Flavio Andri doesn’t let anything get him down

The U21 Elite defenceman Flavio Andri is plagued by bad luck: At the Prospects Challenge in Zug in mid-August, he suffered a broken collarbone – his second in ice hockey since last March and his fifth overall. “I didn’t feel like doing anything for the first week or two, my motivation was at rock bottom,” admits the 18-year-old from Oberägeri openly. He has long since regained his confidence. “The progress I’m making from day to day is helping enormously,” he says. Luckily for him, the bone is not displaced, so no operation was necessary. Flavio Andri is working hard in rehab for his comeback. He is being closely supported by physiotherapist Nick Zomer from EVZ Medical Partner Zuger Kantonsspital.

Being close to his team-mates and socialising with them – for example over lunch – also helps him on his way back. The talented defenceman is in the EVZ training programme The Hockey Academy, where he wants to obtain a commercial diploma. He recently started his two-year internship at AMAG and is currently working in accounting. His injury has not affected him in any way.

Reto Suri, head coach of the U21 Elite team, can sympathise with Flavio Andri, as he has been plagued by serious injuries as an EVZ player in recent years. He therefore also knows that those affected must first and foremost deal with it themselves. “Of course it’s nice when those around you enquire about you. But you don’t want to spend all day talking about negative things, you want to concentrate on your comeback,” explains Reto Suri. However, the players know that the coach’s door is always open to them.

Even in the current situation, Flavio Andri is behaving in an exemplary manner – just like a captain. The defender says: “If injury breaks have anything positive, then it is the appreciation for the sport. Flavio Andri explains: “In phases like these, you realise that you can’t take being able to play for granted.”

This article appeared in EISZEIT Business Magazine.

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