In the EUROBUS with Two National Team Stars
Text: Wolfram Scherer
EUROBUS has long been a team coach partner of the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation. The official team coach, driven by chauffeur Reto Grogg, regularly takes the players to matches and training sessions. At the SIHF Media Day in August at the “Schoren” ice rink in Langenthal, we spoke with national team goalie Reto Berra and winger Christoph Bertschy about travelling in the team coach and about our chauffeur Reto Grogg.
“We talk about everything under the sun”
“I actually only use the coach with the team. But I really appreciate it here,” says national team goalie Reto Berra, adding: “In private we tend to travel by car, although I've just bought a Half-Fare Travelcard again because I also like to use the good train connections.” Christoph Bertschy also appreciates the team coach service. “It always picks us up reliably from the hotel and takes us to the match or to training.” And how do the players spend the time during the journey? Reto Berra says: “Before a match the mood is always a bit calmer. The team is focused then. Before training, on the other hand, we often talk about everything under the sun on the coach.” In any case, the journeys in the team coach are relaxing, and many players spend the time reading or listening to music. We also wanted to know whether there is a seating order in the team coach, and learned that it is mainly the older players who sit at the back. These include Reto Berra, who has been in the national team since 2012, and Christoph Bertschy, who played in the U18 national team as early as 2010. Christoph Bertschy: “We both tend to sit in the back part of the coach. It's a bit livelier there. We often play cards during the journey, too.”
On the road with chauffeur Reto Grogg
Even though the national team players are of course busy with their own tasks, the team coach's chauffeur is part of the group. Reto Berra says with a laugh: “Yes, of course we know Reto Grogg – he has the same first name as me, after all. Our relationship is very good. Reto Grogg always looks forward to the match and the journeys. And he does his job brilliantly.” Christoph Bertschy adds: “We chat about all sorts of things with Reto Grogg. Sometimes we also exchange messages on WhatsApp and he congratulates me on a good game or a win. And especially during a training camp, for example before a World Championship, we grow closer and closer. We often talk about personal things then, too.” And does Reto Grogg celebrate with the national team as well? “Yes, of course,” says Christoph Bertschy, “with full passion. He is a big fan of the national team, after all.”
