LAOLA1: Head ski coach in Austria is not the easiest job. What attracts you to this role?
Johannes Zöchling: True, it certainly isn't the easiest job. But when the call came, it was a good opportunity. I don't have a career plan, but I've always tried to do my jobs well. I want to do that now too. I want to try to make a difference – together with the athletes. I want to support them so they can perform at their best. That's what attracts me.
LAOLA1: You recently worked in Norway. What have you brought back from there to the ÖSV?
Zöchling: Everyone operates under the same fundamental principles. In Norway, just like in Austria, it's about the basics: training volume, quality, and intensity. No pain, no gain – that's everywhere. For victories or podium finishes, the coaching team then has to fine-tune the settings so that the women can perform at their best in the race. That's the big challenge.
LAOLA1: Which aspects do you need to focus on for the ÖSV women?
Zöchling: We have a good team. Last season, someone from every training group made it onto the podium. The expectation in Austria is to have victories or podium finishes almost every weekend – the athletes know that, the coaches know that. It's about adjusting the settings so that the athletes are ready to perform. The big difference between good skiing and truly fast skiing is the ultimate commitment, putting pressure on the ski to get everything out of it. That also has something to do with trust and determination. If the women are ready to perform, then I am convinced they can ski really fast.
Leistungssport ist nicht immer lustig. Das wissen wir alle. Es muss eben etwas geleistet werden. Das ist mir schon wichtig. Es soll kein Wunschkonzert sein.
LAOLA1: You've already mentioned it: the expectation in Austria is for victories and podiums. Last season, only Julia Scheib consistently achieved that. Does Austria have enough potential podium and race winners?
Zöchling: That's true, last season only Julia and, to a lesser extent, Kathi Truppe performed consistently. But I definitely see potential in the team. Now it's about bringing in consistency. The athletes should be able to deliver their performances race after race – regardless of the slope conditions or course setting. They should be able to handle everything that comes their way. This needs to be worked on in training. Nobody wants to make mistakes or perform poorly, but reproducing one's performance turn by turn, race by race, is very difficult. That's what we will work on.
LAOLA1: Upon taking office, you said that "the athletes' personal responsibility" needs to be strengthened. What exactly do you mean by that?
Zöchling: We have athletes who have already competed in 100 or more World Cup races. They have experience. There's a certain responsibility that the women themselves must take on so that we can progress in our collaboration. As a coach, you recognize certain things from the outside, but the racers must then also take responsibility and commit to these things. They really need to identify the points that are important to them and work on them as best as possible, instead of just leaning back. Everyone is the architect of their own fortune.
LAOLA1: Conny Hütter said after last season that it would be important to have a certain calmness in the team. Is that present? What is the general mood in the team?
Zöchling: Generally, I have a good feeling about that. It will only get really interesting in the autumn when the races begin, that's when a few things usually surface within groups. I've already had conversations with most of the athletes, and they were very open. Certain points were raised that were interesting to me. We coaches cannot promise that we can always solve all problems, but we can at least try if it's realistic. Here we are again at the point of responsibility: it's important that the women come to us coaches and address the issues. It's important to me that we coaches work together with the athletes towards the same goal.
LAOLA1: As a coach, what else do you value, besides good collaboration?
Zöchling: Competitive sport isn't always fun. We all know that. Performance is required. That's important to me. It shouldn't be a wish list. However, I also want to convey calmness and trust to the athletes so that they can concentrate on the things that are important in skiing. If we work together well, something good can come out of it.
LAOLA1: Mirjam Puchner has ended her career, and this will be Conny Hütter's last season. Should one be concerned about the speed team?
Zöchling: Currently, we are not too deep in the speed discipline, that's true. There isn't a large number of speed racers in the Europa Cup either. But it has been seen in the past that athletes can develop quickly from one year to the next. In the future, we might not have the same density in speed that we had 15 years ago, but we have high-quality racers. We need to continue working calmly and try to get the best possible out of them.
LAOLA1: The season doesn't start until October, but what would satisfy you at the end of your first season as ÖSV head coach? Among other things, there's a Crystal Globe to defend and World Championship medals will be awarded.
Zöchling: I would be satisfied if we have set the priorities and taken actions such that the athletes can show their best skiing. Of course, one wishes for medals, victories, and podiums. But for me, it's important that they ski actively and dynamically, that they have good body language, and that you see their passion. Then the results will come naturally.
