Seals Captain Zoryk Set To Return
June 29, 2006 - SPHL (SPHL)
Florida Seals News Release
[CELEBRATION, Fla.] - There are very few things in professional sports that mean more to athletes than being chosen as the team captain. Wearing that letter "C" is a true sign of leadership ability as well as respect from teammates and coaches alike.
All of that describes Florida Seals' forward Steve Zoryk to a "t", or in this case the "C".
Zoryk will have another chance to lead the Seals as it was announced by the team and Head Coach Tommy Stewart that they had come to terms with Zoryk to return to the Silver Spurs Arena this fall.
"Every year it is an honor. Every time you pull the jersey (with the "C") over your head, it's a big honor," said the 29 year old native of Ottawa, Ontario. "It's something I take a lot of pride in."
"Tommy (Coach Stewart) knows what he's going to get out of me as a captain and I think he's pretty satisfied with my leadership qualities and skills and the way I handle the dressing room," he continued. "It's definitely something that I'm very proud of."
Zoryk and Stewart have been both opponents and brothers-in-arms for some time now. Zoryk was a member of the Knoxville Ice Bears in 2002-2003 while Stewart was winning the ACHL MVP award with the Macon Trax. The following year, Stewart moved behind the bench and Zoryk joined the Trax. The pair relocated to Florida last season.
"I think honesty is a big factor. Honesty and loyalty are two big factors," Zoryk said when describing the relationship with his coach. "It's a mutual thing between Tommy and I."
"He knows that I put the team obviously above everything else and that I'll do anything for him to help the team win," he added. "He's always honest and up front with what he expects of me. I think we've definitely built more than a player-coach relationship over the past four years."
In his time with Stewart, Zoryk's offensive game has flourished. He has scored at least 30 goals in each of the last three seasons, including 33 while wearing the Seals' crest on his jersey. Steve has also been the emotional leader on the ice.
"Every player has off nights and so do teams," Coach Stewart said. "Whenever we needed it, Steve would do what had to be done to pick the team up."
That leadership spills over into the locker room as well. In some instances, when players have questions or concerns, they will go to Zoryk and voice their opinions.
"It's usually first year players that I end up talking with," he said. "Once you play for Tommy for a year, you realize that his open door policy is really what he says it is - you can knock on it any time."
Zoryk, like many of his teammates, has suffered through coming up short in three successive league championship series. The memories of opportunities lost is another reason why he is coming back to try again.
"It (losing in the finals) keeps you wanting to come back, no matter what age, no matter how old you are," he said. "Of course, I want to go out as a winner. I know Tommy wants to get that first one of what I'm sure will be many under his belt."
"I've been on a lot of great teams with a lot of great records," he added. "That ring definitely would be a nice feather in my cap."
Zoryk also is well aware that at age 29, the clock is ticking on his playing career.
"I'm not getting any younger. My body seems to take an extra week each year to heal," he explained. "I'm getting up there and I definitely would like to play one or two more years, have a championship and then maybe get into the coaching aspect as well. I've learned a lot on that side from Tommy as well."
Zoryk also fell in love with playing in Central Florida and was amazed by the abundance of support that the team received from the fans. That was never more evident than on the evening of the final game when, after losing a heart-breaking series, Zoryk came out of the locker room looking for his brother and was met by a thunderous, spontaneous applause from the Seals' fans.
"I was tearing up. I couldn't even speak," he remembered. "They were all special people and they all made us feel special, that's for sure. I know all the guys, we were beside ourselves. We couldn't believe the support come the end of the year, how fantastic it was, how tough it was to leave and how much guys were looking forward to coming back."
"Our arena was awesome towards the end of the year and in the playoffs," he continued. "It was loud. The atmosphere was great. Hopefully it continues on to the start of next year, that's for sure."
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SPHL Stories from June 29, 2006
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- Seals Captain Zoryk Set To Return - Florida Seals
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