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Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - The Geneva Eagles are known for playing with their supporters’ emotions. The Geneva-Servette Hockey Club (GSHC) team, based in Les Vernets on the banks of the Arve in Geneva, reached the Swiss National League A (NLA) finals against Bern last year but lost. They have been playing hockey roller coaster so far this season: the Eagles have won 15 and lost 17 of their matches in a bumpy beginning to their season.

Head coach Chris McSorley has strengthened his team with a clutch of foreign-born players whose experience add to the local talent on the ice. American Richard Park is the latest to join the team whose offensive line includes another US player, Bryan Lerg; Tony Salmelainen, Finland; Dan Fritsche and Eric Walsky, both Swiss-American; Robin Breitbach, Grmany; Jan Cadieux and Jeff Toms, Canada; Laurent Meunier, France. The Tribune de Genève pointed out in early November, that an Eagle’s win over ZSC Lions was due entirely to the three American attackers.

Injuries have played their part in the club’s recent fortunes (see interview with McSorley).

In the game against the Lions, the Eagles started with five players on the bench due to injuries. Six players were unable to take to the ice in late October, contributing to the back-to-back losses against Ticino’s Ambri-Piotta 30 October and against Fribourg 31 October. But 2 November the team’s fortunes bounced back, with a 4-2 win over Langnau’s SCL Tigers, led by hometown player Paul Savary.

McSorley is confident his team will prevail. “Impossible is often just someone else’s opinion” is the motto on the whiteboard in his office. One of the key ingredients is his insistence that his players be “good guys”, young men who are personable and get along well with each other. He also works them hard. This is a professional team and the players are either earning their pay or training all year long. Thomas Déruns, coming off the ice at the end of training, told GenevaLunch that despite the long hours and gruelling training, “it’s the best job in the world.”.