UBC January 2024 - Determination

Yesterday's writing prompt was "Determination", but I didn't use it since my post was already pre-written. I knew I was going to have a full day at work. 

So I may be a day late, but I'm determined to write about determination.

I have someone special in mind who stands for this quality more than anyone else. 

His name is Luca Cereda.

Luca who?

A former Swiss ice hockey player who is probably the most charismatic coach in the Swiss National League  today.

He was drafted by the Ottawa 67's out of the Ontario Hockey League, but missed the 2000-01 season after he was diagnosed with a heart valve defect at Maple Leafs training camp and had to undergo surgery. He did not move to North America until 2001. There he played for the St. John's Maple Leafs, Toronto's farm team, in the American Hockey League for almost three years. 

Luca  returned to Switzerland a few days before the 2004 playoffs and won the Swiss championship title with SC Bern at the end of the season. In 2005, he returned to his home club Ambrì-Piotta, where he ended his career in 2007 on medical advice due to a heart valve defect.

After the end of his playing career, Cereda turned to coaching. In 2008, he became assistant coach at his home club HC Ambrì-Piotta and has been head coach in the Swiss National League since 2017. He won the 2022 Spengler Cup with the club.

This career alone shows determination, don't you think? 

It's no coincidence that he likes to use this expression when addressing his players. Have a look, it starts at 12:54 in this video, and  for your (and the import players') convenience he speaks English with his charming Italian accent:

• We will play with lots of courage,
• we will play with lots of passion, 
• and we will play with lots of determination!!!

What is the back story here?

HC Ambri Piotta is a magical hockey club. And I'm saying this as an outsider. 

They are located at the foot of the Leventina, a mountain range in Ticino, in the Italian speaking part of Switzerland. The town counts less than 1,000 citizens. 

The old stadium, called "Valascia", built in 1959, was at risk of avalanches and landslides and urgently had to relocate. However, the club didn't have any money.

It looked very run-down at the end.

When we visited in the fall of 2019, Colin played U13, meaning the category for kids between 11 and 12 years old. He got to train three or even four times a week in the (heated) fancy arena of his grown-up team or the closed practice rink, closed as in, four walls and a roof. 

I mention this because the Valascia only had sort of three walls. The cold winter wind, snow and ice were able to penetrate unhindered and freeze the spectators. They didn't mind. Or they didn't complain. Ambri has the most loyal fans, and they come from (almost) all over Switzerland. An acquaintance of mine is a season ticket holder, and she drives more than 120km (75 miles) to attend a game. 

It's one of the most congested routes in Switzerland because you need to cross the Gotthard pass (until November) or drive through the 17km (10.5 miles) long tunnel. You and the other thousands of motorists.

The Ambri kids had one practice a week, and it was together with the U15 players, so there was a group of kids on the ice as young as 11 and as old as 14 year old teenagers, tall and strong. 

This was their schedule. I took a picture if I ever found myself in the situation of complaining about too much driving.

One of two or three concessions stands. Outdoors. Think rain or snow. 

I don't know how they managed to raise 50 million to build a new arena three car minutes away, but they did, (picture at the very top of this post), and on their first home game of the season 2021/22 they inaugurated the new stadium by singing their club's hymn, "La Montanara". 

The video is titled "Pure goose bumps", and it's true. You don't have to be a fan, you don't have to understand Italian, you just have to listen, let it have an effect on you and watch as individual spectators furtively wipe away their tears.

The speech I mentioned earlier, happened that night (and was probably repeated many times).

The players came on the ice of their new arena, were cheered on by their fans, and they won the first game of the season!

This was almost 2.5 years ago, and we watched it on TV. It was an unforgettable moment. 

HC Ambri Piotta may not the most successful team, they're currently 10th of 14 teams; they had to play in the playouts several times and fight to avoid being relegated to the lower league, but they're by far the most loved club by every hockey fan. A lot of its appeal is thanks to Luca Cereda (and his childhood friend, Paolo Duca, the general manager). 

Courage - Passion - Determination!

Friends, I'm leaving you with this battle cry, and I thank you for being part of my January UBC! It's been a pleasure. I think we'll see each other again in April. Be well - and don't be a stranger!