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After emigrating to Golden (British Columbia), Canada, with his family in the fall of 2020, Ralph Stalder initially needed some distance from hockey after 16 professional seasons. But three years later, the ex-defender (Fribourg, Lausanne) says: “It hit me again. For a long time I didn’t want to know anything about hockey. But it has remained my passion. Now I remember why I loved playing so much.”
The reason for this? In his new home, the 37-year-old became involved in the local hockey community. First through his older sons Samuel (9) and Louis (7), who play in the juniors of the Golden Rockets. When Samuel’s U11 team needed a coach, his father stepped in. The fact that he is a former player and knows a lot about hockey was not hidden for long from Golden.
And now for the latest news: The Golden Rockets have hired Stalder as an assistant coach for their top team. The technical staff was reshuffled after the previous head coach was fired. The team plays in the KIJHL, the Kootenay International Junior A Hockey League, a level lower than the well-known Canadian junior league WHL. “It is roughly comparable to the elite A-juniors in Switzerland,” says Stalder. The players are between 17 and 20 years old.
Because the Basel native had already been asked by the club for training tips at the beginning of the season, he started taking the coaching courses online that Hockey Canada required. He has already completed most of the modules. It was not the first training for him. In Switzerland, J+S courses were part of his training as an athlete twenty years ago.
Every day at the ice rink
“I actually thought I would spend less time here on the ice rink,” says Stalder, laughing. But the opposite is the case: he is there every day. The third son William (4) is now tying his skates. “When I wanted to go out with his older brothers, he would pack his things, stand in front of the door and want to come too.”
The three-time Swiss League champions (Lausanne, Basel) also play once a week again. For fun in a ‘beer competition’, as he calls it. Officially it is called the “Golden Adult Hockey League”. “Everyone, from doctors to traders, comes together there because everyone plays hockey here. That’s enough for four teams, we play chat against each other.”
Before his hockey commitment became so intense, Stalder made arrangements with his wife Gaëlle (33). There are now six in the family and little Anthony was born five months ago. In addition to running the Calling Horse Lodge, Stalder works as a construction manager. But in this, his main task, in winter, that is, during the main hockey season, it is a bit quieter. Moreover, the top team’s championship ends on February 17 and the playoff train has long since departed.
Recently, Stalder can even put on his skates at home. At the turn of the year, temperatures in Golden were unusually low. “It rarely gets colder than minus 20 to minus 25 degrees here. But it was minus 35 degrees.” The entire driveway to Calling Horse Lodge was frozen and a perfect skating rink. This gave the emigrant the opportunity to ride a few laps every day, not only on the ice rink, but also on the ranch.
Source : Blick
I’m Emma Jack, a news website author at 24 News Reporters. I have been in the industry for over five years and it has been an incredible journey so far. I specialize in sports reporting and am highly knowledgeable about the latest trends and developments in this field.
