Singapore (from our correspondent) – Before last season, she headed to the Endre team on the island of Gotland, which lies between Sweden and Lithuania, via Chur, Switzerland. “I’m living my floorball dream there,” she said in Singapore after the practice of the Czech national team.
Is this how you have dreamed of your career so far?
That’s right, it’s step by step. It’s good that I didn’t take a big step straight to the Swedish league, because it would have been difficult to win a position. I had a nice trip through Switzerland, again I got to know a new culture, friends. I came for the floorball dream, the ideal scenario for me.
Even so, it was probably a big jump from Switzerland to the best floorball league in the world.
Huge. I didn’t expect it to be so big myself. I fight for a position in the team with every training session, I think I have already built it decently, because I am currently working in the first line with my Swiss teammate. But it was hard, every training session is extremely demanding. Now we lost the last match before the championship against the eleventh team, we were in third place – and suddenly I’m seventh. The differences are minimal, that’s what I really like about the competition, that it’s so balanced, that’s why the Swedes are where they are. The more players from the Czech Republic go there, the better for the national team.
How is life on Gotland? Weren’t you afraid that you wouldn’t be isolated there?
People often ask me this. It is said that it is an island, but you still function some 30 kilometers away even at home. I grew up in Kladno, I also made do with school, home and training, it’s the same here. Of course, if you want to get to Stockholm, for example, it’s four hours by ferry, but there’s no time for that anyway. I don’t complain, I enjoy it and I don’t care if I live on an island or on the mainland. I have perfect conditions there, they take good care of me, I can’t complain.
Have you managed to drive through all of Gotland yet?
I had my parents there last winter, but it snowed and I didn’t dare drive the car in that calamity. This year they arrived in the summer, which was more pleasant and we had a nice ride. It is an advantage that not many people live there, so the beaches are quite empty. The island is specific, with beautiful nature.
How do you get to the matches?
It depends on financial possibilities. Last year we flew more, now it’s more ferry and bus. Depending on where we play, the journeys will take from four to ten hours. Of course, flying is more comfortable, but I don’t envy our captain, she has a terrible fear of flying and is always crying. She’s the reason why I’m glad we take the ferry, because I can’t watch it at all. (smile)
Are you able to work in Sweden alongside floorball?
I go to McDonald’s for about three hours a day. I told myself about it, I wouldn’t want to wait for days at home for training sessions. Sometimes I go to the gym, but I’m glad I can do something there. All the girls work, the days would be awfully long, that’s how I like it.
Even on your Instagram, it is clear that you have already penetrated the difficult Swedish language.
I try to have some comfort even in the team, I’m the only one there who doesn’t speak Swedish. Especially the first year, it was unpleasant not understanding what was said, where to go… The second year is much better, I attend Swedish courses for immigrants, which are free, the work and the team are accommodating. Swedish is a difficult language, but still better than broken Swiss. (Laughs)
You also have a family assigned to you by the team, how does that work?
It’s not like she’s providing a home for me, I have my own apartment. But every non-island player, which is all but two, has a family. And I’ve got totally awesome parents in quotes, they invite me to dinners, take me on trips and support me at games, which is great.
2023-12-07 17:43:56
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