Manatees Profile - Andrew Dvorak

Equipment Manager By Mark Fischel To find an equipment manager who has eight years of experience isn�t a difficult task. But, it can be difficult to find an equipment manager who has that much experience when he is only 20-years-old. While he could be considered young in years, Miami Manatees equipment manager Andrew Dvorak brings with him a considerable amount of hockey experience. Growing up in Orlando, Dvorak started working as a stick-boy for two roller hockey teams, the Orlando Jackals in 1996 and the Orlando Surge in 1998. Dvorak�s duties included the preparation of the benches for games, cutting and taping sticks, keeping the rooms clean, and other general duties to assist the equipment manager as needed. Dvorak�s entry into the world of ice hockey came in 1997 when he began working with the Orlando Solar Bears. Dvorak assisted the equipment managers with their duties, and he struck up a friendship with assistant equipment manager Clint Reif. Dvorak worked for the Solar Bears for the next few years until the team was disbanded following their Turner Cup Championship in 2001. But in 2002, the WHA2 filled the hockey void by placing the Seals in Orlando. The Seals turned to a familiar face by naming Clint Reif the head equipment manager. Having known Andrew as a hard worker in his stick boy role with the Solar Bears, Reif offered Andrew the assistant equipment manager position. Their relationship was one of teaching and respect. Reif would teach Dvorak the finer points of sharpening skates, taping sticks, or packing equipment up for long road trips. Dvorak absorbed everything, learning how to deal with the player�s demands, and even making sure Reif stayed away from harm. �He saved me one time from drowning! I fell into a hot tub, broke my ankle, and he dragged me right out.� Reif noted, recalling much easier times. �I am forever indebted to him. I owe him my life or at the very least, a cheeseburger.� But like all students, they eventually strike out to forge their own path. When another team in the league was in need of a qualified person to look over their locker room, Dvorak�s experience made him the obvious choice in the eyes of many, including Clint Reif. In January of 2003, Andrew Dvorak left the Seals to accept the head equipment manager of the Jacksonville Barracudas, who soon also went in a new direction with the hiring of their new coach, former NHL�er Ron Duguay. The experience proved to be a positive one for Dvorak. �It was humbling. I didn�t want to do something wrong because he has been in the NHL for so many years. He was great in helping me out. It was my first year there and he was a first year coach as well, so he was going through kinda the same thing.� Dvorak said. But it was the events over the next few months that began the formation of what some may say is a friendly rivalry, a rivalry which consumes Andrew to this present day, causing him many restless nights. Rivalries between closely associated parties are a very common thing. Some of the best rivalries make for great news, stories for history books, and bad movies: the Hatfields vs. the McCoys, Red Sox fans vs. Yankee fans, and even Britney Spears vs. Christina Aguilera. And now the world has Andrew Dvorak vs. Clint Reif. While Jacksonville and Orlando are relatively close to each other geographically, the team records saw Jacksonville missing out on any post-season aspirations. With the mid-season move to Jacksonville, Dvorak was only able to watch as his old Seals team and former boss headed to the playoffs. �It was a little disappointing. But those guys in Orlando were good friends of mine and it was fun watching them compete in the playoffs.� The Seals eventually went through two grueling rounds to take home Orlando�s second hockey championship, earning Reif his second ring as a full-time employee of both the Seals and Solar Bears. Dvorak missed out on getting a ring with the Solar Bears because he wasn�t a full-time employee, and missed out on the second ring with the Seals when he took the promotion with the Barracudas. Never one to miss an opportunity to rub his good fortune in, Reif makes it a point to show Andrew his Seals championship ring. Not only that, Reif constantly likes to remind Dvorak just where they stand in the working dynamic of student and teacher. �I noticed that I have two championship rings, and Andrew has zero. It will probably stay like that, as I will have three soon and he will still have zero. That is why I am the teacher, and he is the pupil. He is my grasshopper.� Reif said, engaging in some �Zen�-like trash-talking. Since accepting the equipment manager position for the Manatees in May of 2003, Dvorak is starting to like the team that Head Coach Zac Boyer is putting together. The goal for everyone in Miami is to win the championship, along with the jewelry that comes along with it. Dvorak knows who will be among the first people he calls. �Clint for sure. I am going to rub it in Clint and the rest of the Orlando training staff�s faces if we win it.� Dvorak said. But behind all the good-natured rivalry, a wealth of experience and teaching has provided the Manatees with an equipment manager to help the team for the long haul of a hockey season. �I know he was trained by one of the better equipment guys in Clint, who was trained by Scott Moon, who is now with the Islanders. So there is a good chain of command there.� Boyer said. �Andrew learned a lot from those guys, and he knows the hours and hard work involved there. The hours can be crummy at times, but he is a very hard worker.�		Home News Booster Club Roster Schedule Photos Links Email: [email protected] 2-Minute Minor A Hockey Blog Hockey Autographs! This Manatees Manatees profile is copyright 2003 by the Miami Manatees is used for informational/entertainment purposes only.

Manatees Profile - Andrew Dvorak

Equipment Manager

By Mark Fischel

To find an equipment manager who has eight years of experience isn�t a difficult task. But, it can be difficult to find an equipment manager who has that much experience when he is only 20-years-old.

While he could be considered young in years, Miami Manatees equipment manager Andrew Dvorak brings with him a considerable amount of hockey experience.

Growing up in Orlando, Dvorak started working as a stick-boy for two roller hockey teams, the Orlando Jackals in 1996 and the Orlando Surge in 1998. Dvorak�s duties included the preparation of the benches for games, cutting and taping sticks, keeping the rooms clean, and other general duties to assist the equipment manager as needed.

Dvorak�s entry into the world of ice hockey came in 1997 when he began working with the Orlando Solar Bears. Dvorak assisted the equipment managers with their duties, and he struck up a friendship with assistant equipment manager Clint Reif. Dvorak worked for the Solar Bears for the next few years until the team was disbanded following their Turner Cup Championship in 2001.

But in 2002, the WHA2 filled the hockey void by placing the Seals in Orlando. The Seals turned to a familiar face by naming Clint Reif the head equipment manager. Having known Andrew as a hard worker in his stick boy role with the Solar Bears, Reif offered Andrew the assistant equipment manager position.

Their relationship was one of teaching and respect. Reif would teach Dvorak the finer points of sharpening skates, taping sticks, or packing equipment up for long road trips. Dvorak absorbed everything, learning how to deal with the player�s demands, and even making sure Reif stayed away from harm.

�He saved me one time from drowning! I fell into a hot tub, broke my ankle, and he dragged me right out.� Reif noted, recalling much easier times.

�I am forever indebted to him. I owe him my life or at the very least, a cheeseburger.�

But like all students, they eventually strike out to forge their own path. When another team in the league was in need of a qualified person to look over their locker room, Dvorak�s experience made him the obvious choice in the eyes of many, including Clint Reif.

In January of 2003, Andrew Dvorak left the Seals to accept the head equipment manager of the Jacksonville Barracudas, who soon also went in a new direction with the hiring of their new coach, former NHL�er Ron Duguay. The experience proved to be a positive one for Dvorak.

�It was humbling. I didn�t want to do something wrong because he has been in the NHL for so many years. He was great in helping me out. It was my first year there and he was a first year coach as well, so he was going through kinda the same thing.� Dvorak said.

But it was the events over the next few months that began the formation of what some may say is a friendly rivalry, a rivalry which consumes Andrew to this present day, causing him many restless nights.

Rivalries between closely associated parties are a very common thing. Some of the best rivalries make for great news, stories for history books, and bad movies: the Hatfields vs. the McCoys, Red Sox fans vs. Yankee fans, and even Britney Spears vs. Christina Aguilera.

And now the world has Andrew Dvorak vs. Clint Reif.

While Jacksonville and Orlando are relatively close to each other geographically, the team records saw Jacksonville missing out on any post-season aspirations. With the mid-season move to Jacksonville, Dvorak was only able to watch as his old Seals team and former boss headed to the playoffs.

�It was a little disappointing. But those guys in Orlando were good friends of mine and it was fun watching them compete in the playoffs.�

The Seals eventually went through two grueling rounds to take home Orlando�s second hockey championship, earning Reif his second ring as a full-time employee of both the Seals and Solar Bears.

Dvorak missed out on getting a ring with the Solar Bears because he wasn�t a full-time employee, and missed out on the second ring with the Seals when he took the promotion with the Barracudas.

Never one to miss an opportunity to rub his good fortune in, Reif makes it a point to show Andrew his Seals championship ring. Not only that, Reif constantly likes to remind Dvorak just where they stand in the working dynamic of student and teacher.

�I noticed that I have two championship rings, and Andrew has zero. It will probably stay like that, as I will have three soon and he will still have zero. That is why I am the teacher, and he is the pupil. He is my grasshopper.� Reif said, engaging in some �Zen�-like trash-talking.

Since accepting the equipment manager position for the Manatees in May of 2003, Dvorak is starting to like the team that Head Coach Zac Boyer is putting together. The goal for everyone in Miami is to win the championship, along with the jewelry that comes along with it. Dvorak knows who will be among the first people he calls.

�Clint for sure. I am going to rub it in Clint and the rest of the Orlando training staff�s faces if we win it.� Dvorak said.

But behind all the good-natured rivalry, a wealth of experience and teaching has provided the Manatees with an equipment manager to help the team for the long haul of a hockey season.

�I know he was trained by one of the better equipment guys in Clint, who was trained by Scott Moon, who is now with the Islanders. So there is a good chain of command there.� Boyer said.

�Andrew learned a lot from those guys, and he knows the hours and hard work involved there. The hours can be crummy at times, but he is a very hard worker.�

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