| The
telephone line was filled with static and crackling noises, but the voice was still easily
identifiable. It was Dennis Sobchuk, the Cincinnati Stingers' center, calling from Prague,
Czechoslovakia. Sobchuk and the Stingers are training in the Communist country for two
weeks and while Soby isn't exactly overwhelmed with Prague, he sees some positive aspects
of the visit. "It's an experience," Sobchuk said "We're somewhat restricted
in where we can go and what we can do, but we knew that before we got here." There is no night life in Prague, which isn't surprising in an Iron Curtain
country, but as Sobchuk pointed out the team can't go out at night so it doesn;t make much
difference. "I've been in downtown Prague once so far," he said, explaining that
the hotel where the team says is a 20 minute drive from the center of town but only a 10
minute walk from the rink where the Stingers practice twice a day. "It's rather drab
and most of the buildings are old," Sobchuk said as he continued the travelogue.
"I saw all these buildings with scaffolding on them and found out they were being
repaired after they were damaged during the revolt in 1967."
Apparently the Czechs don't want anyone to see the restoration,
because Sobchuk remarked he never noticed any work being done during the day and finally
learned that the workers climbed the scaffolds at night. Sobchuk is from the tiny Canadian
town of Lang, Sask., and it struck him as unique that "there's no difference in class
here. Everyone seems to be the same. There are only a few cars and they're all little
ones. You don't see the prestige of a big car like you have in the states. Hardly anyone
over here speaks English," Sobchuk continued adding with a chuckle, 'We're lucky if
we order a beer and get it. You don't realize how good you have it in America."
The food, fortunately is another matter. Stingers player personnel
director Jerry Rafter, who had been in Prague before, sent a list of the foods commonly
consumed by the hockey players and Sobchuk said the hotel has taken good care of the
Stingers. "The food has been pretty good," he said. "We don't drink the
water, but they have Cokes and beer so it isn't bad." The Stingers are in
Czechoslovakia to train and play exhibition games against the Czech and Russian national
teams. It isn't a sight seeing tour, and Sobchuk feels the camp is going well. 'We're
further ahead that we have been in the last two years." the hard skating center said.
"We're learning the system (of new coach Jacques Demers) and we're becoming much
closer as a team. We have to stick together and that's a good thing with so many new faces
on the team."
Demers has the Stingers working out twice a day in what Sobchuk
describes as "short, hard practices" to round the players into shape. They'll
need all the conditioning they can get because they meet the Russians in the first of four
exhibition games tonight. Stingers captain Rick Dudley sustained a slight groin pull in
practice but will play against the Russians. Winger Blaine Stoughton who suffered a large
cut on his left arm in an accident at his home just before the Stingers left the country,
will have stitches removed Sunday and should be able to play in games against Russia on
Monday and Czechoslovakia Tuesday.
Stinger publicity director John Hewig mentioned that the Czechs were
filming all of the Stinger practice sessions. The Czechs never miss a chance to pick up a
few tips from the West. |
