Florida Seals Pick Up Equipment Manager and Athletic Trainer - SPHL

To advertise click here.

MLN Newswire-www.mlntherawfeed.com-CELEBRATION, Fla. - In order for pro athletes to perform at peak efficiency, they need to be in good physical condition and have the right equipment. One little thing wrong can make the difference between winning and losing.

When the Florida Seals hockey team found themselves in need of an equipment manager and athletic trainer in the off-season, they were looking for individuals who were among the best in their field. Tommy “T-Bone” Pomposello and John Eder both fit the bill perfectly.

Pomposello could have been an equipment manager anywhere, in any league. When it came down to making a choice, the Florida Seals had everything he was looking for.

“At this point, it’s not about the level of hockey. It’s about being comfortable where you are,” Pomposello said. “I want to win and their (the Seals’ organization) focus is on winning.”

Raised in the Bronx, New York, Pomposello found his way to the sport of hockey thanks to his father but it was no ordinary experience. During the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, Pomposello’s dad was a member of the equipment staff for the New York Rangers with the likes of Ron Duguay, Walt Tkaczuk, Phil Esposito, Ron Greshner, Nick Fotiu, John Davidson and Don and Dave Maloney.

Pomposello also laced up the skates for a time, playing Junior A hockey in upstate New York with the Rye Rangers. When his on-ice career came to an end, he knew he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps.

“I remembered how much fun my dad had,” Pomposello said.

His travels as an equipment man included stops in New York with the Rangers, Hartford and Pittsburgh. He spent some time with the New Haven Knights and Danbury in the UHL, El Paso in the CHL and Reading in the ECHL.

Along the way, Pomposello spent a year working in the athletic department at the United States Military Academy at West Point. He had the opportunity to work with several teams in a variety of sports.

“It was the best thing that happened to me,” he said about his time at Army.

Now, he is part of the Seals’ family and Head Coach Tommy Stewart is happy to have him here as his right hand man.

“It’s one thing I don’t have to worry about because I totally trust him,” Stewart said. “He’s got the team first before himself so that’s a great asset.”

John Eder, ATC is as accomplished an athletic trainer as Pomposello is as an equipment manager.

His decision to become an athletic trainer was spurred by watching a baseball game and one player in particular - Bo Jackson.

“I was at a game in Sarasota, Florida where the Chicago White Sox used to winter and it was Bo Jackson’s first game back after the hip replacement surgery. He got a hit and that was a very emotional, moving experience,” Eder explained. “I thought at that moment that I wanted to be one of the guys that would help someone like that get back to the game they love.”

Eder began the process by earning a Bachelors degree in science and athletic training from Barry University in Miami Shores. He then took the national exam, a grueling three-part test with 150 written questions, a practical exam and a practical simulation. He passed the test on his very first try.

In 2004, Eder joined the Muskegon Fury in the UHL. It turned out to be a dream season as Muskegon won the league championship. After taking some time off last year to be with his ill mother, he hooked on with the Florida Firecats of the afl2 arena football league.

Eder knows that one of the easiest ways to prevent injuries is to be proactive. Having been a semi-pro athlete himself in beach volleyball, he has a three-pronged approach to keeping the players on the ice.

“I’m huge on the prevention. It all has to do with conditioning, diet and flexibility,” Eder explained. “As long as you take care of those things like you’re supposed to as a professional athlete - eat well, exercise properly and make sure that you are flexible - you don’t end up with those nagging injuries.”

Getting the players to go along with his plan is easy for Eder because of his background and the fact that he practices what he preaches.

“I get along really well with the boys. I can joke around with them. We’re very friendly so that really helps me out,” he said. “They see that I’m in good shape so they’ll respect the things that I say in order to help them become better, more productive hockey players from a physical and mental standpoint.”