Team Talk

Team Talk

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Experiencing British ice hockey for the first time this season, Latvian defenceman Artūrs Ozols discusses the Stars’ progress in the NIHL, shares his dream ice hockey destinations and reveals Billingham’s biggest personality…

What has been the highlight of your season so far?

The highlight of the season has been just meeting my teammates and coaches and everybody around hockey; meeting new people, being here in a different country and having a great time.

What was your first impression of the NIHL and how does it compare to ice hockey in Latvia? 

My first impression about British hockey was everything I expected. The guys play their heart out every game and battle every shift. Every country has a different hockey style. It’s a lot different from hockey back home. That way, this is a good experience for me.

What made you want to play ice hockey for Billingham Stars and which of your teammates has impressed you so far this season?

My agent said there is an offer from here so I just took it and hoped for the best. All the team has surprised me. I can’t pick one player.

What have you learnt about your teammates so far and which Billingham player would you say is the biggest personality in the dressing room?

About my teammates, I have learned that they are great guys. They are a lot of fun when hanging around with them. The biggest personality in our team is Andy Finn. He just brings a positive every time he’s around.

Have you enjoyed living in Teesside and is it difficult playing ice hockey away from your home country?

All this time, I have enjoyed myself. I can’t complain about anything. It’s hard when you don’t enjoy yourself and you don’t have a good contact with teammates but this season is great so not that hard.

Which game has been the most challenging to play so far this season?

Every game is challenging but the most challenging games are against teams that have come down from a higher level.

Which ice hockey player was your inspiration as a child?

My childhood idol was Sandis Ozolinš. He was the best player in my eyes.

You progressed into senior ice hockey from Jelgava’s Under 18s team to play for Zemgale and later, Liepaja. How did these teams compare to the standard of the NIHL?

It was a great time, just playing with my friends. The coaches were preparing us for going into the men’s level. Later, different teams just gave me more experience and more knowledge about the game. Compared to the NIHL, it was more intense. There were more practices during the week and the coaches asked from you more. I had a lot of great teammates during these years but I think the best has been last year’s defence partner. We had a great time off the ice so we had a great time on the ice too.

Why did you decide to move to Finland from Latvia to play for Virkiä in their 2015-16 season, how was it to live in Finland and in which other countries would you like to experience the sport?

I just wanted to try to play hockey in a different country. It was awful; the worst season in my life. Hopefully, hockey can take me all over the world but I wish to have a chance to go to Australia or New Zealand. I just want to visit these places.

Billingham have had a difficult season so far. Do you think it is possible for the Stars to finish higher than eighth place and what do you think is needed for the team to turn their season into a more positive one?

Every team has these seasons where you work hard but things don’t go as planned. There is always a hope to go higher. I think the biggest problem is not enough practice and the league getting stronger. We just need to adapt to the new league and we will be the team that everyone should take as a hard opponent.

What are your aims for the remainder of the season and where do you hope to be in five years’ time?

To have as much fun playing here and to have a good time with my teammates. After five years, I hope I will be on top of the world.

Thank you to Artūrs Ozols for taking the time to be interviewed by NIHL Northern Trio.

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