Forward-Morges HC
Swiss club with a history of professional play and junior development.
Forward-Morges HC is an ice hockey club based in Morges, Switzerland. The team now competes in amateur men’s hockey and is best known for its strong women’s and junior development programs. The club once played professionally in the National League B, the second tier of Swiss hockey, but withdrew from that league during the 2005–06 season because of financial troubles.
The club was officially founded on 3 March 1956 as HC Chigny-Vufflens, with all 18 founding members approving the association’s statutes. Without a home rink, the team initially trained on ponds or at the Cheseaux ice rink in Saint-Cergue. Their first official game came in 1957 in the 3rd league (the fifth division), a 6–9 loss. In 1961, a committee began planning an ice rink in Morges. That rink, Patinoire des Eaux-Minérales, opened in December 1962, and the club was renamed Forward Hockey Club that same year. During the 1962–63 season, Forward HC won promotion from the third division by beating La Chaux-de-Fonds III in a relegation playoff. The following season they moved up to the first division. In 1970, the club reached the National League B, where they stayed until relegation in 1978.
Rising costs for the ice rink forced the club to act in the late 1970s, and the city of Morges eventually took ownership of the facility. In April 1984, the municipal council approved a loan of CHF 240,000 to study a new rink. The project began in 1990, and the new rink officially opened on 26 September 1992. The club played its first home game there on 8 January 1993 against second-division St. Croix, losing 3–7. In 2004, Forward-Morges returned to the National League B for the second time, playing the 2004–05 and 2005–06 seasons before withdrawing on 8 December 2005 due to financial problems.
After dissolving their first team, Forward-Morges continued through their second team, which played in the fourth-level Swiss 2. Liga. That team earned promotion to the 1. Liga following the 2010–11 season. In 2016, the club merged its professional men’s team with Star Lausanne to form Star Forward. Star Forward was included in the newly created third-tier MySports League for the 2017–18 season, played two seasons there, and was relegated back to the Swiss Regio Leagues in 2019. The club changed its name back to Forward-Morges HC in 2022.
Quick Facts
- Team
- Forward-Morges HC
- Text Color
- #000000
- City
- Morges, Switzerland
- Founded
- 1956
- Operated
- 1956–Present
- Arena
- Patinoire des Eaux-Minérales / (capacity 2,400)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The club was officially founded on 3 March 1956 under the name HC Chigny-Vufflens, with 18 founding members approving the statutes. Initially lacking an ice rink, members trained on ponds or at the Cheseaux rink in Saint-Cergue. The club played its first official game in 1957 in the 3rd league, losing 6–9. In 1961, plans for an ice rink in Morges began, and the rink was realized as Patinoire des Eaux-Minérales; that same year the club was renamed Forward Hockey Club. The rink opened in December 1962. Forward HC rose through the divisions, reaching the National League B in 1970, where they played until relegation in 1978.
Rising costs of the ice rink led the city of Morges to become its owner in the late 1970s. A new rink project was approved in 1984 and opened on 26 September 1992. The club returned to the National League B in 2004, playing the 2004–05 and 2005–06 seasons, but withdrew on December 8, 2005 due to financial problems. After dissolving their first team, Forward-Morges continued with their second team in the Swiss 2. Liga, earning promotion to the 1. Liga after the 2010–11 season. In 2016, the club merged its professional men's team with Star Lausanne to form Star Forward, which played in the MySports League from 2017–18 until relegation in 2019. The team changed its name back to Forward-Morges HC in 2022.
Reader's Guide
Forward-Morges HC is significant as a club that experienced both professional play and financial collapse, yet persisted through its junior and women's programs. The article highlights its rise from a pond-training club to the National League B in 1970, its financial struggles leading to city ownership of the rink, and its brief return to the NLB in the mid-2000s before withdrawal. The club's legacy is tied to its resilience: after dissolving its first team, it continued through its second team and later merged with Star Lausanne to form Star Forward, competing in the MySports League. The reversion to the original name in 2022 underscores a return to roots. The club's notable alumni include Olivier Anken, Tomáš Kucharčík, Martin Gélinas, John Fust, and Sébastien Reuille, indicating a history of producing or attracting recognized players. Its current focus on amateur men's hockey and strong women's and junior development reflects a shift from professional ambitions to community-based growth.
Did You Know?
- The club was originally founded as HC Chigny-Vufflens on 3 March 1956.
- Forward-Morges HC withdrew from the National League B on December 8, 2005 due to financial problems.
- The club's first team merged with Star Lausanne in 2016 to form Star Forward.
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