Sergio Hojraj has always had a passion for soccer. Now, that love for the game is more important than ever.
Nancy Phander, of Toms River, challenges Jamie Villabicencio, of Hazlet, during tryouts for the Garden State Soccer League 40-and-over unisex soccer team. Three years ago, Hojraj suffered a severe heart attack at the age of 37, and his life has not been the same ever since.
“It was kind of a shock really. I thought it was some kind of gastrointestinal thing,” Hojraj, of Sea Bright, said. “I was kind of lucky that my wife and kids were out of town, because if they were home, I probably wouldn’t have gone to the hospital.
“I drove myself to the hospital and was too cheap to pay for parking, so I parked in the street.”
Once in the Emergency Room, Hojraj took a seat and waited to be helped, assuming that there were people more in need of immediate assistance than himself.
“I was just sitting there, holding my chest, when one of the nurses came over to me and asked if I was alright,” Hojraj said. “They took me and ran some tests, and the doctor told me I was having a heart attack.”
Tulio Bozan, of Ocean Township, passes the ball during tryouts held at Cross Farm Park field in Holmdel Aug. 1. Looking back now, Hojraj can hardly relate to his former self.
“I was overweight and inactive,” he said. “Now, I’m running constantly, and I’m in much better shape.”
This is where his love of soccer may have saved his life.H
ojraj realized that he needed to find a way to get the exercise he needed.
“I had to exercise, and I loved to play soccer my whole life,” he said. “So, I tried to find a team to play for, but I couldn’t find any soccer teams, especially around here. Then I found the co-ed Garden State Soccer League (based in Trenton), and saw that there was an over-40 division, which was formed in 2007.”
Hojraj started asking around to see if there was any interest in his circle of friends to start a new, local team.
“I found some guys and it just kind of took off,” he said.
And that is how the Jersey Shore Sharks came to be. In the fall of 2008, the Sharks officially entered the GSL’s over-40 division, taking on teams from throughout central Jersey, including Toms River, Jackson and some teams from Mercer County.
“There were eight or nine teams in the league that year and we came in last place, winning just one game,” Hojraj said.
However, the Sharks, who now consist of players from Sea Bright, Middletown, Long Branch, Red Bank, Hazlet, Aberdeen, Toms River and Brick Township, improved greatly during the offseason.
“In the spring of this year, we came back and were much better,” Hojraj said. “We finished second in the league, and truly were the second best team in the league.
“The Toms River Vintage was the best team. We just could not beat them. We handled all the other teams and were pretty much ahead of them, but when we played the Vintage, it got pretty serious. We came the closest of anyone to beating them, and this year, we’re going to do it.”
The Sharks are currently preparing for the start of the fall season, which gets under way in September. And having hosted a successful tryout just a few weeks ago, Hojraj is confident his team will be even better this fall.
“I did really well on my recruiting this year,” he said. “We have so many players that we’re forming a second team. There are 15-20 players on each team, and each team brings 14 players to a game. The players who don’t play can play in pick-up games we set up on the side, so everyone gets a chance to play.”
Hojraj explained that some players that aren’t quite 40 years old yet play in these pick-up games, waiting for their chance to join the Sharks.
The Sharks play their games at Thompson Park in Middletown, while Hojraj is hoping to have his second team play its games at Cross Farms Field in Colts Neck.
“We play Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday,” Hojraj said. “But all of the players love the sport so much that we’re getting involved with it as much as we can, by playing and coaching our kids.”
In Hojraj’s case, of course, soccer has become more than just game, as he continues to try to overcome his health conditions by staying active in the game.
“This past December they had to go back in and unclog a stent and put a new one in there,” he said. “Then in March they put a defibrillator in there. But I was back on the field a week later.”
Indeed, Sergio Hojraj has certainly rediscovered his love for the game of soccer. And it might just be saving his life.