Most of the people watching the Sparta Prague–Geneve Servette game at O2 Arena last Saturday had no idea that the Swiss club's goalie with the German-looking name is actually Czech. After the game, Robert Mayer told his interesting story.

by Karolina Antosova

PRAGUE – Almost no Czech fans or even any journalists knew the name Robert Mayer before this game. From reading his name, almost everyone assumed that the Geneve-Servette goalie was Swiss, or maybe German. So imagine the surprised looks on a lot of faces when they heard him speaking fluent Czech in the mixed zone after the game. Where did this guy come from? Surely if he's Czech, we'd know who he is!

The 25-year-old goalie himself apparently noticed these looks, as he began to tell his story: “I was born in Havirov, Czech Republic. But when I was four my family moved to Switzerland. I came back to Havirov a few years later and played youth hockey there for two years, but that was all. After that, we went back to Switzerland again.”

Although he doesn’t spend much time back home in the Czech Republic, his Czech is excellent. “I still have many Czech friends, mainly in Havirov and Prague. My whole family is from the Czech Republic, so I have to speak Czech quite often,” Mayer explained.

It was a special moment for him to play in O2 Arena, the Czech Republic's largest and most internationally-famous hockey rink. The last time when he got a chance to play in the country of his birth was during the 2008 World Junior Championship in Liberec – there Mayer represented Switzerland, not the Czech Republic. He holds passports of both countries. 

After seven years, he finally had another chance to invite family and friends to watch him play live in the Geneve net. “I had something like 20 friends and family members in the audience. I hope they enjoyed it, because it was really a thrill for me. Playing against a Czech team is always quite special for me,” said Mayer.

But Mayer hasn't played his entire career in Switzerland. The Czech-born goalie also spent seven years overseas, mainly in the AHL playing for the Hamilton Bulldogs. It was quite a successful period of his life. Mayer almost made it into the net of the Montreal Canadiens – coming as close as the player's bench, dressing in the iconic Habs' uniform as the back-up goalie for a couple of NHL games – and something else important happened in his personal life during that time. With his Canadian girlfriend, Mayer has a son who is now six. “But he speaks only English, not even German. I don’t have enough time to teach him some Czech. But maybe in the future, if we will have the second baby...,” he said with a smile.

Unfortunately for the Geneve goalie, his CHL ride ended with the group stage. On Saturday afternoon, Mayer & Co. needed three points from the game against Sparta, but lost 5–2 to finish third in Group M. But despite the disappointment of losing it was still a good experience for Mayer. “Both games with Sparta were tough. I wish Sparta all the best in the next round.”