Floor Hockey team looks to replace lost scoring
The New Prague Trojan Adapted Floor Hockey team begins its 11th season Thursday, Jan. 14, with St. Paul Humboldt scheduled to visit the CEC gym in New prague for a 4:30 p.m. game.
This is Shellie Kriha’s ninth season as head coach of the team. She was an assistant the first two years of the program. Highlight of her tenure was the 2014 state championship team. Last year’s squad went 12-3 and placed fourth in the state tournament.
In addition to New Prague, athletes from Tri-City United, Le Sueur-Henderson, Belle Plaine and Jordan can participate on the team through a cooperative sponsorship.
Assistant coaches are Jeremy Kalal (3rd year), Steve Kriha (5th year) and Diane Johnson (3rd year).
Student managers are Alex Palma and Mary Carson. The Trojans have 23 athletes on this year’s team. Numbers leaped after the 2014 state championship and last year for the first time the program was able to field a JV team. They will do so again this year.
“That will really help to develop our program for the future,” Kriha said.
Top returning players for the Trojans are juniors Charlie Zeilinger and Noah Hayden. Hayden will take over as goaltender and Zeilinger, who was goalie the last several years, will play mostly at center.
Sophomore Jake Schurman will lead the Trojans’ defensive corps while Seth Dorner, an eighth grader who is a hard worker and is quickly improving at wing, also helping on defense.
“Seth will be needed to step in and play at a high level right off the start,” Kriha said.
Also solidifying the offensive corps will be junior Brookelyn Skluzacek, who Kriha says brings lots of experience and hard work to the team. Sophomore Alexis Parks from Belle Plaine will see lots of minutes at varsity along with Eva Johnson. Both Alexis and Eva are improving quickly as they get more experience.
As stated before, Hayden will take over at goalie and see a majority of his minutes in the net.
“He is improving each day at practice and is working hard to be our No. 1 goalie,” Kriha said.
This allows the.....
To see more on this story pick up the January 14, 2016 print edition of The New Prague Times.
