there are still 683 people.

Enjoy hockey romance in the Lowcountry in front of the Hartwell Hockey Temple in November – late winter and Arosa are comingImage: Klaus Zager

A real double dose of nostalgia: the depths of winter in November – something we haven’t experienced since the 1980s, the last heyday of Arosa hockey culture – and Arosa is coming! While Graubünden was dominating national hockey in the early 1980s, Hockey games in Heartville were still played on natural ice, using “Schraubengampfen” (skates screwed to leather shoes). Now we are equal! Many spectators wore Arosa Sunshine knitted hats.

The truth is, Arosa hockey culture hasn’t changed all that much. The people of Arosa are brave, passionate, fast and sometimes even crazy. Just as we imagine “Bergler Hockey”. Just like before. In 1986, EHC Arosa was relegated to the highest level of the amateur league (League 1) for financial reasons and has now become a veritable training club. 18 players are 22 years old or younger.

Photo from the past: Arosa celebrates the title.Image: KEYSTONE

Regardless, coach Rolf Schrepfer (51) is a hockey enthusiast. He has enjoyed great reputation as the bite leader for the ZSC Lions championship teams (2000, 2001) and SCB (2004). He is in his fourth year as a trainer at Arosa. Of course, he hopes to further his career in professional hockey. He can also make more money while working less:

Therefore, a person with charisma, enthusiasm and ability to perform higher tasks remains a coach in the highest amateur leagues. He doesn't want to complain, he enjoys the job. “Because we are a training club and the most talented players leave, we have to replace half the squad every year. The benefit of this is that I can say roughly the same thing every year…”

Rolf Schreepfer says Arosa is actually the perfect club for talented young players who want to develop further. “We have very good infrastructure and life in Arosa is particularly attractive to young people. Adult hockey in the MyHockey League allows players to go further than the top junior leagues.” He hopes the board will submit an application for promotion. «Sport is about achieving a great goal. Promotion is an attractive sporting goal and Curle are proving that it is possible to survive as a training club in the second highest league.

Rolf Schrepfer is currently the coach of EHC Arosa.Image: Klaus Zager

Can Arosa become the second Kuhl? Kuhl dominated my hockey league last season. Arosa is not capable of this. But under Schreepfer, Graubünden have remained in the league's top group even after numerous departures. In a good, fast, wild and dramatic game, Arosa defeated the Huttwil team 4-2.

Hockey in Huttville has now caused a political earthquake, one of the biggest stirs in the history of canton Bern. This town of 5,000 inhabitants in central Switzerland is still a bit like “Helvey Disneyland” in terms of quality of life. Since the founding of modern Switzerland (1848) it has been firmly in the hands of the bourgeoisie.

Although Heartville once had a lot of railroad workers (there were no railroad workers before) and there is still a proletariat (industrial workers) today, all attempts by the Socialist Party to conquer the city council have failed. The political culture was characterized by capitalism and agriculture. “Red” King? Incredible. Impossible.

But now, the political buzz is over Arosa's guest appearance over the weekend. The local senior vice president strategist was shocked. In the city council runoff, Adrian Wittrich, a Socialist politician with national charisma (including chairman of the employee protection organization Travaille Suisse), defeated the confident senior vice-president candidate Masse in the “final round” 983:822 Al Sommer. “Red Adrian” is the first SP city leader in the history of Heartville SVP heartland. It has a long history.

Hockey fan Adrian Wittrich (right) during the game against Arosa: Already confident of victory on the eve of the election…Image: Klaus Zager

This earthquake has a lot to do with hockey. An exciting vote took place at a community meeting in the fall. Approximately 290,000 francs are spent annually on ice processing at the local hockey temple. Adrian Wüthrich is one of the most prominent proponents of public money invested in sports infrastructure, and he knows he can mobilize young voters.

On the other hand, Marcel Sommer is the most prominent opponent. He announced on behalf of the local council that if approved, taxes would have to be increased. He knew that this way he could gain support from conservative rural voters. As an office manager at a local bank and an accurate competitive shooter, he is the epitome of an SVP supporter.

It was not until Adrian Wüthrich announced his commitment to hockey in Huttwil that he achieved a historic victory. As a self-confessed hockey fan, he was of course also in the stadium to watch the game against Arosa, and despite the 2:4 defeat, he was in a good mood: he may have doubted whether his ice hockey love affair with Arosa was To be able to mobilize people so well, if 600-plus people get together to play a hockey game in the depths of winter, leave the warm room, and then enough people go to the ballot box to help him become mayor. “Red Adrian” is actually him. “Ice Adrian”.

• 7

  A leader who can decide games and make his team better on and off the ice.

• 6-7

  A talented player who can decide a game on a good night and is a leader.

• 5-6

  A good NL player: usually a rainbow butterfly of talent, sometimes a serious worker who brings out a lot of talent.

• 4-5

  Players on the third or fourth block, veterans or newcomers.

• 3-4

  The future is still ahead of you, or the future is already behind you.

• The rating is based on the North American Hockey Grading Scale, ranging from 1 (lowest) to 7 (highest). There are no levels below level 3, because those who play in the top leagues are at least barely adequate.

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