It’s cold in the arena, of course. We’re standing together, putting on gloves and bobble hats in preparation for the next hour, our breath visible in little clouds as we speak. Michael Wandschura, however, doesn’t seem to notice the cold at all. He shows us around the rink, the home of his ice hockey club, the EA Schongau Mammuts.
Wandschura is a systems engineer at VINCORION, where he is currently working on a new generation of hybrid gensets. What many people don’t know is that in the winter season, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, he swaps his office outfit for the number 13 jersey after work. Then it’s off to train with his ice hockey team to prepare for their next home or away game on the weekend.
“Without ice hockey, winter can be pretty long and lonely”
When he talks about his sport, his club, and his teammates from the EA Schongau Mammuts, Wandschura’s enthusiasm is infectious. “It was only during the coronavirus pandemic that I realized how long and lonely a winter without ice hockey can be,” he says with a laugh, “and when I was finally allowed back on the ice with my team, it was truly an amazing moment.”
Wandschura, who everyone here simply calls the Wizard, shows us the rink with the VINCORION logo under the ice, the stands, and the players’ bench. In the changing room, the black and white jerseys hang on a pole under the ceiling, and the ice hockey sticks lean casually against the wall next to the wooden benches. This is a behind-the-scenes view that visitors to the ice rink don’t usually get to see. Just like Wandschura’s training preparations, who has now started to sharpen his skates.Just like how Wandschura, who has now started to sharpen his skates, prepares for training. Just like how Wandschura, who has now started to sharpen his skates, prepares for training.
“There was never anything else”
When asked how he got into ice hockey, Wandschura replies: “Back then, everyone played ice hockey. There was never anything else.” After stints with ESV Kaufbeuren, EC Peiting, and ERC Sonthofen, the defenseman has now remained loyal to the EA Schongau Mammuts since 2007. He initially played for the first team, which successfully plays in the Bayernliga, the highest amateur hockey league in the German state of Bavaria. He has been a member of the 1B team since 2012, which allows him to take things a little easier when it comes to the sport.
A short time later on the ice, however, the team proves that playing at this level is anything but a walk in the park. The players pass the puck around precisely according to the coach’s instructions. Their movements on the ice are fast and coordinated. Skating at such a fast pace, we have difficulty documenting the action on camera.
“Above all else, ice hockey should be fun”
Unlike the players, who have really exerted themselves during training, we are now pretty much frozen through and through. Nevertheless, we want to find out more details from Wandschura – after two championships won, 608 games played to date, countless emotional, nerve-wracking, and decisive team moments: What can you learn from the sport of ice hockey that you can apply in the rest of your life? “Responsibility for your own role within a team, perseverance, and determination. These are things I can also apply to my work as an engineer. When we work on new projects as a development team, such as the hybrid gensets, it is precisely these values that are needed,” answers Wandschura, adding, “but above all, ice hockey should be fun.” This is also something he is trying to pass on to his children, who now play ice hockey just like him.
Did you know… that VINCORION has been sponsoring the EA Schongau ice hockey club since 2021? Fans can continue to experience the Mammut’s first team on the ice until March 30, 2024, when the summer break begins. The latest information, match dates, and live broadcasts are available here.
The reportage team (from left): Michael “Wizard” Wandschura (VINCORION), Philipp Muuß (filmer and video strategist philm), Sarah Dorsch and Julia Kübber (VINCORION)
A Day with Michael Wandschura and the EA Schongau Mammuts