Hornak returns to Tigers
Top import Marek Hornak has agreed to return to Telford Tigers for the coming season.
Hornak, who stepped away from the team last Christmas to concentrate on his university studies, has confirmed he is able to commit once more to the team.
“I had a couple of discussions with Tom Watkins and took some time to think, to look at my schedule and come to a decision,” said the 28-year-old Slovak.
“I finished my HNC and took a couple of additional modules. Now I can study part time instead of two or three times a week like last year. So we agreed terms and I can fit in my studies and hockey. I don’t see a problem with this.
“Since I finished playing last year I have been very busy with work and studies, so I didn’t have a lot of time to think about hockey, but I did constantly keep an eye on the internet for news on games. I am looking forward to getting back on the team because it was not so good looking at the results and not being there.
“This year we are starting fresh,” added Hornak. “I am pleased to see the players Tom has re-signed from last year and the new guys look promising. Last year, a lot of our team were in their first season of EPL hockey. It took time for them to get used to the league and they have shown great improvements.
“I have worked hard to stay fit since Christmas, and now I am really impatient for the pre-season to get under way.”
Tigers’ player-coach Tom Watkins is relieved to have secured top goalscorer Hornak’s return. His decision to stop playing last year was a huge blow to the young team, leaving a gaping hole in Tigers’ offensive threat.
“Marek brings significant offensive threat to the team,” said Watkins. “He is local and settled in Telford, and really understands the club and what the supporters’ trust is all about. He works hard and doesn’t like to lose. He may be a quiet person, but he leads by example.
“His signing adds real offensive punch and enables us to create two strong threatening lines, giving us more opportunities to take the lead in games.
“His schedule has changed this year and he is happier to commit to the team. Last year I was disappointed that Marek wasn’t able to make it work for him. He left a huge hole for us to fill. But this is the nature of British hockey; it’s not just us – at any time any team can lose its best player.”
Watkins is also celebrating after being named as Runner-up for the Coach of the Year title in the Telford & Wrekin Active Lifestyles Awards.
“I was very honoured to be nominated,” said Watkins. “Everyone connected with the Telford Tigers supporters’ trust worked incredibly hard in its inaugural season but, as coach, I was competing in the Premier League with a much smaller budget than other teams.
“Despite that, we built a team that did not finish bottom and actually spent time challenging for the top of the league, so it was nice to see what we had been doing was recognised by the wider community.”
More information about Telford Tigers can be found at www.telfordtigers.co.uk
