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Rafael Springer, artist on the ice
You can find really pure amateurs in countries which play in lower divisions of World Championships. Except students, there play clerks, teachers or doctors. Luxembourg defence Rafael Springer raises over all them, and not only because his person. Furthermore, family of this rare player was based in Czech Republic.
Rafael Springer is oldest player of modern history at present who took part in World Championships game. He celebrated his 49th birthday short time ago and in day of game against Ireland in framework of last seasons 3rd division tournament he was 48 years, 6 months and 10 days old. He is also oldest player who assisted in World Championships game ever. He assisted by Ben Houdremont's goal in game Luxembourg - Ireland in Mexico City in age of 46 years, 4 months and 28 days.
I was fascinated...
His hockey longlife is maybe because of fact that he started with that kind of sport in his 18 years. "My friend introduced me hockey," remembers start of his career defence of Tornado Luxembourg. "I saw hockey never, but I was absolutely fascinated. I know that my age was not the best one for start to play but I am still learning and trying to improve. And furthermore - experiences are extremely important in hockey."
Fact, that he started to play with "adult accomplishing" is not most surprised moment in his hockey life. "When I was 25, I retired from hockey," he reveals next of milestones his hockey career. "I started with arts and I thinked that hockey playing bring down my arts credit. Now I know that it was absolutely mistake. Ten years I did not any kind of sport and I came back to hockey in my 35. I felt myself very old that times. Then I got to know that our national team took part in World Championship in South Africa. I started to play again and believe me, that it was not simple for me, for my body."
Hockey as inspiration for art
Hockey is only part of mosaic of Rafael Springer's activities. Literature, sculpture, painting and design are other ones. Anyway, he is all-round artist. "Most known I am as painter probably," evaluates his place on artists field. "I had couple of exhibitions this year in Luxembourg. Somebody knows me as writer too. Couple weeks ago I released my newest book "The Sausage. The End. The World." But my most favourite "work" are my three children." Rafael Springer declares that just hockey and couple of beers after game is very good inspiration for his artists activities.
During his hockey trips he observes surrounding where he plays, of course. "I must to say I like at most Luxembourg's Kockelscheuer. Both ice surfaces, one for practises, one for games, are situated in the middle od forrests. There are three lakes near of hall, there is fantastic quiet. But very nice it was too in Novi Sad, Serbia, and Dundalk, Ireland."
Do oldest scorer out?
Third Division of World Championship will take place just in Kockelscheuer on turn of March and April. Rafael Springer would take part very glad there. He is thinking about outdoing of oldest World Championship's scorer Steve Jackson. "It would be nice to score or to add an assist. It attract to me be an oldest player who succeeded to score a goal. To be a part of national team is most important for me. But championship on home ice motivates younger players very much so it will be very difficult for me."
If he prepared during Summer for current season? "No this Summer. I was totally angaged by other my activities. But I think, it is not important for me lift a tons of weights, make my muscles bigger and bigger. Moving, making some kind of sport, that is important for me. I play streethockey during Summer and it makes me pleasure. I am absolutely not old man for young players, although I am older than their parents."
How long will continue his career, this is not "question of day" for Springer. "I am 49 and if I would win a gold in Luxembourg, it would be a great flash-point of my career. I have two bronze and one silver medal so gold would make my collection complete." He stays an artist anyway. "It is more important for me when, as pretty unusual player, artist, if I can promote this fascinated kind of sport. My goal is to demonstrate, that everybody can play hockey, in every age. It is important, how do you feel. If you are persuaded that you are old, you are really old, it is true! Nobody can be young-minded if he want not to be. I am absolutely not thinking about my age. What an age! I enjoy this crazy kind of sport! Hockey is able to loose my mind from artists life."
Nothing were changed...
Sport and art have exhibition in common, hunger for surpassing, for showing oneself. "Taking part in World Championships of second and third division in New Zealand, Mexico, Spain, Serbia and Ireland I set much," summarizes Rafael Springer his most hockey successes. "Art, that is another cup of tea. To receive any prize, that is not possible to compare with icehockey championship. There is too much politics in art. My greatest success on this field is mostly my latest work."
As said before, oldest World Championships player was based in Czech Republic. "I was born in Germany already, but my father was born in 1936 in then Czechoslovakia. When I was going to marriage of our Slovakian coach I was visit dad's born place," remembers Rafael Springer with emotions. "This is little village near of Znojmo Ð Oleksovice. We even found house of my grandparents. We knocked on door and old lady opened. She identified my father immediately. She spoke to him by his name and asked him, if he is really that "little boy", she waited so long time for... Imagine - furniture in that house and maybe all other things were the same, as 55 years before! Nothing were changed! It was unique feeling, for my dad especially. But I felt myself like I was at home in that moment. When we got in car again, we moved long while in deep silence-...
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