ice Hockey
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Karel Lang is retiring as a coach
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After the end of his coaching career, Karel Lang will not be found that often in the rocking chair. The “witcher” plays tennis and golf.
Foto: Grefrather eg/grefrather eg
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Grefrath The 63-year-old coach has been behind the gang at the “Phönix” since the club was founded in 2009. The former defender Gerrit Ackers will take over his position as coach of Grefrather EG.
(lus) The living ice hockey legend Karel Lang has now resigned his position as coach of Grefrather EG at his own request. The ex-goalkeeper of KEV, known as the “witcher”, has been behind the gang with the Blue-Yellow von der Niers since the club was founded in 2009. After ten seasons and, most recently, a pandemic-related break, he is moving to “coach retirement”. ex-defender Gerrit Ackers takes over his post.
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As much as the name Karel Lang as an active player on the ice is associated with Krefeld ice hockey, in Grefrath this is firmly linked to his role as Phoenix coach. A well-known figure, an ice hockey institution that has now ended its long-term coaching position at its own request and handed over the post to Gerrit Ackers.
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Where there are highs, there are lows and vice versa. Karel Lang experienced both with the Blue-Yellows and always got the best possible out of the not always easy framework conditions at the small Grefrath location. On the sporting path, Lang led his Grefrath Phoenix to two national league championship titles. The joy of his greatest success in 2013, the promotion to the Oberliga West, the third-highest German division, will not be forgotten.
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“It was a long and very nice time. Working with the players has always been a great pleasure ”, says Karel Lang, who recently celebrated his 63rd birthday. The fact that he is now quitting his coaching activity was a long decision-making process. “Due to Covid, the entire last season was practically omitted. There was a lot of time to think about it and take stock. Then I had the feeling that the time had come for a change, ”Lang explains his decision. Now it is the turn to leave a little more time for other things. “Now I’m concentrating on my career as a golfer,” says Karel Lang with a mischievous smile.
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The GEG chairwoman Sandra Schmitz has already announced that she will not let the long-time boss of the gang retire without a due farewell: “We thank Karel very much for his long-term support and we will probably still see us when we enter the“ unrest ” come up with something nice for him. “
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Gerrit Ackers, the gang’s new boss, has already started work and recently started summer training with his team. The 34-year-old has so far been on the ice as a defender at Phoenix and is using the summer break to acquire the coach C license.
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The preparations for the season at Phoenix are already in full swing. In view of the currently low number of Covid infections, the GEG is confident that the upcoming ice hockey season can begin at the end of September. Which players and in which division the Blue-Yellows will then start will be decided in the next few weeks.
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