PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Life in elite sport is tough.
Roger Rönnberg testifies to that.
– It doesn’t matter if you talk to Charlotte Kalla, Ingemar Stenmark or us who play hockey, says the Frölunda coach to Sportbladet.
Roger Rönnberg, 52, has coached Frölunda since 2013. But the club he has won two SM gold, and won the CHL four times. Before his stay in Frölunda, Rönnberg trained with Luleå HF Roger Kyröand was the national team captain for the Junior crowns.
Rönnberg’s honesty
With Sweden’s men’s junior national team, Rönnberg took the team to gold in the J-WC during the 2011/2012 season. In the final, it was Russia who faced the opposition and Sweden won 1–0 after extra time.
Rönnberg is known for his characteristic tough attitude and honesty. One time Roger was so honest was when he said in an interview ten years ago that he dreamed of experiencing an Olympics.
The article continues after the picture.
A dream that still stands today.
– I’m Swedish and one of the biggest things in elite sports is competing in an Olympics. If I had the chance to be the person responsible for the skate protection in Tre Kronor during an Olympics, I would have taken the job to experience an Olympic Games.
– If I were to get an even bigger role somehow, I would probably be very happy to do it. But it’s one thing to go around wishing for things, quite another to be qualified enough. Because in elite sports, it’s about being qualified. It is not possible to complain about such assignments, says Rönnberg to Sportbladet.
Cold & Stenmark
Hockey season is in full swing. Frölunda has won three straight games and is fifth in the SHL. But Roger Rönnberg is not feeling so well, he tells the evening newspaper.
– The thing is this with elite sports, I don’t think there is any coach out in Sweden who goes around and feels great during the season. It’s such a big responsibility to be in this and everyone has ambitions. In this quest to do everything for us to win – it’s a constant state of illness that you sort of have to keep in check. And still be able to balance things out so that you can have energy and be positive about your job and build faith in the players that we are doing the right things.
The article continues after the picture.
Rönnberg continues:
– But elite sports and feeling good, it doesn’t matter if you talk to Charlotte Call or Ingemar Stenmark or those of us playing hockey – I don’t think you’re feeling well. Or that you need to feel good to do a good job. The most important thing is just that, to do a good job. It’s not for everyone and it’s not helpful. But that is not the purpose either. The aim is to win.
READ MORE: Ingemar Stenmark reveals the very best memory with Börje Salming – which says everything about the hockey icon: “He was completely exhausted”
Sign up for our newsletter
Share