The Michael Kolarz File: Career Notes

Michael Kolarz was born in the Czech city of Havirov, a region that boasts a strong hockey base with two Extraleague franchises plus a steady supply of young talent.

But Kolarz didn't envision a hockey career at the beginning. Growing up in a family of soccer players, his father introduced him to the sport as soon as Michael could walk. However, he also didn't neglect the most popular Czech sport - hockey.

Michael stood on skates for the first time when he was three year old. He took to the sport

immediately and was soon attending practices of the local entry-level team, on top of soccer practices.

TWIST OF FATE

In Havirov, Kolarz benefited from the coaching methods of respected youth coach Jan Danecek, who began to instruct him from the youngest level. Coach Danecek gave Kolarz his first tips, teaching him the basics of hockey. Yet, he slotted the talented kid to play forward at first, a position which seemed to suit him well. Kolarz made use of his creativity and ranked atop the team's scoring chart. However, shortly, the Havirov 3rd-grade team ran short on defensemen and Kolarz was selected by the coaches to make the shift from forward

"The real reason for my transition was my skating abilities. The coaches decided that I was the

fastest backwards skater from all the forwards on the team, and from this moment, I began to play defense."

Michael Kolarz received his first widespread exposure at this time, managing to play at two championship tournaments. The Havirov `87-born squad fought their way to the top of their respective age category, with Kolarz contributing a savvy two-way performance in a third-place finish.

A week later, he was promoted to the 4th-grade team, helping them to the championship round. Despite a reduced role as an underager, he chipped in occasionally on a line with Jan Danecek, the son of the head coach and a recent addition to the Victoriaville Tigres team of the QMJHL. The Havirov 4th-graders also went home with a third place.

"The two bronze medals I have from that season are actually one of my earliest hockey memories. It was the first good season I had."

MAKING AN IMPACT

Forwards had a tough time against Michael, who soon began competing with older kids full time. Few could outskate him and, after fulfilling his defensive duties, he liked to join the rush and show off what he learned during his time as a forward. While skating for Havirov’s 5th-grade team, he often played at three separate age categories, even managing to make the roster of the 9th-grade squad for a tournament in Pardubice, where he showed up as a four-time underager!

Astonishingly, despite not matching opponents in strength, he did exhibit unusual hockey sense and was even the recipient of the 'Top defenseman' award.

As Kolarz grew in age, Extraleague teams, looking to boost their pipeline of prospects, began to show interest in him. The most logical route to the next level was a transfer to the nearby Vitkovice team, based in Ostrava. Vitkovice staff contacted his family prior to beginning the season with Havirov’s 6th-graders.

At this time, Havirov already had an Extraleague team established, but Kolarz wanted a chance to play in the system of famed Vitkovice, a team with a long tradition of producing quality prospects.

In Vitkovice, he played under Milos Holan, a former NHL defenseman who had to leave

the Anaheim Mighty Ducks due to cancer, and was unable to return. Holan soon recognized Kolarz's talent and smart two-way game, and provided him with plenty of icetime. Kolarz joined a team stacked with quality players focused on nothing short of a championship trophy.

Aside from Kolarz, the most noticeable name on the team was Petr Pohl, a recent Columbus Blue Jackets draftee. The Vitkovice 6th-graders met expectation, emerging as the best at their age group, an achievement which began a run of three consecutive titles for the organization.

No stranger to winning, Kolarz stepped up his productivity for the 7th-grade team, while also skating at the next age group up, even recording numerous multiple-point games, the highlight of which was a five-goal, nine-point effort in a match against Opava, despite playing defense.

"That game was something special for me, it set my career record for points in one single game. I remember that game I played with the number 3 on my back, which is my favorite number from that time."

LEADERSHIP ROLE

Prior to the next season, coach Milos Holan took a step back from the bench and was replaced by Radek Kuridym. The new boss liked Kolarz's style and made extensive use of a strong chemistry with longtime defensive partner Michal Gulasi. Kolarz was also awarded the captain's role and asked to carry more responsibility than his teammates.

"I think that playing as captain isn't a problem for me. I'm sort of used to this role, namely being asked to emerge as a leader and show up on the ice."

His play earned a selection to the team participating at the international pee-wee tournament in Quebec City. Unofficially, the team was a national `87-born Czech quad which actually skated under the name of the Chomutov team. Joining Kolarz on the team were another pair of highly regarded `05 eligibles in defensemen Jakub Kindl and Jakub Vojta.

However, it was Kolarz, a Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins fan, who was awarded with the 'C' on his jersey. His first exposure to the North American style of play ended in solid but unspectacular fashion as he contributed to a fourth-place finish with two points in three games.

Kolarz finished the season with the 8th-graders on a high note, prompting coach Kuridym, who had taken over coaching duties of the Vitkovice midget team, to include him with the midgets during a summer evaluation camp.

As one of only two underagers trying out for the team, along with Petr Pohl, Kolarz and his compatriot both managed to land roster spots on the Vitkovice midget team.

At this stage, Kolarz decided to focus all his efforts on hockey, and stopped attending soccer practices.

"It was too demanding time-wise. Now I knew that I might achieve something playing hockey and didn't want to cheat soccer, so I called it a career as far as soccer was concerned."

TOP DEFENSEMAN

Kolarz spent almost the full 2001-02 season in the midget Extraleague. Paired with Michal Gulasi on either the second or third defensive unit, Kolarz learned what it takes to succeed at this level of competition quickly, displaying a maturity beyond his years.

He was a solid force on the Vitkovice team as a rookie and, despite adopting a more conservative approach than as a pee-wee, still displayed nice offensive flair, amassing 12 points in 42 games (42-3-9-12, plus-11, 16 PIM).

Kolarz even skated as the captain of the midget squad in some games while the team captain was injured, which was a very rare accomplishment for a 14-year old player.

At the end of the season, he was demoted to a 9th-grade team looking to win a championship. The team was regarded as one of the favorites, however, even the additions of Kolarz and Pohl failed to bring the long sought-after title, and the Vitkovice 9th-graders settling for second place. The tournie did at least have one silver lining for Kolarz, who took home the 'Top Defenseman' trophy.

Michael Kolarz was also one of the underage invitees to the evaluation camp for the Czech under-16 team in the summer of 2001. He impressed the coaching staff enough to guarantee himself a spot on the team, and skated alongside teammate Gulasi for the entire season. He even appeared at the season's top event, the Four Nations Tournament hosted in the Czech

Republic, capturing a bronze medal. Kolarz dressed out for 15 international games in 2001-2002, notching two points (15-1-1-2, minus-1, 12 PIM).

STEPPING UP

His rapid progress continued during the 2002-03 campaign, appearing with the junior team as a two-time underager. Kolarz split the year between Vitkovice’s junior and midget teams, acting mainly as an injury call-up.

He proved capable of surviving at the junior level, but displayed more composure and puck poise at the midget level against less experienced competition. Kolarz needed to elevate his game and learn to use a cooler head, particularly while moving the puck out of his zone. In five games for the midget team, he registered a goal and an assist to go along with 10 penalty minutes.

There were signs though that he would step up the next season with increased experience, and emerge as one of the defensive anchors on the Vitkovice juniors, coached by Mojmir Trlicik. His offensive output was marginal though, recording just three points in 29 games (29-1-2-3, 24 PIM). In his defense, he was asked to play a more conservative role.

Kolarz was still eligible to play for the Czech under-16 team in `02-3, however, he spent the majority of the season with the under-17 squad, only getting demoted for a three-game series against the under-16 Switzerland team, and for the Four Nations Tournament, registering five points in the six games he dressed for.

His under-17 resume for the season consisted of an appearance at the Five Nations Tournament in the Czech Republic in August, the Four Nations Tournament in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and the final two three-game series against the under-17 teams of Switzerland and Germany.

Kolarz even skated at the season's top event, the European Youth Olympics in Bled, Slovenia, where he also performed as a forward for one game. In 13 games for the under-17 team in 2002-03, Kolarz recorded another five points, including a goal and four assists.