New in the Gladiators jersey: Elia Ostwald (35) comes from Weiden. © Association
The Erding Gladiators have landed a spectacular transfer.
Erding – The ice hockey Bayernliga club has signed 35-year-old defender Elia Ostwald, who can look back on the experience of many hundreds of games in the three highest German leagues. Most recently, he was under contract with the Oberliga club Blue Devils Weiden. Now he is ending his professional career.
"He's an experienced defender who can also get involved in the offense," said Gladiators spokesman David Whitney, who emphasized: "He's one of our dream players. We wanted to have it last year and we're happy that it worked out now."
Ostwald was born in Bad Muskau and comes from the junior academy of ES Weißwasser. At the Lausitzer Füchsen in the 2nd league he also had his first appearances in the adult area. The two-meter giant then played in the DEL, two years for the Eisbären Berlin, three years for the Hamburg Freezers and later another year for the Krefeld Pinguine. In the DEL 2, the defender wore the jersey of the Eispiraten Crimmitschau, returned to Weißwasser for two seasons and defended for a total of five years for EV Landshut, where he has now found his center of life together with his wife Kim and their two children (7 and 4).
Ostwald has been active in the Oberliga for the past three years, commuting from Landshut to Deggendorf for one season and most recently to Weiden for two seasons. "That was borderline," says the 35-year-old. he did not receive an offer for the new season. In the Oberliga, the U23 regulation will apply from next season. Then only 15 players older than 23 years may be used – including the goalkeeper. "I'm quite relaxed about it, there's no point in getting upset anyway," Ostwald emphasizes. "So now the way to retraining is clear." He still has "no such concrete plan" where he wants to orient himself, but for the next two years he will definitely be retraining as an e-commerce clerk.
He didn't want to quit ice hockey altogether, so he looked around the Landshut area. Coincidentally, Ostwald got into conversation with Erding's coach Ales Jirik, whom he knew from the EVL, "and who lives only about 100 meters away from me". Erding was only known to him from one or two test matches, "otherwise I only knew the way to the airport and the spa," he says with a laugh. Because his sister's boyfriend plays for the Kempten Sharks, he took the opportunity to watch a playoff game in Erding and also talked to Gladiators team boss Felix Schütz.
Now he has come to an agreement with those responsible in Erding about a change. "First for a year, and then take a look," says Ostwald, adding. "I've already become champion in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd leagues," with the Eisbären Berlin (DEL) and Landshut (DEL 2 and Oberliga), "maybe it will work out in the 4th league as well." And with a smile, he asks: "Has anyone ever done that?"
