It has been 34 years since the boy took his first steps on the Čabárna pond and left Hnidous for a large puddle. Another Kladno hockey player Jiří Ticháček (21) would like to follow the same path.
That life itself would freely write a sequel based on the motifs of Jaromír Jágr’s (52) book From Kladno to America, this time about the Knights full-back? Just grab a pen! After all, Ticháček produced 43 points (13 + 30) in 52 games of the regular season of the extra league and won the award for the best defender of the season from Blesk. Just like his boss “Džegr” once upon a time, he could head to the NHL. “I wouldn’t be angry at all if it worked,” Ticháček dreamed.
Working on the farm helped Jard. You could use pitchforks to take offers, right?
“I don’t want to worry about it, I’m sorry. It’s nice to know about the interest, but I’ll leave it up to the agent. If there’s a bomb, he’ll arrange it for me. I still have an option here in Kladno. I know if I keep up the good work, it will come.”
Parents played a crucial role in Jagr’s career. What for you?
“Huge! They supported me from an early age. At the age of 13, they believed in me when they put me in a boarding school after transferring from Sokolov. They tried to give me all the service including food. They drove me around a lot, called to see if I had everything ready for school.”
“Džegr” cried homesickness in his early days in Pittsburgh. How did you handle moving as a child?
“I also think in retrospect that it was thick. We had a bunch of hockey players at the intro, we were always together, we did shit. Time somehow killed. But I didn’t abuse the liberties.’
»Mama Jagr« cooked for her son overseas. Did you miss your favorite food?
“Not so much. But when grandma made duck with potato dumpling, I always looked forward to it.”
You are the best defender in the extra league, but who or what did you fail to defend?
“The Knights’ offer, I could go to the Vars, which would be a logical route from Sokolov.”
What about the media hype? You seem to be more of a quiet type, »nomen omen«.
“I don’t enjoy it much. I rather like my peace. There was a lot going on after visiting Pittsburgh with Jagr. I hope that my actions on the ice will speak for me more.”
He and his friend Jolana display the trophy at home.