Motor’s hockey players have started their summer training, a tournament in Switzerland awaits them in August

Before the start of summer training, you completed functional tests in Prague. What were the results?
We don’t have the results yet. They need to be recalculated and we will have them available next week. From what I saw beforehand, there were better and worse tests. The entrance tests are more indicative to see how the guys are doing. At the beginning of summer training, these numbers are extremely important to us.

After the holiday that followed a demanding season, the players should be rather unprepared. It is so?
They must not be completely unprepared (smile). But it is true that we appealed to the boys to rest. However, they are professionals and I don’t think they are just hanging around at home.

How did you rest?
Not much, because I had a lot of other things to worry about. We were still on the phone with sports manager Jirka Novotný. You are constantly watching players, negotiating with them and trying to add to the squad.

Were you looking forward to the start of preparation again, or would you like to take a longer break?
It’s also a bit long at home (smile). That’s just life. I have been interested in hockey for many years and something always starts in May, so I was quite looking forward to it. I have it set up that way.

The biggest reinforcement of the team is the representative striker Ondřej Kovařčík, who is still fighting for participation in the World Championship. Could you describe him briefly?
We had him selected for a long time. He is a great player, which he demonstrates even in the preparation for the World Cup. I am very happy that we managed to get his arrival. It will be a huge boost for us and it will be interesting for him too, because he will play for the first time without his brother. I know roughly what center I will give him, which is quite similar to his brother. Now they meet in the utility room. He will come to a new environment and will definitely get a good opportunity.

PHOTO GALLERY: Jihočech Šimon Hrubec celebrated the Swiss title with his whole family

When you mentioned the center from the national team, how do you like Jáchym Kondelík’s performance in the national team?
I wished all our boys to make it as far as possible with the national team. Unfortunately, Adam Kubík is already on vacation, but I really wish Jáchym to make it to the championship. Moreover, when it is played in Prague.

Do you think he has a chance to make it to the final nomination?
I’d like to, but it’s not up to me to decide. In preparation, the coaches have an unusually large number of players. The truth lies on the ice, and if Jáchym and Ondra Kovařčík convince the coaches, they will be in the team.

In what composition did you meet at the beginning of the preparation? Which staff members were absent from the meeting?
Jáchy Kondelík and Ondra Kovarčík are with the national team, Adam Kubík is on vacation. Unfortunately, Pepa Koláček has health problems, so she won’t be able to start the preparation. They have an individual preparation plan Milan Goulash, Jakub Valský, Milan Doudera and Brant Harris. Only Štěpán Hoch is with us from the junior team. We also wanted Marcel Kříž, whom we had signed last year, but he announced to us after the season that he was quitting hockey. We didn’t take the other juniors because I say quite frankly that they didn’t deserve it.

Do you expect further expansion of the current staff?
Certainly. We expect the arrival of one to two forwards and two to three defenders. We will add to the squad, and if it goes well, it could be a little wider than last year.

A question mark hangs over striker Dominik Simon from last year’s squad. Does it figure in your plans?
He is not currently in the team. But we are in contact with him and we will see.

What will the summer training be like?
It will be standard like last year. We will train at home for two months. Only for the last two weeks we will have to go elsewhere, because the lights here in the hall will be redone. But we have secured other sports grounds around Budějovice. The training camp will take place in Frymburk at the turn of May and June, which is good because it breaks the stereotype a little. The summer training will be similar to last year, only a few things have been added and changed. Last year, we started something and office trainings went on all year. There will be a little more.

In retrospect, can you evaluate if the team was physically well prepared last season?
It seemed like it was, because we didn’t have any extreme fluctuations in the season. The boys stepped up and I think we were well prepared physically. We will continue to do so and we will certainly not underestimate anything, because other teams are also preparing in a similar way.

Representative Ondřej Kovařčík and defender Daniel Bukač are coming to Banes Motor

Will the preparation for the drought last until the end of June?
Yes. Until the end of June. Then the vacation will follow and we will go on the ice for the first time on July 22.

Will duels with foreign opponents spice up your match preparation again?
The preparation was once again perfect. In August, we will go to a tournament in Switzerland, where we will have quality opponents, which will break the stereotype of preparatory matches. I am very happy for that.

Do you already know who you will face in Switzerland?
We should play Zug and Davos. In addition, we managed to organize a tournament at home, in which Kärpät Oulu and Eisbären Berlin should participate. We wanted to play with foreign opponents, either in the form of a tournament there or here. We played in the Champions League in Pilsen, and my colleague Jirka Hanzlík and I knew that when you travel abroad, it makes your preparation more varied and, above all, you play with different opponents than in the extra league all year.

The open secret is confirmed, goalkeeper Milan Klouček will indeed strengthen Banes Motor

Do you already know the date when the extra league starts?
Eighteenth of September. We will direct all preparation towards this day.

In December, you will play against Pilsen in the Winter Hockey Games at Letná in Prague. Even though it’s still a long way off, are you looking forward to it?
The Winter Classic is a great thing and I was lucky enough to experience it in Brno and in Switzerland in St. Moritz, which was a beautiful tournament in a beautiful city. If it’s done well, it can accommodate and build the stands, the facilities are made as far as possible, people come and the weather works out, then it’s a wonderful thing and I’m really looking forward to it.