We first met in Blaine, Minnesota, where the NAHL Junior Showcase is held every year for university coaches and scouts from professional leagues. At that time, his son Ondrej had already made several important development steps, including the first major one in the U.S. pathway from U16 AAA to NAHL (followed by three more levels: NAHL to USHL, USHL to NCAA D1, and NCAA D1 to NHL/AHL). Back then, Ondra was playing for the Minot Minotauros, and I was visiting one of our clients who was playing for the Wilkes-Barre Knights in NAHL.
Above all, Standa is a man with both his mind and heart in the right place. Right after that Showcase, I knew we were on the same wavelength and both trying to help people move closer to their dreams.
Since then, we have also been fortunate that Standa comes every year as a speaker to our Play in America camp, organized each June in the Czech Republic. Together, we try to give athlete-students and their parents a realistic picture of how things truly work in the USA. And also that when someone has a goal and truly wants it, they must act. Exactly as Standa's profile says.
Jan Dam M.S.
Head Coach, Midland University Men's Hockey
Founder, Surge Sports Advising - https://hrajvamerice.cz