WELCOME HOME: Patrik Janáč

Interview new import players: by our home reporter

Often our current players from our premier league team are already fairly well known. But this season we have also welcomed international new players. Men who sometimes move to the Netherlands with spouse, family or household (pets) and give everything for our beautiful ice hockey club. We face-off with one of our stars: Patrik Janáč. 

Can you tell us more about yourself? Who are you and where are you from?

"My name is Patrik Janáč and I am from West Slovakia. I live in a small town called Skalica which is close to Czech border and close to Austria. I am ice hockey player who is very interested in healthy lifestyle and sports which is also proven by my study in Nutrition and Regenaration. In my free time I like to read books and I love spending time with my wife and our son. Who are both my biggest support for all of my decisions. Also when we are in Slovakia, I like to go for a walk with our dog (golden retriever) and work on our old house. After hockey season I usually play ball hockey Slovakia league. Which I love because I can play there with my two older brothers and it keeps me in condition."

I love spending time with my wife and our son. They are both my biggest support in al my decisions.

How did you grow up?
"Back in my childhood our home was full of men, my mum has always something to do with us. I have two older brothers and we all played hockey, so stiches, broken hands was almost a normal day for her. My father is police man, and my mum is therapist for the older people. Our weekends were all about the hockey, we are 4 years apart each, so our parents were sitting the whole weekend on ours games. I had the best childhood I can imagine. We played a lot of sports together with my brothers and had a lot of fun, also now when we meet as well with all of ours kids. We have full livingroom or backyard and we are usually playing cards, table games or some sport outside and making jokes."

Can you tell us more about your family and the town you are raised? 
I was born in Skalica, it is really nice town right next to the Czech boarder, so for people from center Slovakia are making jokes on us that we are Czech people and on the other hand Czech people always know that we are from Slovakia. So you can image that how is that like while we have our own language what we can little bit compare with diference between British and American English."

Patrik inbetween his big brothers/Patrik tussen zijn grote broers in.

How did you get introduced to icehockey?
My brothers already played hockey so they introduced me, I started when I was 4 years old, but when my parents are talking about, it was probably just fun. My father always tells one story when he was with me on the practices. If I was feeling the ice and if it was in right condition. And if I could skate on it.  Also he said that when we had a first practises he and one parent of my friend were laughing on us becuase we two wanted to be first all the time. We were tripping, batteling and skating to be first one all the time."

Patrik with his brothers playing ball hockey at the rink with their big cup./ Patrik met zijn broers toen ze een prijs hadden gewonnen met straathockey.
Where have you played in the past?
"Most of the time I played in my hometown Skalica. In my junior age I played one year in North America in State Kansas in Wichita. After that I decided to come back to my hometown and finish my high school and after that I became a professional hockey player. Where I had a very successful season in our second highest league in Slovakia. Then I got an offer to move to the highest league in Slovakia. Despite all my efforts and humbleness, it did not go according to my expectations. But in spite of some disappointments, I also gained a lot of valuable experience there. Such as that I could play against teams from the Czech top league. After that season I moved to the west of Europe to Bavaria whhere I developed a passion for hockey and started to enjoying it again. After the season in Bavaria, someone asked me if I would still fight for my career and if I would like to play in a higher league in Germany. I agreed but in that season Covid came and stopt everything. We had to move back to our hometown when I started play again. During Covid nobody knew what was going on. So I decided to study in Masaryk University and I played for my hometown. And after I succesfully finished my studies, I came here!"

What international clubs have you played at and at what level?
Wichita Jr. Thunder – WSHL
EV Bad Worishofen – Germany5
Schonheider Wolfe - Germany4

Although I had many offers for the new season, I knew that I would choose the OG Capitals.

How did you get in touch with OG Capitals Leeuwarden?
"I was in contact with Rastislav Vereš ( we used to play together in Skalica). Who already played for the OG Capitals. So he started little bit to give me some pressure and one agent also gave me a tip and said that OG Capitals started looking for new players for this season. Then we had meeting call with the OG Capitals board and although I had many offers for the new season, I knew that I would choose the OG Capitals."

With who did you make the trip to the Netherlands? 
"However my wife and son -believe it or no- did not travel with me to Leeuwarden. I just ravelled alone by myself by car. In a really full car of all things, clothes, toys etc. And of course hockey equipment. My wife and son flew the next day to the Amsterdam airport where I picked them up. My son (Eliott), will be soon 4 years old. He is happy child, who loves hockey and every sports. He loves to be around the hockey stadium and really enjoy other people’s attention. You can spot him on the bike (he bikes from 2 years old) in the city as well as on the rolling skates. He is fast learner and now he needs to learn Dutch, so anytime you will meet him, feel free to speak Dutch to him. My wife (Kristína), is already working in Leeuwarden at Bureau Schmidt and she loves to live abroad. She is very intelligent woman and the most beautiful in my eyes. She also likes reading books in her free time and she loves traveling. Her hobby is doing some creative crafts and does yoga and also she is a real pet lover."

What is your goal this season?
"I am little careful for these questions. I would like to keep this answers for myself. But if I should say something at least, I have to say that I want to play as long as possible and make the OG Capitals fans happy for the game and bring them more to the icehockey rink."

What is your goal for the future? Where do you see yourself?
"Hockey life taught me that you can’t plan the future. Not even one thing about it. But I have to admit that I am big dreamer (sometimes really big) but when me and my family will be happy here and of course the club will be happy with me, Leeuwarden is part of my image of the future." 

Do you have a advice for our youth players?
"I will be short with this one. Work hard and have fun!"

 

Patrik, thank you for your comprehensive, open and honest answers. How lucky we are to get to know you, and the rest of your family better. We are glad you are one of the OG Capitals Leeuwarden family. Again, welcome to our club and we will try to speak as much Dutch with your son as possible.