Dear Valued Supporters of Genève-Servette Hockey Club,
On behalf of Genève-Servette Hockey Club, I would like to thank you all for your tremendous support. Your loyalty, your commitment to the team, and the amazing energy you bring to every game make Genève-Servette a very special club. With four games already played in the Champions League and our excellent position in the standings, the season is off to a great start. It will kick off at full speed this weekend with our first game of the regular season.
Once again, Chris has found some talented players for the upcoming season to replace those who left us for the prestigious NHL and KHL, and for teams in the Swiss LNA that operate with bigger budgets. Other clubs pay particularly close attention to our excellent recruitment and development programs – a compliment to the great work performed by Chris and his coaching team as well as to Geneva as a leader in the sporting industry. Yet again, we have put together a quality team this season that will show character on and off the ice. We believe that the Champions Hockey League showed a first glimpse of what our team is capable of. As always – with a winning and fighting spirit – we will aim to continue to be a competitive team that our fans and the people of Geneva will be proud to support, and that our opponents will acknowledge and respect.
Our historic victory at the last Spengler Cup tournament in Davos – which we will defend this season – once again proves that we are able to compete with top-ranked teams. This season we will also defend our title in the Swiss Cup, a competition that was last held during the 1971/72 season! We will also do our best to bring home trophies in the Champions Hockey League, the regular season, and most importantly the trophy for the very first playoff title! We are proud to defend two out of the five major trophies in contention this year and look forward to representing Geneva on both the national and international rinks.
Genève-Servette Hockey Club’s long-term viability still very much depends on obtaining a new rink. Les Vernets will soon celebrate its sixtieth year of existence. The club needs a new ice rink in order to help bridge the financial gap between GSHC and the teams with whom we regularly compete, as well as to meet requirements imposed by the league. A new rink is also necessary to help provide enhanced service and comfort to our existing fans, to help us meet the demands of our increasing supporters, and to give to Geneva a rink that meets the image of the club and especially of Geneva.
All of the other clubs competing in the NLA have either recently built rinks or have projects well under way. We will continue our efforts to encourage the authorities of both the City and Canton of Geneva to respect the agreements that were signed four years ago, that included constructing a new ice rink by 2015.
We strive to continuously enhance the quality of your “Hockey Experience” in Les Vernets by implementing some new and exciting ideas this season. We continue to expand and develop our communications through our website, social media platforms, newsletters and magazines; we are committed to listening to your input; we implement new initiatives based on your needs and concerns.
We will also continue to engage with the community through charities, social causes and other activities. Our players, coaches and staff are proud to actively take part in community-based initiatives. We have a passion for Geneva and will continue to work hard to make a positive and significant contribution to the lives of the people of our city, establishing Genève-Servette as one of the significant institutions of Geneva.
We continue to place tremendous importance on youth hockey – for boys and girls, competitively and recreationally. We look forward to working closely with the Association Genève Futur Hockey and the Mouvement Juniors du Genève-Servette, and remain committed to supporting other local hockey associations and programs.
We are very proud that we have provided opportunities for young players to take on important roles in our team. Moving forward, we aim to increase the number of professional players developed in Geneva by engaging with partners willing to help finance the hiring of coaches and other members of staff necessary to meet the high standards set for the well-rounded development of young players. We would like to thank our current partners, and the Canton, the City and all the Communes for their devoted support to the promotion and development of hockey in Geneva.
Finally, I would like to extend my most sincere appreciation and best wishes for the season to the following people:
- Chris McSorley, the staff and the players for their incredible professionalism and commitment. The team has led Genève-Servette Hockey Club to perform far beyond what many could imagine. Their dedication has given us many special moments that will be etched in our memories forever. We look forward to many more exciting times this season.
- Jean-Philippe Paradis and all of the other coaches and staff members that are part of the Association Genève Futur Hockey and the Mouvement Juniors du Genève-Servette for their tremendous work to develop talented young hockey players in Geneva, with the values we aim to defend, while respecting the importance of a proper education.
- Christophe Stucki and all of the staff members and volunteers of Genève-Servette Hockey Club, for their passion and engagement. Their efforts contribute greatly to the unique “Hockey Experience” we get to enjoy. Finally, a big cheer to everyone active in the significant positive impact of Geneva by our charitable, social and community-based activities.
On behalf of everyone at Genève-Servette Hockey Club, I would like to once again thank you, our valued supporters, for your incredible support.
We look forward to seeing you again soon at Les Vernets for what is sure to be an exciting season. It is already off to a great start!
Hugh Quennec
President
Genève-Servette Hockey Club