People
Hockey fever
Matteo Tedoldi is a professional under-17 ice hockey player – as well as training as a mail carrier. He is looking forward to the Winter Olympics in Lausanne.
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Matteo was six years old when he first donned helmet, pads, and hockey stick to chase a puck across the ice. He was gripped with hockey fever immediately. “I've wanted to be a professional ever since I was a little kid”, says the lad from Ticino. Now, ten years later, he’s well on his way. He is in the under-17 team of the Ambri-Piotta Hockey ClubTarget not accessible and a possible pick for the Swiss Olympic team.
He trains four times a week, travelling for about an hour from Sorengo to Ambri to do so. He plays in one or two games at the weekend. But hockey is what he does in his free time - the rest of the time, he delivers letters and packages. Matteo Tedoldi from Sorengo, is in his second year of training for his Swiss proficiency certificate (EFZ) in distribution logistics (delivery). The 16-year-old drives his scooter through the streets of Lugano early in the morning, delivering letters and packages with vim and vigour. He obviously has no problem combining hockey and his job. “It’s tough, yes, but I enjoy them both. That’s why it works”, explains the native of Ticino. His job is also a childhood dream. “As a little boy, when I saw the postman on his yellow moped, I thought: that’s cool, that’s what I want to do one day.”
Playing through winter
His training is adapted to his sporting requirements – while he continues to work full time, he does not have to do his rounds on days when he has competitions. He also works during holidays so that he can take longer breaks for his sporting commitments.
He would love to be on the ice hockey team at the Youth Olympics in January. Unfortunately, he did not make the cut – competition between the young players is fierce. But: “I’m sure I’ll go and watch some of the games”, says Matteo Tedoldi.
Lausanne in Olympic fever
From 9 to 22 January 2020, Lausanne will welcome almost 2,000 athletes from 70 nations competing in 16 disciplines. All the competitors will be between 15 and 18 years old. And Swiss Post will be marking the occasion with a special stamp. To mark the occasion, the sheet of stamps will reflect the Olympic ideals of excellence, respect, friendship and Swissness.
