The special path of Dario Rohrbach

After his first training session with the national team, Dario Rohrbach first takes off his equipment and then appears in a good mood with a shake for an interview with the Keystone-SDA news agency. The SCL Tigers forward has a lot to say and is a perfect example of how many paths can lead to the top.

Many changes

After moving to Willisau, Rohrbach joined EHC Sursee. He then played for Langenthal, Olten and Dragon Thun before moving to the SCL Tigers at the age of 14. After three years with the Emmental team, he broke away and continued his career in Basel, which does not play in the top U20 category. Nevertheless, he also played in the 1st division in the professional team.

Looking back on his junior days, Rohrbach speaks of a "turbulent career". On the one hand, he attributes the many clubs to the fact that he grew up in a place where there was no club nearby that he considered suitable to spend his entire junior years at. On the other hand, certain places no longer suited him.

"I certainly wasn't the easiest player to coach as a youngster," says Rohrbach and continues: "But it also helped that I wasn't playing at the highest level in the juniors for a while. This allowed me to act without tactical restraints at times and develop the instincts needed in ice hockey."

Growing late

He also attributes his delayed development to the fact that he grew up very late and that many players were a lot ahead of him in terms of physical development. He hopes that his development will serve as a role model for others who are similar to him. "At professional level, everyone is similarly big, fast and strong, so other tools are required."

However, Rohrbach admits that at the age of 17 or 18, he never thought he would play in the National League, let alone the national team. In November 2017, at the age of 19, he was loaned out by Basel to the Ticino Rockets in the Swiss League. The following December, he was allowed to travel with the U20 national team to the World Championships in Buffalo, where he scored two goals.

Swap as a stroke of luck

In 2018, he received a contract for the top league with Ambri-Piotta. However, he was unable to establish himself there, partly because he missed almost the entire 2019/20 season due to injury. "The first season was promising, but when I came back after the injury, I realized how quickly it goes at this level and had to take a back seat at first," Rohrbach looks back. He went to Ajoie in 2021. "It was a difficult season there for everyone involved in the first year after promotion."

In January 2022, he moved to the SCL Tigers in exchange for Kay Schweri, which turned out to be a stroke of luck. "It was a hit for both sides," says Rohrbach. "The club experienced difficult years after corona and, like me, needed a fresh start. Both the team and I have developed step by step since then." In Rohrbach's case, this is underpinned by his scoring figures: In his first two seasons with Langnau, he managed 15 (7/8) and 19 (8/11) points respectively; in the current championship, he holds nine goals and 18 assists after 44 games. This makes him the Emmental's second-best scorer and the tenth-best Swiss overall.

Worked a lot in the mental area

"I got a good role right from the start," says Rohrbach. He also took a big step forward in the mental area. He has been working with a mental coach for almost three years. "Many players have the necessary skills, but often struggle to call on them when it counts," says Rohrbach. "Talking to someone regularly, for example about how best to deal with pressure situations, has helped me enormously. At some point, the knot loosens and you can play more freely. Previously, I might have overthought things and sometimes missed the millisecond I needed to do the right thing."

Rohrbach emphasizes that the mental aspect involves constant work. "If you repeat something enough times, you eventually believe it," says Rohrbach. He keeps a diary with medium and long-term goals and also writes down goals for games - a maximum of three points. He also practices visualization by putting himself in certain situations.

For now, however, he wants to enjoy the games in the Euro Hockey Tour. The first game on Thursday evening against Finland will take place in Langnau, and there couldn't be a better place for him to make his debut in the national team. "I've been working towards this moment for a long time, everyone goes their own way," emphasizes Rohrbach.