Why did I create gotmyteam?

April 2014, Lyon, France.

After discussions with my family and the club management, I realized that I would not be a player of the Lyon Hockey Club, playing in Ligue Magnus, next season.

I took a step back and accepted that a beautiful chapter of my life was coming to an end. Quickly, the question arised: "And now, what do I do?"

I had to find a new challenge, a club where I could have play time, progress and be well supervised. I contacted several French second division clubs, negotiations were advancing, some dragged on, other clubs did not respond. Doubt began to settle, questions flock, but I continued to prepare, to move forward. Then, a revelation crossed my mind: "But they also play hockey in Sweden!"

From that moment, I concentrated all my efforts to talk to Swedish players or players that evolved in Sweden with whom I shared the locker room. Many of them told me that the contacts they had were elite clubs, and that they would not be interested in a French player with a very short game time in Ligue Magnus. I handled this new disappointment as best as I could, then decided to take the bull by the horns.

Determined, I embarked on the crazy project of sending 204 emails, with the same subject "Try-outs" to different Swedish clubs. I attached a CV and a cover letter to increase my chances. My qualities resided more in my desire to succeed than in my raw talent. I only asked for a chance, to prove that I wanted it, that I was hungry, hungry to play ice hockey.

The result: 5 answers. only 1 positive, a club in the region of Malm?, southern Sweden.

"Dad, I'm going to Sweden next Thursday, I got my flights tickets and I have some pennies on the side". Friday, July 31, 2015, Lyon, France,

Well, my father was only half surprised when I told him the news. He already knew my desire to go abroad. His concern was more regarding my (un)knowledge of Swedish. For me it was clear, what was the worst thing that could happen to me, that I would not find a team? I would survive that!

Departure from Geneva to Copenhagen, the unknown.

With a very basic English and a non-existent Swedish, I could not wait to get to it and see how the Scandinavians play hockey. I’d heard they were pretty good.

On the plane, I was impatient and excited, without worries but of course questions where I would sleep and how I would get around.

The club in the Malm? region welcomed me with open arms but... as a center! Being a defender for some years and not the best skater in history, I stayed positive and decided to give it my best. The coach came to see me at the end of the first game and, to my surprise, offered me to stay.

I was much happier than I look in this photo.

The contract was not the most flamboyant, a very cheap rent, equipment and a helping hand to find me a job. But that was enough for me to start.

Despite this proposal, I tried my luck in two Stockholm clubs, with less success. The level was higher and the competition harsher than in the south of Sweden.

However, reconnecting with training and contact with the ice gave me the pleasure of playing.

The coaches took the time to talk to me, correct me and stay a little longer with me to work. They felt my desire to learn.

August 21, 2016, Stockholm.

I got a call from an unknown number telling me that Norrt?lje IK were looking for players and would be interested in giving me a try. 

In a few weeks I got a spot on the team thanks to an attitude that had pleased the staff.

When they announced that I made the team, for a moment, I was the happiest human being on Earth.

I entered my new home, I sat on my couch and I thought back on my journey since leaving the Lyon Hockey Club. "What a pain !". I struggled to find a new club, certainly I didn’t have the level of PK Subban but still a level sufficient to obtain a status of a semi-professional player somewhere in Europe.

I knew I was not the only one who wanted to change teams, countries and hockey culture.

Thus was the idea of gotmyteam born whose goal will be to facilitate the connection between players, clubs and agents.

Many players, much more talented than me, could find better opportunities but do not want to spend three weeks sleeping in hostels, sending hundreds of emails, buying a plane ticket on a whim and counting every expense, in order to find a club abroad.

What we want today is to help players in the hockey world:

• Players / coaches looking for a new club, gotmyteam gives you visibility on the vacancies in the different teams of the world.
• Clubs looking for new players, gotmyteam allows you to find your next recruit by discovering the contact of any players or the agent representing him.
• Agents wishing to expand their network, gotmyteam allows you to have a global view of the market and to highlight your players in search of new opportunities.

The vision of gotmyteam is to make the search for opportunities in ice hockey simple and effective.

You can find and follow us here (facebook), here (twitter) and here (instagram).

New adventures are coming...