Czech father, German passport. Uvira and Germany on a verge of major upset

22 Apr 2011 | David Schlegel, Lukáš Peroutka

On Thursday evening, German U18 team produced one of the best performances ever. In the quarterfinals of the World Championship against Canada, the hosts were one goal up with ten minutes to go. Major upset was so close. Despite eventually losing the game, excited fans in Crimmitschau rewarded their team with a long and deserved applause.

One of the central figures of German team is Sebastien Uvira, son of Eduard, the 1985 World Champion from Czechoslovakia. His big moment came in the beginning of the third period. Uvira got the puck in the offensive zone, moved towards the slot and although goalie parried his initial shot, Ackermann was in the right place to score with an easy rebound. Germans took a 3-2 lead and the sold out arena was rocking. “I was forchecking really hard. It was a great feeling, it’s just a shame we did not keep our lead,” said Uvira after the game.

Germans put maximum effort into the game and were supported by an outstanding performance of their young goalie Cupper. “We played really well. The only downside was the number of penalties we conceded. That cost us a victory,” described the 17-year old player. “I have a German passport, but we speak Czech at home. I don’t want to forget the language, it is very important to me.”

Team Canada started the game on a high, putting Germany under intense pressure, but the hosts held on and slowly clawed their way back into the game. “We knew that they are going to give 100 % in the very beginning, Canadians did that already in their previous games. But later everyone could see that we can match Canada. Everybody in our team is going to remember this game, it was a great experience,” said Uvira proudly.

While Germans were fighting for a place in the semifinals, Czech Republic was left to fear for their top division safety until the very last second of the game against Slovakia. “In Germany, ice hockey has really gone up recently. I think that the biggest problem of Czech hockey is the lack of opportunities in senior leagues that young players get. Even last year, I played for Landshut in Second Bundesliga. The coach let me play, I got a lot of ice time. Many youngsters in Germany get this kind of chance.”

Couple of seasons ago, Uvira spent one season back in Opava, his father’s hometown. “We still come back to Opava, we have a house and many friends there. But I chose to play in Germany, because the hockey is more physical here and I also got an offer from Eisbaren Berlin. They paid me everything, all the expenses for food and training. I had so many training sessions, four hours a day… it was incredible. It was much harder than in Czech Republic,” compares Uvira.

His father Eduard participated in two Olympic Games and three World Championships. He is still a role model for his son. “I am so proud of my father. I would once really love to achieve what he did. If I continue to work hard, I do believe it can happen.”