Retirement Life: #7 Justin Blaszak

Winston-Salem, NC - Retirement Life: #7 Justin Blaszak

As many know it was a bittersweet season for the Thunderbirds Defense man  #7 Justin Blaszak as it marked his retirement from the Federal Hockey League. He had spent the first part of the season with the Thunderbirds before making his way to Fayetteville. Justin was a great part of the Thunderbirds defensive line and enjoyed his time here.

As he looks back on the season he says it was an honor to be named Captain of the Carolina Thunderbirds before having the opportunity to play in the SPHL. He was happy in his return to assist the Thunderbirds just in time for playoffs against the Watertown Wolves. However, not being able to make it out of the first round was a tough pill to swallow.

His favorite memories during his three years were the things he did off the ice such as going to rookie parties and taking day trips with his teammates on their days off. Overall, he says he had a wonderful experience playing and making friends. Justin mentions his favorite FHL memories include his teammates and the friends he made throughout this journey. He will miss the boys the most.

Now that Blaszak is retired; he is doing a lot to stay busy. Justin has moved back to his home state of California and has begun coaching for an organization that represented team USA in an international tournament that over eight countries participated in such as Russia, Sweden, Finland, and Latvia, just to name a few!

For this tournament Justin was able to travel to China for 10 days. He loved taking in the culture that China had to offer. While there he had the chance to visit the Forbidden City and the Great Wall of China.

After China Justin kept busy in fact he just finished running his first five-day hockey camp where he is coaching kids ages 4 through junior high in power skating, position specifics, and skill development.

In addition to his coaching, Blaszak has started his own apparel company that he is building from the ground up. The company is PCH which stands for Product of California Hockey. He says he was inspired to start this company to unite and inspire hockey players in California.

The state of California is one of the newest hockey hotbeds in the world, and he hopes his company will be able to unify the California hockey culture. We will link his website and social media below, so the fans can check out his work!

We are proud to have had Justin Blaszak finish his career as a Carolina Thunderbird, and continue to do what he loves. We hope he continues to stay coaching and inspire young athletes to stay focused on their dreams.  

Quick Q & A:

Q: Would you rather cook at home or get take out?

A: Home cooked meals are the best!

Q: Do you have a favorite quote or motto?

A: “Think gold and never settle for silver.”

Q: Do you have a secret talent?

A: Is general athleticism a secret talent?

Q: Who would you want as a celebrity best friend?

A: Bobby Orr.

Q: What would be your superpower?

A: The ability to read books faster!

Q: Outside of hockey, what is your favorite sport and who is your favorite player?

A: I love to paddle board, but I don’t follow it enough to know any competitive athletes in that sport.

Q: What is your In-N-Out order?

A: 2x2 animal style with chopped chills and an animal fry.

Website- www.productofcahockey.com

Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter- @PCH_Apparel