In the "Interview of the Week" Johanna May, goalkeeper of the Geretsrieder River Rats, talks about her nomination for the five-nation tournament of the women's national team in Füssen.
Geretsried – Thomas Ranft announced the good news from the bottom of his heart at the press conference after a Bavarian league match of the Geretsrieder River Rats: “The club is proud – and so is the president.” What was meant was the nomination of goalkeeper Johanna May for the five-nation team Tournament that the German women's national team is playing in Füssen this week.
The team of national coach Thomas Schädler played four games against the Czech Republic (February 8, 4 p.m.), Finland (February 9, 7:30 p.m.), Sweden (February 11, 4:30 p.m.) and Switzerland (February 12, 12 p.m. – each live on www.deb-online.de).
Sports editor Thomas Wenzel interviewed the 22-year-old from Münsingen, who works as a teacher in a kindergarten in Wolfratshausen.
Ms. May, congratulations on being drafted into the national team. How did the contact come about?
Thanks.
That was really a little surprising, because I haven't had any contact with the DEB for the past two years.
How did it go then?
Those responsible got some videos of our Bayernliga games and were also live here in the stadium once.
Apparently they liked my performance.
First the goalkeeping coach (Sascha Rogoza, editor's note) called me and asked if I would like to come.
Later I phoned the national coach.
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Johanna May (22), goalkeeper of the Geretsrieder River Rats
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Isn't it the first time you've worn the jersey with the federal eagle?
That's right, I've been to every World Cup since I was 15, most recently in 2018 at the U-18 World Cup in Russia.
In the past few years, I put the assignments in the national team on hold because I wanted to concentrate on my training as a teacher.
How has your career been so far?
I started at the ice hockey school here in Geretsried, then switched to the boys at SC Reichersbeuern and was then in the various youth teams at EC Bad Tölz up to the DNL.
In 2019 I went back to the River Rats.
What is striking about the squad for the five-nation tournament in Füssen: With Franziska Albl from Germering and you, there are two goalkeepers who catch the men?
That's probably a coincidence.
But if you can assert yourself as a woman in a men's league, you can't be that bad (laughs).
Have you already had inquiries from the women's Bundesliga?
Yes, a few years ago.
But I want to play ice hockey with the men for as long as possible.
What awaits you in Fussen?
We train for two days first, then four games follow.
In advance it was said that every goalkeeper will get two missions.
Anyway, I'm really happy and I want to show my best performance.
After all, the Women's World Cup in Canada is on the agenda at the beginning of April...
Right, I would like to recommend myself for that.
Did you actually have to take vacation for the tournament or do you simply get time off as a national player?
No, I submitted two days of unpaid leave;
I take over the rest of the time as minus hours that I have to work in.
If I play for DEB more often again, for example at the World Cup, I'll get into the sports aid program.
Then my employer would receive financial compensation.
Finally, a quiz question: has there ever been a goalkeeper from Geretsried who played for the national team?
(laughs) Oh, I don't really know.
But I heard that there was someone many years ago...
That was Alin Fischhaber, who caught mosquitoes in the Geretsrieder Bundesliga in the heyday. In 1993 she had a couple of appearances for the DEB...
Thanks, I didn't know the name.
