Text: Lucie KrůčkováPhoto: Ilja Hubálek
A former NHL player, a hockey expert and commentator, but also an employee of the Slovak police force, let us take a look into his life and his wardrobe. He defies the stereotypes we hold about hockey players. Although he himself had a rather clear idea of what life should look like, a change always came that shifted him in a slightly different direction. And it is just as well. Otherwise, the world would be missing a sharp hockey commentator, and the Slovak hockey hopefuls would be missing an expert with rich experience.
We met in Bratislava, where part of his work is concentrated. He assists with the under-fifteen hockey national team, commentates on hockey matches, and works under the Sports Centre of the Slovak Police, which encompasses many Slovak sports representatives. And between his meetings we chatted about hockey, his relationship with fashion, and his new life.
Catching Boris is no easy matter; he is perpetually on the move and endeavours to reconcile all his activities. He is often on the road and, as an athlete, he loves comfort. But he also very much enjoys looking smart. "A bomber jacket in place of a suit jacket is love at first sight. It is not a classic suit. Yet it is chic enough for a business meeting. The best part was the slightly raised eyebrow when I arrived," he smiles slyly as he recalls his last meeting.
We began early in the morning and the mercury of the thermometer stubbornly refused to rise from zero. Bratislava Castle gradually emerged from the mist, and the great city was beginning to come to life.
From athlete to police officer, from one day to the next
Until his thirties, Boris Valábik was to be seen chiefly on the ice. He played in the NHL and also in Europe. Yet a string of injuries and the feeling that it was time to move on led him to end his career as a hockey player. You may well be thinking it was time to enjoy leisure and the money earned. But Boris cannot sit with his arms folded. He had always been drawn to service with the police, so in the following months he immediately enrolled at the police academy.
He wished to forget hockey, at least for a while. "But things often turn out differently from what we expect," as he himself puts it. And so he returned to hockey. Only this time as a commentator. He was approached by Palo Gašpar from RTVS, who offered him the chance to collaborate on commentating the Slovak league. A gauntlet thrown down that is simply not to be refused. He made use not only of his hockey knowledge, but above all of the fact that he knows how a player feels on the ice and what he is thinking. And so, alongside his work with the police, he began to commentate and, by something of a detour, returned to hockey.
As with everything else, Boris wishes to give his very best in commentating hockey too. And part of that is a new commentator's uniform — a chic suit, or at least a jacket and elegant trousers. "That feeling of freedom of movement, even when you are wearing a suit, is fascinating." What you will no longer see on screen, however, are sneakers. The athlete simply cannot be denied.
"Of course, part of my work also includes entirely official occasions, and there I do not wear sneakers," he says with a smile. The ideal option is a formal suit, a white shirt and leather Oxford shoes, and Boris adds: "I like it when clothes fit perfectly, like this suit. With my height and figure, I have, unfortunately, not been able to enjoy that all too often. It is a good thing that brands such as Blažek exist, where I can go for elegant clothing."
The Ice Hockey World Championship with a microphone and work with youth
In the role of hockey commentator Boris has found himself. And so when the Slovak Republic hosted the World Championship, he became part of it. No longer as a player, but in the position of a hockey expert. There he was noticed by Miro Šatan, the manager of the Slovak national hockey team, who asked him to help with the young hockey talents under fifteen years of age.
"I try to pass on to them the things I learned in America. If they begin now, it is not too late. They will just be getting into it by the time they go to the draft at eighteen." For meetings with the young hockey players, formal attire is no longer called for. "You know, when I go to see the lads, I am like someone walking a fine line. I mustn't be too much of a mate, nor the strict Mr Hockey Player who was in the USA. I can't turn up in a tracksuit, but I also don't want to be the director in a suit. It needs balance on every front."
The time has come to enjoy life
"Many of the things a hockey player sacrifices to the sport can no longer be brought back." And Boris knows what he is speaking of. During his sporting career there was no time for private life and, sadly, not even for his father, whom he lost early. That is also why he realises that free time is precious and must be made the most of. He devotes himself to his girlfriend. He enjoys the small pleasures, such as dinners, sprucing up the house, or free weekends.
When he can switch off completely, he most likes to head out of the city. But often he is glad simply to have a free afternoon. When it comes to leisurewear, there is an interesting combination of chic yet comfortable cuts and luxurious natural materials. "I had quite enough of synthetic materials during my sporting career. Now I seek out clothing made of natural materials. And sometimes it almost astonishes me that they have the same, if not better, qualities than those functional sports fabrics. Except that they look better and I feel wonderful in them."
Planning he now leaves to others
Even though it is clear that Boris does think about the future, he does not make plans. He knows that life is change. At least for him it is so. With his new career he is thoroughly content. Life has brought him back to hockey. And perhaps that is how it was meant to be.
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