How ex-ORF presenter Michael Berger became an ice hockey hope

The professionals of married Vienna Capitals are struggling in the fight for the play-offs ICE Hockey League away. Behind the scenes, the new club management is working diligently to ensure that the club from the capital becomes an important factor in Austrian ice hockey again.

To achieve this, the Viennese have started a project whose effects will only be noticeable among the professionals in many years. With the help of the Pho3nix Vienna Capitals Youth Foundation The sport of ice hockey in Eastern Austria should be placed on a broader basis. The Pho3nix Foundation supports young athletes worldwide. The Vienna Capitals will benefit in the long term – be it through players, fans or just increased interest.

Patron of the new Capitals president Martin Reiss initiated project Michael Bergerwho not only commented on ice hockey on ORF for decades, but also played in Austria’s top league on WEV. The 67-year-old retired two years ago and, as the father of a young player, has never lost contact with ice hockey. “When I heard about the upheaval at the Capitals, I asked if I could help in any way,” says Berger.

The support

Now it’s about supporting the Pho3nix Capitals Foundation’s cooperation partners in the best possible way. The partner clubs are the WEV, Stockerau, Mödling, Klosterneuburg, Hollabrunn, Wiener Neustadt and Krems. The youth clubs receive a free budget for equipment, each team receives “learn-to-save” equipment with which children can also stand in goal without the equipment that costs thousands of euros. And what will probably help the clubs the most is ice time in Kagran at the beginning and end of the season. There will also be a season-ending tournament in Vienna. “The clubs find it difficult to keep the children if their season only runs from November to February,” says Berger.

Invitations for the young players to Capitals games are of course also in the program, as was the case on Sunday for the Christmas game against Bolzano. And publicity is generated through training visits by Caps professionals to the clubs. Michael Berger explains: “This is also intended to raise awareness there because there is a need to invest in the infrastructure.”