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INTERVIEW WITH THE SWISS UNICYCLE HOCKEY NATIONAL TEAM [RANDLEISTENTITEL] MOST IMPORTANT INTERNATIONAL RESULTS UNICON XVI, Brixen, Italy World Champion UNICON XVII, Montreal, Canada Vice-World Champion UNICON XVIII, Donostia, Spain World Champion UNICON XIX, Ansan, South Korea World Champion WHILE THERE ARE BENEFITS TO BOTH TEAM AND INDIVIDUAL SPORT, THEY DIFFER VASTLY. IN TEAM SPORTS, SUCCESS OR FAILURE IN COMPETITION DEPENDS ON MANY VARIABLES. TEAM SPORTS ARE A COLLECTION OF INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE AND ONE PERSON'S ACTIONS CAN BE CONSIDERED PART OF A GROUP EFFORT. 4 OF THE GREATEST UNICYCLE HOCKEY PLAYERS OF ALL TIMES EXPLAIN US WHICH CHOICES AND CHARACTERISTICS HAVE MADE THE SWISS UNICYCLE HOCKEY TEAM ONE OF THE GREATEST IN THE WORLD AND WHICH ROLE PLAY SPORTMANSHIP, TEAMWORK, POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND RESPECT IN A TEAM SPORT LIKE HOCKEY. „I AM ALREADY 26 YEARS OLD AND ABOUT 14 YEARS AGO I STARTED RIDING UNICYCLE. 4 YEARS LATER I STARTED PLAYING HOCKEY, BEFORE THAT I MAINLY PRACTICED TRIAL AND FLATLAND. I WAS A CHILD WHEN I SAW FOR THE FIRST TIME RIDING A UNICYCLE, I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED ABOUT IT AND THIS WAS THE START OF MY UNICYCLE ADVENTURE. AFTER LONG DISCUSSIONS FABIO CONVINCED ME TO START PLAYING UNICYCLE HOCKEY. AT FIRST I WAS NOT CONVINCED AT ALL, BUT LUCKILY I GAVE IN AT A CERTAIN POINT. I WORK AT THE ATB IN BIBERIST AND PLAY IN THE SWISS LEAGUE FOR THE GREENWARRIORS TEAM. I HAVE BEEN IN THE SWISS NATIONAL TEAM SINCE THE BEGINNING AND I'M CURRENTLY PLAYING IN THE SWISS TEAM 2. MY GOAL IS CLEAR, IN THE NEXT CHAMPIONSHIP I WANT TO BE ABLE TO PLAY IN THE SWISS TEAM 1. I'M AN ELECTRONIC TECHNICIAN.“ CHRISTIAN JÄGGI „SINCE I'M 16 YEARS OLD - SO NOW ALMOST 14 YEARS - THAT I'M AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE DREITANNEN OLTEN UNICYCLE CLUB. ALREADY BEFORE I KNEW A BIT HOW TO RIDE UNICYCLE. IN THE CLUB I STARTED IMMEDIATELY PLAYING UNICYCLE HOCKEY AND AT THE SAME TIME I RODE ON THE TRACK, TOO. I HAVE NEVER HAD GREAT AMBITIONS IN RACING, BUT SINCE THE BEGINNING IT WAS PERFECTLY CLEAR TO ME THAT RACING ON TRACK WOULD HAVE RELEVANTLY HELPED ME ALSO IN HOCKEY. SINCE 2012 (UNICON XVI-BRIXEN), I HAVE BEEN MEMBER OF THE SWISSTEAM 1, SO I'VE GOT A BIT OF EXPERIENCE IN ALL THIS. IN 2012 I WAS STILL A STUDENT, NOW I WORK AS A SPECIALIST IN GEOINFORMATICS IN BERN. IN ADDITION TO UNICYCLING, WHICH REQUIRES A LOT OF TIME NOT ONLY AS AN ATHLETE, BUT ALSO FOR THE HONORARY FUNCTIONS THAT I'VE TAKEN ON, I LIKE TO DO OTHER SPORTS, LIKE TENNIS, MOUNTAIN BIKING OR TABLE TENNIS. CHRISTIAN PEIER „I LIVE IN THE CANTON LUCERNE, IN A BEAUTIFUL AREA OF THE CENTRE OF SWITZERLAND, SURROUNDED BY MOUNTAINS AND LAKES. MY FIRST APPROACHES TO UNICYCLING DATE BACK TO 2002, WHEN MY BROTHER YVES TOOK PART IN HIS FIRST UNICON IN SEATTLE. IF YOU ATTEND A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP LIKE UNICON IT IS REALLY HARD TO AVOID RIDING A UNICYCLE. I WAS DEEPLY IMPRESSED BY THE VARIOUS DISCIPLINES AND I DECIDED TO START RIDING. TODAY I AM 28 YEARS OLD, SO I HAVE BEEN RIDING UNICYCLE FOR ABOUT 17 YEARS. FIRST, I STARTED RACING ON THE TRACK, AS THERE WAS STILL NO ACTIVE TEAM IN UNICYCLE HOCKEY IN OUR REGION. IN 2006 DURING UNICON - LANGENTHAL I STARTED WITH UNICYCLE HOCKEY. MY BROTHER YVES AND I FOUNDED THE UNICYCLE CLUB EMMENBRÜCKE WITH THE SUPPORT OF OUR PARENTS. AT THE SAME TIME, WE FOUNDED THE UNICYCLE HOCKEY TEAM BLACK HAWKS. SINCE THEN I HAVE BEING PLAYING UNICYCLE HOCKEY IN THIS TEAM (13 YEARS HAVE ALREADY PASSED!). IN 2010, THE SWISS UNICYCLE HOCKEY NATIONAL TEAM WAS FORMED. SINCE THEN I’M TRAINING AND PLAYING FOR THE SWISS NATIONAL HOCKEY TEAM, IN TEAM 1, - SO NOW ALMOST 9 YEARS -. YES, I'M PART OF THE SWISS TEAM 1 SINCE ITS BIRTH, AND THIS IS DUE TO MY PASSION FOR THIS SPORT, MY SPEED, AND ABILITY PASCAL METRY IN DRIBBLING AND GAME OVERVIEW. HOWEVER TRAINING AND TOURNAMENTS SHOULD NOT OVERSHADOW EVERYDAY LIFE... I WORK FULL TIME AND BESIDES WORKING AND UNICYCLE RIDING I ENJOY SPENDING MY FREE TIME WITH FRIENDS, TRAVELING, SURFING AND PLAYING ICE HOCKEY.“ „I STARTED UNICYCLING WHEN I WAS 12 YEARS OLD. AT THE BEGINNING I PRACTICED BOTH RACING ON TRACK AND HOCKEY. AFTER 1 YEAR I FOCUSED COMPLETELY ON HOCKEY. I LEARNED OF THE EXISTENCE OF UNICYCLING THROUGH A COLLEGUE OF MINE AND I SAID TO MYSELF, I “WANT TO DO” IT, TOO. I STARTED IN RECHERSWIL, THEN I’VE JOINED THE BLACK HAWKS IN EMMENBRÜCKE. IT IS NOW TWO SEASONS THAT I’VE BEEN PLAYING FOR THE BIBERIST ATB IN THE GREEN WARRIORS. I HAVE BEEN PART OF THE SWISS TEAM 1 SINCE ITS FOUNDATION. I AM MANAGING DIRECTOR OF A SPECIALIZED IN HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES STORE.“ FABIO GIANFORMAGGIO INTERVIEW WITH CHRISTIAN JÄGGI A GREAT ATHLETE, ONE OF THE TOP PLAYERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL HOCKEY AND IN 2018 A MEMBER OF THE WORLD CHAMPION TEAM IN ANSAN, KOREA, BUT TODAY ALSO A VALID COACH ... WHAT IS THIS CHOICE DUE TO? For some years now I've been working as a coach for our junior teams. In the beginning it was more out of necessity because we did not have enough coaches. But as time goes by, it comes naturally to you to take these children to heart and when you see their progress it's really a joy, almost as much as seeing these improvements on yourself. SWISS TEAM 2, SWISS TEAM 3, THE BREEDING GROUND FOR THE WORLD CHAMPIONS OF TOMORROW? For sure. We have many young and really good players, who will for sure, sooner or later, replace us. IN YOUR OPINION, WHICH ARE YOUR BEST SKILLS AND WHAT ASPECTS ARE YOU WORKING ON TO IMPROVE? My versatility is certainly one of my greatest strengths. No matter if I play as a striker or a defender, I feel comfortable in both roles and can easily compete. This allows me to be placed everywhere. Hard to say on which aspect I'm right now working on. We can speak about passing game, trippling or riding technique, everything can and should be always improved. But, as team, we are currently focusing on teamwork. LET'S TALK ABOUT TALENT AND LEARNING ABILITY. WHICH WOULD YOU PUT IN THE FIRST PLACE? Talent can be helpful to make progress quickly. But I am convinced that if you are determined and work constantly on yourself you can achieve the same results "without talent". Passion is very important, too, in order not to give up, especially when others, thanks to their own talents, make progress faster than you do. Especially in this case it is very important to go on fighting with ambition and passion trying to improve yourself. THE EPISODE/ANECDOTE YOU LOVE MOST FROM UNICON XIV, WHERE YOUR TEAM WAS CROWNED WORLD CHAMPION. The whole Unicon was a great experience. But the final match is surely something that we will never forget. Due to stupid mistakes, after a short time we were 0: 2 behind. The way we succeeded in turning the result to 12:6 was a fantastic experience. WAYNE GRETZKY SAID: «YOU MISS 100% OF THE SHOTS, YOU DON'T TAKE»*. IS IT PURELY ONE OF THE MANY BANAL "WISDOM" OF HOCKEY OR DO YOU THINK, IT HAS A REAL FOUNDATION? [In other words, you can't succeed unless you try. And that means you have to take action -- Ed.] There is certainly something true in this. In order to achieve something, you also have to risk something and take the initiative. Otherwise, nothing can change. However, you should not only take a risk blindly, you should also evaluate if the goal is "really possible". I give you an example linked to hockey: I have to score a goal and take a risk in order to pick up points. But, if 5 opponents are in front of the goal tor, is it even possible? It makes no sense to take a risk for something impossible. Therefore, thinking carefully and then deciding is just as important. IN YOUR OPINION, WHICH ARE THE QUALITIES ATHLETES LIKE YOU HAVE, THAT COULD BE USEFUL ALSO IN PRIVATE AND PROFESSIONAL LIFE? Especially in our sport, it is important to play as a team. Even the best single player cannot compete against a whole team. So I may well imagine that our ability to work as a team and help one each other can be also felt in our private and professional life. HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO END THIS INTERVIEW? WHAT DID WE MISS TO SAY? Our sport requires a variety of skills. Control of your unicycle, technique in stick handling and tactic, everything is needed. But it is just this combination of various skills, that makes this sport so exciting for both players and audience. I hope that also the new teams will take up this challenge in the future, making the Unicycle Hockey even more versatile. INTERVIEW WITH CHRISTIAN PEIER A COUNTRY WITH ALMOST 8.5 MILLION INHABITANTS, WITH A HISTORIC PASSION FOR ICE HOCKEY BUT NOT ONLY. EVEN IN UNICYCLE-HOCKEY, THE SWISS NATIONAL HOCKEY TEAM (SWISS TEAM 1) HAS CLIMBED 3 TIMES ON THE HIGHEST STEP OF THE WORLD (2012 IN ITALY, 2016 IN SPAIN, AND 2018 IN KOREA) AND THIS YEAR IN JULY IT IS AGAIN GOLD MEDALIST AT THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP IUC 2019 OF BIBERIST. WHICH HAVE BEEN THE WINNING CHOICES THAT HAVE LED TO THIS FANTASTIC POSITIONING OVER THE YEARS? In my opinion, three are the key factors that led to this result.

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