Sonst hätten sich all die Mühen, die Österreichs Spielerinnen seit ihrer Kindheit auf sich genommen haben, um ihrer großen Leidenschaft nachgehen zu dürfen, kein Stück ausgezahlt.
However, the work is far from done. This World Championship should serve as a springboard for a brighter future.
Time to chart the right course
The ÖEHV must now be measured by what develops from this success. Above all: How can the momentum of this historic feat be harnessed?
How can the profile of women's ice hockey in Austria be raised? How can the sport be put on a sustainable, solid footing so that players might one day even make a living from it?
That requires a clear youth development strategy and a long-term concept for the domestic league. These are, of course, just a fraction of the countless questions to which the ÖEHV must provide tangible answers going forward.
Responsibility for future generations
One thing is clear, however: no one can afford to rest on their laurels now. That applies to the current board as well as any potential incoming leadership.
Otherwise, all the sacrifices Austria's players have made since childhood to pursue their passion would have counted for nothing.
And that would send a devastating message to the Meixners, Schafzahls, and Luggins of tomorrow.
