The most common questions for elite athletes are always what is the secret to their success, what got them to where they are now, or what they had to give up in order to be able to do what they love most. Perhaps it is not an exaggeration to say that Zoltan Hetini is known throughout the country and is a very colorful figure in the life of Hungarian hockey. Hajdúság’s goalkeeper spoke about the beginnings in his statement to Hír FM. – I was eight years old when my mother took me and my brother to the hockey rink for the first time. My father was very skeptical, as it is not a popular sport, but he became one of my biggest supporters.
My earliest memory of hockey is when we were at training camp in Transylvania, we were so tired, and we often pretended that something was hurting us, just so we could go in and change clothes. As a kid, I wanted to stop playing hockey many times, but Uncle Arby never did, and I’m so grateful for that.
Moreover, my parents also contributed a lot to my career, for example, my father carved wooden sticks for me to play with, he said.
University life
The excellent goalkeeper is known to be studying at the University of Debrecen, but few can guess what kind of qualifications he has acquired in addition to the sport. The security guard said he never regretted choosing Debrecen. – I don’t have much free time, I still go to university, although I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in animal husbandry engineering, and I am currently a master’s student in animal husbandry. I always try to get good grades, and I also love university.
There is only half a year left, and the second state exam is approaching. I will try to prepare, I hope it will be successful. Thanks to studying, I can stop working mentally, which makes it easier to exercise.
I’m so grateful that when I got back from America, I chose Debrecen. “I really like hiking in my spare time, but I don’t always have the time I want,” he said.
Hungarian ice hockey can advance
We can say that the two strongest ice hockey teams in the world are the USA and the Russian national team. Hungarians are not considered weak in sports either, but the level difference is heaven and earth. Zoltán Hetényi was also in the NHL training camp that year, so he was able to experience first-hand the expectations of the elite, and also gained a basis for comparison with our country. – The similarities have been largely exhausted due to the fact that we play the same sport. Seriously, they are already on the ice at a very young age and are getting to know the sport. In the last period, for example, there was a Group A battle here, in which they didn’t even come up with the best team, because the NHL was still going on. You should avoid coming to America when you are young, until everyone gets used to the rhythm.
The difference is big, we are also improving, but we are still very far from this level. The mentality is also different, the professionals working there are thinking about athletes who can have a serious career. They decided at a very young age that they were going to perform at the highest level, which is why they are so successful.
Others may not think the same way as I do, but I always have my opinion. “We’re trying very hard to see if we can get there one day,” said the player.
Among others, Zoltán Hetényi recently extended his contract with Universität Debrecen, and also revealed that he has huge plans for the future, which he’s keeping to himself for the time being.
