A comprehensive interview of Tornado legend in Finnish media
27 May 2016
The biggest hockey website in Finland, www.jatkoaika.com, has published very detailed interview of Tornado Legend Patrick Schon.
You can find the article from here: http://www.jatkoaika.com/Haastattelu/s%C3%A4hk%C3%B6postia-luxemburgista/178052
If your Finnish is still a bit rusty, you can find an English translation below:
Email from Luxembourg
15 World Championship tournaments as a player, One sliver, eight bronze medals. Patrick Schon is not an international superstar, but in Luxembourgish hockey he is one of the pioneers.
I opened my email on Friday 8th of April. This time the difference was that the daily routine check managed to delight me. Between the newsletters and other spam one email paid attention. It had subject III division World Champs, sent by Teemu Hinkula.
Hinkula had listened Total Hockey Forever radio show where I was with the photographer as a guest talking about lower division World Championship tournaments. Topic was the III division tournament which was on that time and which is the lowest level of the Hockey World Championships.
The content of the email surprised me. Hinkula introduced himself as a player of Luxembourg Tornado and he wanted to offer help. The national team of Luxembourg plays in the III division and the team is mostly build by Tornado players.
“Let’s see what we could create after I’ll meet lads next time. Maybe they will have some nice stories to tell from the tournament” was Hinkula’s answer after I replied to him with the huge interest.
I asked if there would be any Tornado players who would be interested to give an interview. After that I got a short list of players with some introduction and one of those intro’s seemed interesting to me.
Hinkula’s description of Schon was following: “Or what about the guy who played third time his last tournament for the national team, the grand old man, Patrick Schon. Actually, this kind of story could be honor for his career and I know this guy has good sense of humor as well.”
“What do you think who would be the most interesting one?”
The honored grand old man
After short discussion the final choice was to interview Schon. Actually the decision wasn’t that hard. After short research it was easy to make conclusion that this 37 years old player, who has had long career in Luxembourgish hockey, would have lots of stories to tell about the tournaments of the thousands legends and Luxembourgish hockey overall.
“So, Patrick Schon is in. Actually I just heard the at the moment he is proudly telling about this offer to the people in the junior’s practice” Hinkula wrote me and gave Schon’s contacts.
This information made me smile and send email to Patrick immediately who reacted fast as well:
“Yes, Teemu Hinkula informed me already, that you are going to contact me.
I'm happy that you want to report about hockey on a "lower" level and I'm happy to contribute to this. “
After short conversation I send list of questions to Schon and as before the reply came very fast again. The speed replied my because after first check I could already see that he put effort to give good answers for the questions. Schon really wanted to tell everything about Luxembourgish hockey which delighted me again.
Teemu Hinkula didn’t lie when he described Schon as a grand old man of Luxembourgish Hockey. 66 games in the national team, in those games he has scored together 26 points. He has been assistant captain in 6 previous tournaments. In III division he has won one silver and eight bronze medals. Even though the level is not too high, the career of the player with number 15 in his jersey awes me.
Who is Patrick Schon?
Let the man to introduce himself. First of all I'd like to know about you as a person outside of ice hockey. I'm guessing the game is not as professional there, so can you tell me, what do you do when you are not playing?
“Ice hockey in Luxembourg is a pure amateur sport. Except of some coaches, no player gains any money with ice hockey in Luxembourg. Quit contrary, we have to pay a membership fee in our club and we have to pay for our equipment.
Consequently, all the players in Luxembourg have a job or are students. Personally, I studied “Business economics” in Germany and work since 15 years as financial, external auditor for a big multinational firm. This job is also exceeding a 40 hours week and I’m quite happy to have a sportive balance besides my work. “
Hockey is not only balancing thing in his life even though it plays a big part in his life.
“Besides Ice hockey and work, I have also a family. We have two kids (a boy of 7 years and a girl of 4 years). Both kids play also ice hockey for the Huskies Luxembourg and I’m the coach of them. “
After short research I found Schon’s player profile from Torando’s website. While I was looking for the stats I paid attention to other players. For example, the top scorers in the team seem to be Finnish. In Tornado there are five Finnish players in the team and they wanted to do their part for the interview as well.
“We wanted to make a tiny practical joke for Patrick as he doesn’t know that we have put our own effort on these questions for the interview.” said the second best scorer Hinkula with a suspicious smile on his face.
About Tornado and the national team
More about practical jokes later. My next question was: When it comes to hockey, how often do you play it (how many training days are there in one week, and how often does your team play against other teams)? And when you are training, what kind of training is it?
“With my club, Tornado Luxembourg, we play in the 3. French Division. This is a pool of 8 teams (some teams form the Paris area, Colmar, and the second teams of Dijon and Epinal) and makes 14 league games in a season. In addition, we organize in Luxembourg the “Luxembourg Cup”, where we face our U18 team of the Huskies (youth club), our second team Puckers Luxembourg and a team from the north/east of Luxembourg, Beaufort. “
Addition to the games team has to practice as well. Many Tornado players has to stay fit until March or April when is the time for international games
“During the season, we practice twice a week on the ice, Tuesdays and Thursdays evening from 8-10pm. When we prepare with the national team a World championship, we intensify our practice: 4 ice practices a week. “
Hockey is not only sport for Schon. Diversity is a benefit so that he will keep fit outside of the rink as well.
“In addition, I like biking and I try to go regularly with my wife, kids or friends mountain - or race biking. “
III division World Championship tournament 2016
Let’s go back to the change of March and April. III division World Championship was played in Istanbul, Turkey. Schon and Team Luxembourg had to protect the bronze medals they had won a year before. To be exact, the team has won it four time in a row.
During his career Schon has seen a lot. Anyway, this year the tournament was exceptional.
“This year’s World Championships have been in some form special. Some days/weeks before we should leave to Turkey, the country was attacked by some perfidious terrorist assassinations.
In addition to our already enfeebled team (injuries; no holidays from work or school for some players) some nominated players cancelled their presence some days before we should leave to Turkey. For them it was too risky to travel to Turkey.”
Finally, Team Luxembourg managed to build the team, but with small amount of players in their roster. The preparation for the tournament didn’t follow the ordinary procedures. This time the national team coach Petr Fical, who is former national team player of Germany, didn’t have chance to choose the players. He had to choose all who were available.
“As for each other team, the national coach nominates the players. In a “normal” year, the coach has a group of 30-35 Luxembourgish players where he has to pick the 18 players and 2 goalies, he thinks fit the best into the team. This year, due to injuries or other personal reasons, the team was compiled in some way by themselves.
As a consequence, we travelled with a roster of 16 players and two goalies to Turkey and we didn’t fill our full contingent (18 players and 2 goalies). In a small country as Luxembourg (550.00 habitants), where Ice Hockey is not the most popular sport, it is not that easy to compile a good, competitive senior team.
Overall, we had a very young team with some very experienced players (one of them was me…).”
“We could compete for the goal medal…”
Surprisingly the differences between the teams were not as big as seen before. This time Team Luxembourg left the tournament without a medal. It’s first time since the year 2011 when team reached the 4th position in the tournament at Cape Town, South Africa. This time better teams were gold medalist, the host, Turkey. Silver went to Georgia and bronze went this time to South Africa. Teams behind of Luxembourg were Bosnia-Herzegovina and Hong Kong.
“As mentioned, we had a very young team and we missed some key players this year (e.g. Benny Welter, Ben Houdremont, Kevin Grönlund, Sascha Backes etc).
“Nevertheless, the aim of our team was to win a medal. I’m convinced with our “best” team, we could compete for the goal medal – but not this year. We have to admit that some teams where better than us this time.”
In the opening game of the tournament was between Team Luxembourg and South Africa which had relegated from division IIB. Despite the lot of absences Luxembourg could challenge well South Africans.
“Against South Africa we lost 3:2 – it was a very intensive game. Personally, I got a very hard head check in the first period and I was not able to finish the game.”
Next day Team Luxembourg played against Team Turkey. As seen during the week, Turkey had the best team in this division. Against the host Luxembourg collapsed and lost with the clear scores 10-2.
“Turkey, who won the tournament and have been promoted to the second division, had a very homogenous team and where very good prepared. Before the tournament, they organized some preparation camps, one of them in Finland.”
Always unpredictable III division
It’s typical in these divisions that the levels between the teams tend to change each year dramatically. One year some team can be very strong when the next year it can play very badly. Same opposite.
This year in Turkey the biggest change was seen in Team Georgia. In previous years they used to be walkovers but this year they surprised everyone, including Team Luxembourg and Patrick Schon.
“The big surprise of this year was Georgia. In 2014 we won 19:0 against them, last year 15:3 and this year we lost 5:0. They played with a fully new team and have naturalized some players with Russian origins. “
“The scoring leader of the tournament, Boris Kochkin (19 points), was dominating the tournament. It seems that the Georgian officials prepare already the naturalization of four additional players for next year – as such, it will be very difficult to compete with this team in the future.”
Team Georgia wasn’t the only team which had improved and the Team Luxembourg wasn’t the only team which suffered of the consequences of the terrorist attacks. United Arab Emirates didn’t take a part to the tournament at all. That’s why the schedule of the tournament needed to be remade.
“The teams of Hong Kong and Bosnia improved also compared to previous years, but we have been able to win both games quit clearly (Hong Kong 7:1 and Bosnia 13:0). “
“The team from the UAE cancelled their participation 3 days before the tournament. They reacted following the terrorist assassinations.”
Iceland, Mexico, Ireland…
Schon wasn’t a rookie anymore this year in Turkey. The veteran has been seen division hockey since the beginning of the millennium and he has travelled a lot. After the debut he has missed only one tournament 2008-2009. It can be easily said that he is the regular member of the team.
“This year in Istanbul have been my 15th World championships as player with team Luxembourg. Over the last years, I have been able to travel a lot for the ice hockey and was able to visit many exiting countries in the context of a World championship”
When you have been taking part to lower division tournaments between the years 2000 and 2016, it’s quite obvious that you have faced many memorable moments.
“One of my best memories is linked to my first World championships in 2000 in Iceland. We had a very young team and faced in the first round of the tournament the cracks from Australia. I think our goalie got over 60 shots in that game and we were all happy to have survive that game. “
“But I have to say that I enjoyed each World Championship – we are a group of 20 friends and we always try to reach the best results for our country.”
Schon said he has seen lot of the world thanks to the World Championship tournaments. In how many countries you have actually skated?
“Iceland, Mexico, Ireland, Serbia, Spain, South Africa, Turkey and New Zealand. In addition, we played preparation games against the national team from Belgium or Lichtenstein.”
Stories
For the people who are used to more traditional hockey countries the list seems pretty exotic. Not so many people have a change to travel around the world but Schon got the chance because of the hockey. Anyway, I guess not so many think as a first thought that let’s go to New Zealand to play hockey.
If you play with the spirit and because you love the sport, it has to be easy to enjoy it. You don’t need to stress too much and rest of the world is not staring the number 15 in the jersey. Pressure is not that big even though you are representing your country.
III division tournament is a bunch of good stories, many kind of stories.
“In the last years, it became a tradition in our team, to make a special ceremony of our rookies. I cannot reveal all the details, but one thing is clear: they have a very nice (but special) haircut after the ceremony. “
“This year we had 5 rookies in the team, and some of the more experienced players showed some hidden talents as hairdressers.”
The tournament in Turkey left also some good stories to tell for the future generations.
“It was also quiet specials to be blocked wit 12 team-mates in the elevator at the game day. Our Turkish guide could not understand that we kept our good mood.”
One more year, Patrick!
When you have played 16 years in the national team. The day of retirement comes close despite you want it or not. Anyway in the Team Luxembourg there is one gentleman who is nine years older than Schon. He is called Robert Beran, age 46. His son Thierry, 23, played already his 5th tournament in Team Luxembourg. Four of them he has played with his father.
Schon’s teammate Hinkula mentioned before the interview that actually Schon played his last game in the national team already at third time. We need to ask about it from Schon.
“Last year, after our last game against Hong Kong I decided to stop my career as player. In that game I scored a goal and we won. We also won the bronze medal and I got the award of best player of the game. After that, I decided that it would be a good moment to stop my career in the national team. “
“You should also stop when you are at the top!”
The last sentence Schon ended up with the smiley, which tells something about his sense of self-irony. Maybe either the player himself nor the bronze medalist Team Luxembourg were not on the absolute top level of hockey. Anyway, as in these divisions, unforgettable trips and stories are even more important than the medals.
The mentioned game against Hong Kong didn’t end up to be the last game of his career. Schon was asked to continue his career in national team until the next tournament. And he did, as it’s seen the magic words one more year can make many experienced players to continue his career with one more year.
“I tried to make some place for our younger players and was happy to take some other role in the team. The head coach asked me to become his assistant coach for this year, what I accepted. “
“Nevertheless, due to the different cancellations of players this year, the responsible asked me to help the team one more year as player. As I played the whole season in Tornado, my physical condition was good and I was ready to play one more year in the national team. “
Pioneer
If that was the end of your career, what next? For sure there is use for this kind of long term hockey character in Luxembourgish hockey. Experienced player was already close to become the assistant coach of the national team. So maybe in one day we can see Schon behind of the bench and giving instructions to players.
“For the future, I don’t know yet. On the one side I’m happy to leave my spot for some younger players, nevertheless I still have a lot of fun with the team and I’m proud to wear the national jersey at each possible game. “
Continuing in the national team as a player is not complete impossibility but he has a plan-B for the future, just in case.
“I still have a goal as player: I won one silver medal, some bronze medals, but never the gold medal! But maybe I will never be able to win this medal – but my son will win it in the future (why not with his dad in some function around the team).”
If Schon’s son wants to win the brightest medal one day, Luxembourg need to put effort on the junior hockey. People like Schon who has the knowledge about hockey are key factors when the heritage is carried on. Only way to have a good future is to put effort on youngsters. It doesn’t matter if the country is Luxembourg or Canada.
“We put a lot of energy in the development of our youth hockey. These young players are the future of Hockey in Luxembourg – no us “oldies”. For this we have a team of professional coaches and some volunteer coaches, as myself. “
In Schon’s family there is no single person who wouldn’t be involved to Luxembourgish hockey in the way or another. The fast game has impressed whole family and it has even given an opportunity to visit in Finland.
“My wife is also engaged as president of the youth club, Huskies Luxembourg.
I was able to be send some years ago by the Luxembourgish federation to a development camp of the IIHF to Vierumäki.”
“This was a great experience to learn from some of the best youth coaches of the world. In the last years, we constantly work to implement the international “Learn to play” program to Luxembourg.”
The whole conversation gives an impression that the Luxembourgish hockey is in good hands. If all the people are excited about the sport as Schon is, for sure Luxembourgish hockey can be seen as a part of the international hockey tournaments for long time.
Suspicious Finnish
In the end of email conversation Schon got a chance to answer some bonus questions which came from the audience. “Audience” was found from pretty close of Schon as after reading the questions he knew exactly who were the people behind of them. Yes, the practical joke which Hinkula mentioned before.
“I see; you are well prepared. My friends from the Finnish corner in the Tornado locker room had to babble.”
As a first question Schon denied that he would remember anything about fighting fishes in Mexico. The second question wanted to know about the tournament in the South Africa couple of years ago and how big the wine bottle actually was and if he would have a picture of it?
“Unfortunately I have no pics. but at a team dinner before a free day, the coach allowed us to drink one bottle of wine. Unfortunately, (or fortunately for us) he could not join us to the dinner as he had an official meeting. “
“He was not expecting, that we are going to order one bottle of wine: a Magnus bottle of 6 liter. It was a very funny evening with a lot of memories...”
In the third question audience wanted to know, not surprisingly, about the Finnish players in the team. A rumor says that Finnish players has big impact in rising up the team spirit. Does Schon have anything to comment on that?
“I don’t know what you mean – I cannot confirm that Finnish players are good for the team spirit. Quiet contrary, they only speak in Finnish and try to get my place in the locker-room. “
“They want to create the “Finnish corner” in the Tornado locker room – a situation I cannot accept and a good reason to not stop playing for Tornado in the future…”
Kind regards from Luxembourg
Patrick