The goal is close - Luis Üffing on the way to the DEL

Luis Üffing from Peiting wants to become an ice hockey professional. Now he is very close to his goal with the Cologne Sharks.

Peiting / Cologne - In 2015 Luis Üffing set out with a clear goal. As a 15-year-old, he switched from EC Peiting to Cologne EC to become a hockey professional. "I wanted to do what I love most," he says. From the U16 onwards, Üffing went through the youth teams of the Kölner Haie. In one week, on May 30th, the Peitinger will be 20 years old and therefore too old for the young talent. His "Haien" development license contract was recently extended by one year. He has come a step closer to his goal.

The hockey players have been back in team training under the corona-related requirements for almost two weeks. Strength training is popular three times a week, and athletic or running sessions are on the program twice a week. Last season, Luis Üffing was allowed to train with the professionals twice a week. Now he is an integral part of the team.

Now with a new role

In the youth teams, he was always one of the top performers. In the DEL team "I now have a different role," says the 19-year-old. After all, he's one of the youngest on the team. Nevertheless, it is "great fun" for him and he already says: "I am learning a lot." One thing is clear for the 1.90-meter athlete: he should only be the next step and not the last.

With a teammate of the same age, Üffing has been living in a shared apartment in Cologne city center for around two years, which he really likes. The 19-year-old had previously attended the sports boarding school in Cologne for three years. Training and school were “well coordinated” for the young athletes. Üffing finished school with a technical college diploma and still knew how to convince on the ice.

Injuries threw the Peitinger back

During this time, however, he was repeatedly thrown back by injuries. He broke his ankle about two years ago and fell out for several months. The following season he suffered the same injury again and missed almost the entire season. He still has screws in his foot today, but they don't hinder him. "I was behind," he says, looking to prepare for the past season. "So I tried to step on the gas." And he succeeded.

In the U20 of the Cologne young sharks, Üffing had 34 appearances. The striker scored 18 goals and prepared 23 goals. In DEL2 he was allowed to run seven times for EC Bad Nauheim - but there he is still waiting for the first scorer point. Bad Nauheim is a grant license partner of the Cologne EC. The contract for the coming season allows Peitinger to play for Bad Nauheim in the DEL2 and for the Kölner Haie in the DEL.

Not the only one from Peiting

Üffing assumes that he will appear in Germany's second-highest division in the coming season, primarily for the Hessians. The approximately one and a half hour journey by minibus from Cologne to Bad Nauheim is no problem for him. "We are used to other routes," he says.

In addition, Üffing will not have to take the trips alone. Because a total of eight players have equipped the Cologne with a promotion license agreement. 18-year-old Maximilian Glötzl is one of them. The second Peitinger in the KEC squad has already played two DEL games last season. He is also eligible to play for the U20.

"At the end you can always file"

In addition to Üffing and Glötzl with Simon Gnyp from Neuöttingen and Julian Chrobot from Augsburg, the Cologne team also includes other license players from Bavaria. That made it easier for Üffing when he left his home in 2015. In Cologne he quickly found new friends who do the same and have a similar background. His family has always supported him in becoming a professional, reports the 19-year-old.

Üffing sees that he can skate well as one of his strengths. In addition, he can play well in both the offensive and defensive zones. “A former coach of mine called me Power Forward. I think that's quite a good thing, ”said Peitinger. On the way to his goal of running into the DEL, the attacker wants to be "even more lively". "And at the end you can always file."

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