Roland Eriksson

Roland Eriksson is remembered as one of Sweden's heroes at the 1977 World Championship in ViennaArticle in SportbladetRead the sourceArticle in SportbladetRead the sourceArticle in HockeysverigeRead the sourceArticle in SportbladetRead the sourceClose, where he scored all 3 goals in a Swedish victory against the Soviet Union. Roland Eriksson grew up in Stora Tuna playing bandyBandy is a team sport played on skates with sticks and a ball on a large ice field.Article in HockeysverigeRead the sourceClose and also tried football there before choosing hockey, he recalled in an interview with Hockeysverige published in 2023. His formative club was IF TunabroArticle in HockeysverigeRead the sourceClose, where Håkan Carlsson took him along to a selection session.

Childhood friend Ivan HansenArticle in Leksands IFRead the sourceClose also recalled life away from hockey in an article published by Leksands IF in 2011. He said that he and Eriksson had attended Gylleskolan together from the age of 7, alongside other hockey friendsArticle in Leksands IFRead the sourceClose. Hansen also remembered Eriksson as a skilful minigolf player in Stora TunaArticle in Leksands IFRead the sourceClose.

When ErikssonArticle in HockeysverigeRead the sourceClose chose Leksand, both its proximity and his childhood support for the club influenced the decision, according to his recollections in Hockeysverige in 2023. In the same interview, he described Pära KarlströmArticle in HockeysverigeRead the sourceClose as perhaps the best coach he had played for. He also said that playing alongside Hans JaxArticle in HockeysverigeRead the sourceClose gave him confidence.

Eriksson also worked in hockey as a coach: in the interview published in 2023Article in HockeysverigeRead the sourceClose, he recalled earlier roles as head coach at Troja and assistant coach at Västerås. In summer 2011, Sportmagasinet DalarnaArticle in Sportmagasinet DalarnaRead the sourceClose reported that he was office manager at VIK Västerås Ungdom.