Carolina Thunderbirds international players doing their best to get home (2024)

With a large number of international hockey players on the Carolina Thunderbirds, there’s plenty to worry about for Coach Andre Niec as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to alter lives.

When it became a reality that the Federal Prospects Hockey League’s season was canceled with 11 games to go, the Thunderbirds went into scramble mode. While most of the U.S.-born players on the roster have gone home or are staying in Winston-Salem, the 12 international players are trying to figure out their next move.

“We want to make sure they are safe,” Niec said.

Niec and fiancé Karolina Huvarova, the team's fitness director and sometimes an assistant coach, are making sure that the players continue to have a place to live and have groceries, and they've been in contact with player families in the Czech Republic. While players just received paychecks from the Thunderbirds, any more of those are unclear since the season is officially over.

Niec says he will not leave Winston-Salem to go back home to the Czech Republic until every one of his players is settled. Meanwhile, he has been in constant contact with his parents, a 79-year-old father and 68-year-old mother, who live in Ostrava, home to about 500,000 people.

“I talked to my family back home, and hospitals don’t have supplies and they are shorthanded on masks,” Niec said. “Everybody is trying to sell those masks to make money off this, and that’s not correct. People should be helping each other. ...

“The biggest problem in Europe right now is that all the government has shut down and there is a travel ban,” Niec said. “You are not supposed to leave your house for at least 14 days. My parents are home and they have enough groceries right now. They can go to the store when they run out, but only one of them can go.”

The average weekly salary of a league player is about $150, which is why several Thunderbirds have part-time jobs. Most of those jobs are in the restaurant sector, but because restaurants can only serve to-go meals Niec wasn’t sure if those players would be able to hang onto those jobs.

Among the players Niec said are trying to go to the Czech Republic are Michael Marcinek, Daniel Klinecky, Stanislav Bachor, Jan Krivohlavek, Jan Salak, Petr Panacek and Jiri Pargac. Two other players, Stanislav Vlasov and Viktor Grebennikov, are from Russia.

Christian Pavlas, a popular player with the Thunderbirds last season, recently signed with the team and arrived in Winston-Salem last week. He's also trying to get home.

“Patches just got here, and he said it’s very bad at home,” Niec said.

Niec said that Salak and Panacek have a chance to stay put in Winston-Salem and might continue to live here through the summer.

Pargac, 26, says he’s having trouble booking a flight because of the travel ban.

“We haven’t had much luck with flights right now because everything is in limbo for the most part,” said Pargac, who is trying to get to his home in Pribor, which has around 8,500 people living there.

Niec and Pargac have also been looking into a military plane that could take them all home.

“They are saying that if we have 150 people from the Czech Republic we may get a military plane to fly us home, but right now we are all just waiting,” Niec said.

Pargac said they would all need to get to San Diego, Chicago or Newark airports if a military flight could be arranged.

“We are all doing OK and getting by but we know this might be a long process,” Pargac said.

Thunderbirds fans on social media have expressed interest in helping players get home, and some season-ticket holders have their playoff ticket money to the players.

“The fans have been great and have asked us how they can help,” Pargac said. “Some of the fans have even told us if we get kicked out of our apartments we can go live with them.”

The owners of Little Italy Pizza in Rural Hall are also helping. Salak and Panacek have grown especially close to owners Domenico Borredon and his wife, Margherita Looz, and their two small children, Giuseppe and Desiree. Salak and Panacek have worked part-time at Little Italy since the team was founded three years ago.

“It’s a tough situation for everybody right now,” Borredon said. “People are losing their jobs in our business because we don’t have the dining room open and we have just the takeout option. ...

“The whole team has a bunch of good guys and it’s hard on them because they can’t travel home."

Niec has appreciated the fan support since the season was canceled.

“They have helped to get us groceries, and I have bought groceries for the players to make sure they have enough," Niec said. "And our owners are making sure they have places to live for now, and the guys just got a paycheck so that was good….We just have to figure out how we are all going to get home safely.”

Niec and the players, who were in first place in trying to defend their league title, are hoping that there is a 2020-21 season.

“I would have to consider coming back,” Niec said. “I’m a little upset with the last game and how that all unfolded. Getting suspended for such a long time wasn’t how I wanted it to end. Of course, we didn’t know that would be our last game.

"If you look at what we’ve done here at Carolina winning over 100 games in three years and winning the championship, I think I’m doing something good here as the coach. My work is not done yet so maybe I’ll be back next season and we can go for another championship.”