Hotwheels roll into Detroit -
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Published on: 7/16/2002
Last Visited: 7/16/2002
That's testament in many ways to the dedication of Tim Zazulak, who helped establish the Inline Hockey League of East Texas and is the organization's director.
His 12-and-Under Hotwheels team participates in the TORHS Nationals, beginning Wednesday in Detroit.
The time and all of his efforts are worth it in Zazulak's eyes.
"It's good for the community," he explained."The players love it.It gives them another choice, more sports to choose to be involved in."
Longview was represented by its 12-and-Under, 10-and-Under and 14-and-Under Hotwheels All-Star teams at the nationals in Las Vegas.The 12-and-Under team won the Division I trophy for its age group, and the 10-and-Under team took a Division II crown.
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Zazulak, who runs Hotwheels Hockey Center at 5900 W. Marshall Ave. as well as Interskate in Kilgore, agreed that at the competitive level the sport is more physical.
His son, Zack, a member of the 12-and-Under national team, received the national Player of the Year award for his play in Las Vegas.
An all-star team generally plays a schedule which includes games against older age groups' recreational teams.
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"I've been working with some of these kids about four years," said Zazulak.
Zazulak, 32, grew up in Kilgore.He remembers playing roller hockey recreationally when he was 19, traveling as far as Nebraska for tournaments.His love of hockey goes back much further than that, though.His dad, Fred, grew up in Canada and played ice hockey.
Like in hockey, there are major and minor penalties assessed for fouls during the games.A major is for gross misconduct, such as swinging your stick at somebody.It will draw the player five minutes in the penalty box and comes with a one-game suspension.Meanwhile, a minor, like tripping, slashing or checking, sends the player to the box for two minutes.
Zazulak believes the popularity of inline hockey can be attributed to the NHL putting franchises in Dallas and other warm-weather cities such as Phoenix, Tampa, Fla., and Charlotte, N.C.
"I felt the sport would take off in the south," Zazulak pointed out.
And it has.
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