Florence Schelling named first female GM of professional men’s ice hockey team

Four-time Winter Olympian Florence Schelling has been named the general manager of SC Bern, becoming the first female GM of a top-level men’s professional hockey club. Earlier in her career, Schelling became the first, and only, woman to play in the Swiss Men’s National B League, before retiring from the sport in 2018.

Schelling, widely considered to be the greatest female Swiss netminder in the history of the sport, represented Switzerland at eleven World Championships and four Winter Olympic Games. In 2014, at the Sochi Olympics, Schelling helped Switzerland to win the bronze model, and was subsequently named the tournament’s most valuable player (MVP). Two years earlier, Schelling was also an integral part of the Swiss roster that won bronze at the IIHF World Championships.

SC Bern CEO Marc Luthi told Berner Zeitung that leadership at SC Bern “came to the conclusion [that] Florence is the person we are looking for and want”, before adding: “Florence will be a pioneer, probably worldwide in her new role. But she’s young, fresh, she’ll bring a new perspective and break up existing structures.”

Schelling also featured in the first outdoor game in women’s college hockey history, starting for Northeastern against New Hampshire at Fenway Park

Schelling enjoyed a successful career on both sides of the Atlantic, especially throughout her college career with Northeastern Huskies. Awarded numerous individual accolades throughout her time in the NCAAA, Schelling also featured in the first outdoor game in women’s college hockey history, starting for Northeastern against New Hampshire at Fenway Park, ordinarily the home of the Boston Red Sox.

In a 0-0 tie between Providence Friars and Northeastern in 2012, Schelling logged 38 saves in a performance that earned national attention from the media. Later that year, Schelling was drafted to the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL) by Brampton Thunder.

Schelling graduated Linkoping University with a master’s degree in business administration and was appointed head coach of the Swiss U18 Women’s national team

With a decade of experience internationally, Schelling is widely expected to excel in her role as GM of SC Bern, one of the most prestigious hockey clubs in Europe. In 2019, Bern won the Swiss National League, but have since struggled, finishing ninth in 2020.

Since retiring, Schelling graduated Linkoping University with a master’s degree in business administration and was appointed head coach of the Swiss U18 Women’s national team. Following the announcement of her arrival in Bern, Schelling told Swiss media outlet SRF that “after talking to the SCB officials, it was clear: [she] wanted to take on this challenge.”

Schelling’s unveiling as the first female GM of professional men’s hockey team is historic for the sport, and could mark a major moment of flux in the structure of the recruiting process, especially for clubs across Europe. Schelling’s arrival in Bern is historic in that it has shown that hockey is moving in the right direction to acknowledge the experiences of top-level women’s players in a way that has currently not materialised in any other major sports around the world.

Schelling will undoubtedly come to be recognised as the most significant figure in the history of the women’s game

As GM, it will be Schelling’s responsibility to ensure that Bern enter the 2020/21 season with a balanced, cohesive roster, with a strong expectation being placed that Bern simply must improve on their efforts from this season. If she succeeds, as the former-Switzerland netminder did so frequently throughout her playing career, Schelling will undoubtedly come to be recognised as the most significant figure in the history of the women’s game.

Ice hockey across Europe has been widely disrupted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, with leagues across the continent abandoned before the post-season could be concluded. The 2020 IIHF World Championships, of which the men’s event was due to take place in Switzerland this summer, has also been cancelled.