Latest update — Sep 29, 2026
65+ players, parents & coaches

The Sweden 2026 Expedition Crew

"These aren't really 'jobs.' They're areas of responsibility where one person takes ownership and helps the rest of us have a great trip." — Steve Jecha. Every area below has a named owner — that's who to ask.

Two roles are still open: The Bus Boss (Transportation) and The Dinner Director (Parents Night). If you'd like to take one on, reach out using the contact info at the bottom of this page.

The Fixer

Karl Ulfers

Trip Logistics. Steve's right-hand for schedules, meeting locations, reservations, and the surprises that come with moving 65+ people around Sweden.

The Money Man/Woman

Jennifer Desrude

Trip "CFO." Tracks group expenses and reimbursements — especially after Parents Night and arena buffet-cafe days.

The Hockey/Bandy Boss

Mike Seebinger

Hockey Operations. Liaises with the Tillberga Bandy Club and VIK on practice times and getting kids to the right place, right time.

The Bus Boss OPEN

Volunteer needed

Transportation. Tracks bus pickup/drop-off locations and departure times.

Mission Control

Nicole King

Communications. Manages the GroupMe app and sends the updates that matter.

Boys' Home Base

Emily Groebner

Boys' Homestays. Coordinates with the Swedish host-family coordinator and answers homestay questions.

Girls' Home Base

Erin Gurda & Jessica Thueringer

Girls' Homestays. Same mission for the girls — organized host-family communication.

The Player Whisperer

Kelly Pezzella

Player & Parent Liaison. First point of contact for player or parent questions and concerns.

The Key Masters

Erin Eggenberger

Hotel Hospitality. Distributes room keys, points everyone the right direction on arrival, handles hotel charges before checkout.

The Gear & Gratitude Guru

Gretchen Spear & Kathy Erick

Equipment & Host Gifts. Distributes teamwear at the pre-trip meeting and curates host-family thank-you gifts.

The Fire Run Commander

Shane Peterson — shanep8000@gmail.com

Skultuna Fire Night Run. Registers our teams and coordinates with race organizers.

The Dinner Director OPEN

Volunteer needed

Parents Night. Coordinates meal selection and headcount with the restaurant.

The Memory Maker

Nell Aldrich

Trip Photographer & Photo Hub. Captures the trip and runs the shared group photo album — see Photo Hub.

Homestays

Staying with a Swedish family

One weekend during our Västerås stay, players (not parents) stay with a Swedish host family — a highlight of the trip and a chance to experience Swedish life firsthand.

A thoughtful small gift for your host family goes a long way — tack så mycket (thank you very much). The Gear & Gratitude Guru curates suggestions closer to the trip.
Parents' evening: While players are with their host families, parents are invited to Parents Night Out — dinner at Djäknabergets, overlooking the Västerås Cathedral, ~$80/person (alcohol extra).
Djäknebergsgatan 10, 724 61 Västerås, Sweden (no official website published)
Get in touch

Contact

Steve Jecha, Trip Leader

steve@jecha.com · 612-619-0247