At a press conference this morning at Cornèr Arena, the HCL reviewed the growth of its Youth Section, which now has 403 girls and boys members, over the past decade.
A growth that involves the sporting sphere with 46 players trained in the nursery who have dressed or are wearing the jersey of National League or Swiss League teams, one player (Merzlikins) landed in the NHL, the dispute of three playoff finals of the U20 Elit category and the training of no less than six coaches (Gianinazzi, Cantoni, Conne, Fischer, Wohlwend and Hirschi) landed within prestigious technical staffs.
A growth that also encompasses the sphere of increasingly close relations with the school world, particularly with the introduction of the middle school for sportsmen in Canobbio, and the financial sphere with the Youth Section, which, thanks also to the essential support of the Foundation HC Lugano Academy, its sponsor and the tireless work of its 120 volunteers, has now reached the ambitious goal of financial independence fromHockey Club Lugano SA, which manages the activities of the first team.
In terms of the organizational chart and division of technical and operational responsibilities, the start of the 2024/25 season will mark the completion of the handover after twelve seasons from Marco Werder to Alessandro Chiesa in the function of Head of Junior Department. Alessandro Chiesa will report directly to the organization's CEO Marco Werder.
A passing of the baton to the operational leadership of the nursery that is now lighter, knowing that Alessandro Chiesa, a pillar of Lugano whose captaincy he wore for four seasons, identifies perfectly with the values, vision and mission ofHockey Club Lugano.
"I thank the club for the trust placed in me," said Alessandro Chiesa, "which I have felt ever since I started thinking about my post-career. I have joined a well-structured, kid-friendly organization. Among other tasks, my focus will be on recruiting with the goal of increasing the number of boys while maintaining quality. In this sense, the future training center in Sigirino represents a great opportunity."