Stefan Horngacher about his goals as a coach.
He is one of the nicest people on the ski jumping scene: before as an athlete, today as a coach.
Stefan Horngacher, 34-summer enthusiast of computers and golf from Wörgl in Tyrol, is facing his second World Cup, who will be watching as a coach, and more precisely in the role of assistant to Hannu Lepistös in the Austrian team.
Meaning: Horngacher is no longer any rookie in the coaching nest, but also still has a lot to learn, to lead the national team through the World Cup by himself. Austria is well aware of this.
“My role in the team is clear and I agree with that.
My responsibilities are the same as last year: hardware development, organization, observing the technique (flight and reflection phases)”, says Horngacher.
Horngacher plays another important role in the Austrian team – is the liaison between the head coach and the players.
“I can take care of our jumpers' matters in the foreground, and they can understand Lepistö in the right way and kind.
This is conspicuous, that Hannu cares a lot more about my opinion. He asks how I see the situation and takes it into account. Last year, he decided everything himself. I feel needed today”.
Stefan Horngacher becomes taciturn, if he is asked about the suit thing in the Austrian team – but that doesn't surprise anyone. Competitors will use three companies' uniforms – Meiningera, Eybl i Schneidera. The guardian only thinks, that after all the tests, everyone individually adjusts the suit to each other optimally: “Not everyone jumps on Fischer or Rossignol or Atomica skis either.”
There is no real winner yet
An individualist is necessary, but the Austrian team still lacks such a person. Horngacher looks once at the laughing ones, and once with weeping eyes for the summer months.
Team Austria is so strong right now, that it would not be a problem to complete two representations. However, none crystallized in the Summer-Grand-Prix “winner”
from the real thing.
“We have achieved a lot, we're just jumping at the top, but you have to give your best and do it at the limit of your abilities”, evaluates Horngacher critically. “In the fall, we had individual talks with various players for this reason. I mediated them. we said, what do we expect from them and what is the matter. The winner type must appear. We don't care about that, to take places from the fifth to the tenth from Kuusamo.
We are interested, to win from Kuusamo – but still have more jumpers in the top five.”
Mainly Martin Höllwarth, Thomas Morgenstern, who jumped so well this summer and Andreas Widhölzl the previous one, should be placed on “appropriate” places.
The Nations Cup is an award for coaches
The goals for the new season are clearly defined for Horngacher:
The 4-Hills-Tournament as the first major event, World Ski Flying Championships second, defending the Nations Cup is desirable, because this award honors the work of trainers, not a single player, and last: striving to win the World Cup standings. In the season 1995/96, seven years ago, Andreas Goldberger won this valuable trophy for the last time for Austria. Later, Primoz Peterka won in succession (SLO/2), Martin Schmitt (GER/2) and Adam Malysz (POL/3).
“It's getting harder and harder to stay in such good shape all winter, to be able to win the Crystal Ball”, says Horngacher.
“A year ago, Höllwarth was on the right track, however, the discussions and changes in equipment have been devastating.
Widhölzl had a strong summer season 2002, but later had problems with innovative suits. “Strong mentality and staying in shape: this is the key to the World Cup. Horngacher continues: “It's clear, that we should not only fight for this victory, but this is what we need to get.”
Ideally, two or three Austrians will compete for the Crystal Globe. It would be best to have one king and one heir to the throne, so that the competition does not move beyond the ski jumps to other areas of common life. Horngacher has high expectations for young players: “The foreground expects the same, if not better results than last year. But we can't get out of this, that eight places in the top 10 will be reserved for the Austrians in the World Cup competition results lists. If we regularly have four jumpers in the top ten, it's gonna be great…”
Young people do, that the World Cup is more interesting
The Tyrolean is a realist. As a ski jumper, he experienced ups and downs in his career and he knows, how fast in sports can you find yourself on your shoulder blades. Finns, Norwegians, Slovenes introduce teenagers, Germany can build a team on Maximilian Mechler. Known and experienced, however, will certainly not give up the field without a fight – “we expect a brutal fight this season”.
Laughing, Horngacher continues: “But I will be glad, if we finally start the competition, then my vacation begins.
Not much work is needed there, can only give tips.
This month I didn't know partly, what point am i at: organize training, take care of the equipment, work on the hills, coordinate meetings with the media. But now the rest phase begins – by the end of March. Class!”
Sometimes it still lures him, to jump alone, for example on the Bergisel ski jump in beautiful, sunny day. However, at a time like this, Horngacher also thinks about the shortcomings of his active career, with a huge amount of training – “I know, that suits me. I'm on the right side, I can use my experience well”.
This season, Stefan Horngacher will again play the role of the second coach of the Austrian national team, but what will it look like, cannot be said yet. Horngacher also wants to be the first trainer, however, before that, cadre B, in Austria or abroad, wants to take responsibility.
“I need to become better and more mature”, said the keeper, who with a former ski jumper friend, and then a trainer, Heinz Kuttin, he is still on very good terms.
“Hannu Lepistö and I are on the same wavelength, and I can only learn. I squeeze the necessary knowledge out of him. I want to be such a good coach, when i was a jumper”.
There is still a long way to go, but Horngacher will consistently move towards the goal. It is certain.