I live for hockey but it’s important to have a backup plan ****************************************************************************************** * I live for hockey but it’s important to have a backup plan ****************************************************************************************** CU student and Slavia Prague hockey player Jaroslav Brož [ URL "https://hc-slavia.cz/hrac. id=892&sezona=2019"] had never had such a long break: not until the Covid-19 pandemic. As locked down in March, no one knew what would come next. It would be some four months befor his colleagues laced up their skates again. The coronavirus pandemic saw his and other athletes’ regular training put on hold – until safe. The 20-year-old, a junior national squad representative, is one of many who had to a How did you get your start in hockey when you were a kid? When I was five my mum signed me up with Letňany in Prague. I played for them until the fi sixth grade, I began playing for Slavia and have been there ever since. [Editor's note: to the team in the Czech Republic's top hockey league]. Were your parents into sports? My dad played hockey in Letňany as a hobby, but my mum trained competitively. But in a dif not hockey, but bodybuilding. She gives me a lot of advice on weightlifting but truth be t stubborn and I follow my own guidelines now. I do listen to my mum when it comes to nutrit Bodybuilding didn’t grab you? What about other sports? No, I only focused on the one; I did other sports too but only as a supplement – hockey wa for me. A lot of kids at 16 or 17 try to go overseas to play: did you consider the option? I could have gone and I thought about it but decided to stay. I felt I should stay in the have been working on my career and then I’ll see: I’m open to different options. At what point did you realise you could make a living playing hockey? I don’t think I reached that point! (laughs) Ok, of course I play professionally but for m been important to have a backup plan, not to just bet on one thing. I graduated from a bus high school and now completed my first year at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport You chose to focus on the field of physical training and sport. Originally, I wanted sports management but honestly math is not really my strong suit. (la has worked out really well and I am excited and happy about it. I’d like to complete my ba see. You made the roster for several junior squads but did not make it to any big tournaments – Things just didn’t work out. The coaches chose other players. But it was still an amazing each time. Just being in training camp with everyone, getting ready for the World U20 Cham incredible. One thing that is well-known about the sports world is how difficult it is to make the jum juniors to adult hockey. How did you find it? I enjoyed it all the way. It’s a great feeling to be called up by a team you have looked u life. Time-wise, it’s an improvement because practice is usually in the morning hours, so rest of the day to also focus on other responsibilities. In terms of the game, of course i and much more physical but I really enjoyed all the aspects of training against different difference is, here you have fans who buy tickets and really come to see you play. You were used to getting a lot of goals in the junior league – was the same expected of yo team? Not so much the coaches but I expected it of myself. Maybe too much. Did you have to change your game when you came to Slavia? I definitely had to become more defence-minded. I am a bit unhappy I haven’t been able to my hope is that in the new season I’ll have a chance to shine and show that I that I still goals. The hockey season this year was marred by the coronavirus. What was the mood at Slavia whe came? We had to be at home, there was nothing else we could do. We were cut off and had to wait We were all disappointed. How did you stay in shape? When it was clear the season was over, I took a break. Then I started training again. But the options were limited. We received programmes to follow but were given a free hand in w the end of the week, we’d report a summary of how we had trained. During that time, CU was also closed for students. How did you find distance learning? We got study materials by email, exams took place over Skype, and remaining exams were tak lockdown was lifted. Hockey players don’t get a long summer break: you started preparing for the new season in have time even for a vacation or to relax? The quarantine actually provided a bit of that: I was with family and later friends. And I in a great course at the faculty. You did? What was it? It was a hiking class held for five days in nature in the area of Stráž nad Nežárkou. I re There were lots of team games, there was orienteering, singing around a campfire, and a ch of new friends. It showed what the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport is really all a bunch of people, classes in nature, just a lot of fun. (beaming) ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ Jaroslav Brož (20) Hockey forward for Slavia Prague in the Czech hockey league. Wears the number 4 on his jer 18-20. You can find the original interview, in Czech, here [ URL "https://iforum.cuni.cz/IFORUM-1