Legendary hall of fame ice hockey player Bobby Orr writes in the early pages of his autobiography: "I must tell you, there is no finer experience for a hockey player than skating on outdoor ice." Of all ice hockey venues, the open-air rink at Zuoz, Switzerland, ranks among the most exquisite in the world, with panoramic views on all sides of the idyllic grandeur of the Swiss Alps.

It is here that the men’s blues hold their annual pre-Varsity training week and tournament. 

This tradition dates back to 1923, when the blues first ventured to Zuoz, not far from St. Moritz, where the first Varsity match was played in 1885. Cambridge teams continued to train there until 1939, and rekindled the practice in 2001 thanks to Curt Schmitt. Dr. Schmitt played for the blues while completing his PhD, and is now the head of admissions at the elite Swiss boarding school Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz (LAZ), which hosts the light blues. 

Astounding scenery aside, the Zuoz experience is not for the faint of heart. This week-long immersion in the sport features three on-ice sessions a day which, at high altitude, only enhances the training. 

The camp begins with developing individual skills such as skating, passing and shooting, and advances to cover positioning and team systems extensively. Naturally, conditioning is an important component of every session. These skills develop complementarily and equip each player with the knowledge to be able to execute, as well as the confidence that his teammates will be in the right place and in sync. 

The week ends with a five-game tournament featuring local teams, which is an opportunity to find effective line combinations and generate on-ice chemistry, as well as to adapt to various game situations. The Swiss style of play is non-physical, but technically excellent and well-coordinated.

This year, the blues had the privilege of being joined by two recent captains of Varsity winning teams: Taylor Burns and Thor Richardson. Their input and play were key instruments in the training effort. The week proved a success, and the light blues won in the consolation final in a shootout against the St. Moritz All Stars, thanks in large part to the skills of goaltender Mike Kang. Outstanding performances were also put in by Cambridge leading scorer Eric Kroshus, assistant captain Ben McDonald, Dave Brassard (scorer of the winning goal in the finals) and defenseman Thomas Grant. 

By the end of the seven long days, the blues had found their chemistry, learned to play more consistent hockey and, just as importantly, drawn closer as a team. This is ahead of the battle against Oxford in the Varsity Match on March 8. Before then, the light blues have an away fixture at Warwick on February 8.

Tickets for the Varsity match will be on sale soon – details will be posted on the club’s Facebook page.