Walter Köberle
Köberle Walter ( born January 13, 1949 in Kaufbeuren ) is a former German professional ice hockey player and coach who spent the majority of his career at the Düsseldorf EC, for which he also was also active as a co- head coach as well. Köberle won with DEG twice the German championship and won in 1976 with the national hockey team the bronze medal at the Olympic Winter Games in Innsbruck. Since 2012 he is athletic director of the DEG Metro Stars.
Playing career
Köberle made his debut for the senior citizens in the 1965/66 season ESV Kaufbeuren for which he spent six years - two in the 2nd Bundesliga - played. For the 1971/72 season he joined the Düsseldorf EC, which celebrated their second German Cup in 1967 in this season. Three years later Köberle celebrated his second championship with the people of Düsseldorf. The Kaufbeurer was one of the audience favorites at DEG. The national team should, however, still experience the highlight of his career hockey, so he won under then coach Xaver nonsense at the Olympic Winter Games in Innsbruck in 1976 the bronze medal.
Köberle joined the 1981/82 season to the great rivals of DEG - Cologne EC, for which he played only one season, and then again return to the DEG and to let his career fade away there in 1983.
In addition to the two championships Köberle could win three runner-up with the people of Düsseldorf in the years 1973, 1980, and 1981. It is the tenth most successful points scorer of the Düsseldorf club's history.
After the End of career
After his active career as a player was Köberle long years in junior DEG operates. He published in 1991 together with Friedhelm rasp the book " Hockey - From Junior champion " (ISBN 3-7919-0443-4 ). In August 1993 Köberle was announced as the new head coach at the Berlin Polar Bears, but had to resign for health reasons before the start of the season.
After the re-entry of DEG in the highest German league for 2000/ 01 - after a two-year stint in the second division, which ended with the championship in 2000 - was Köberle under Gerhard Brunner assistant coach of Düsseldorf EC.
In October 2004 he took over for three games, the position of the head coach, Butch Goring and replaced him, which was in 2003 became German champion with the Krefeld Penguins. For the 2005/06 season Köberle was promoted to the new role of the team leader, which he fills since then and through which he was able to win the runner-up and in 2006 the DEB - Pokal with DEG 2006 and 2009. Köberle organized in its function, among others, travel to away games and took care of the needs of the players. In January 2012, Walter Köberle was appointed athletic director of DEG and was the successor to Lance Nethery.
On January 13, 2013 Köberle was honored by the Düsseldorf EC for his work as a functionary and players. A banner was installed on the ceiling of the ISS Dome, his jersey number 13 will never forgive again.