The 22-year old Natálie Martináková has announced about her decision to quit her playing career. The main reason behind the decision are health reasons, mainly history of knee injuries.
Natálie Martináková is currently playing in the Swiss NLA team Kloten-Dietlikon Jets. She is also familiar from the Czech national team. Martináková made her first WFC appearance at the Women’s World Floorball Championships in December 2019, when Czech Republic finished fourth. In Neuchâtel, she scored four goals and gave eight assists. Martináková also played in the Champions Cup in 2020, when Kloten-Dietlikon Jets took the second place. With Kloten-Dietlikon, Martináková has won the Swiss championship in 2019 and Supercup in 2020.
Now she has announced that she will end her playing career after this season. The main reason for this decision is health. In October last year, Martináková sprained her knee and that painful experience took some time to recover. That also was not the first time.
– I’ve had problems with my left knee since I was fourteen, and since then it’s never been in perfect condition, which is reflected in what it looks like now, Martináková decribes to Czech Floorball. According to her, the knee is much better now but she will still face an operation after the season.
Deciding to end the playing career was not an easy one to make but according to Martináková, it was a necessary one. She also feels that the people around her have been supportive about her decision.
– No big decision is ever easy. We consulted the doctor, but otherwise I didn’t want anyone to influence my decision. It didn’t take me long, the situation is unfortunately serious and I was happy that I could finish this season at least. The people around me were very empathetic, whether girls from Dietlikon or from the national team or colleagues and bosses at work, and I thank them all for that.
Currently playing in the Swiss Kloten-Dietlikon Jets, Martináková has still many matches left. Her motivation to win another title is at its highest.
– That’s right, I want to end my career with the feeling that I’m finishing at the top, she says.
Kloten-Dietlikon is doing well after the recent NLA restart and is currently at the top of the table.
– The mood is great, everyone is motivated, especially after we crossed Chur. Last year, the corona stopped us, but let’s hope that this year we will be able to finish it and raise the beautiful cup over our heads, believes the attacker. The girls in the team support me a lot, they are here for me and it can be seen that it motivated them even more. It’s really nice to see that they took foreigners among themselves as one of their own and that they care so much about it, she adds flatteringly.
The time after player career is also clear for Martináková. She is planning to stay in Switzerland and will not plan to disappear from the floorball world either.
– I definitely want to stay with floorball. Next season I’ll take a complete break mainly because of the sculpture, but I want to have a little distance before I decide what to do next. At the moment, I’m most attracted to being a judge again, I’ve always had a lot of fun.
The forward has a lot of memories from floorball.
– Title with Dietlikon. Ostrava Champions Cup, but also Neuchâtel. All these experiences have somehow marked me, helped to create the person I am today. I would not change anything at all, none of my previous decisions. Each of them took me to where I am absolutely happy. Everything is as it should be, and I am lucky that I will end my career right here, where they will take care of me even after the end on the field, Martinakova concludes.
Source: Czech Floorball
