Our 2008 Blue Knights team had a fantastic year, finishing second in the league. This Squirt squad earned the respect of opponents, referees, parents and coaches with their teamwork, unselfish play, and dedication.
We held a year-end celebration recently and each player received a trophy, DVD of the championship game, and a celebratory puck. Each player was honored as he/she came up to receive a trophy. Here is what was said about each of our “Blue Knight Stars”:
It’s not often that you have a player who is known for playing a certain position who joins a team and says, “I want to try another position, coach.” And that’s what this young man did. He needed to learn to look at the game differently… and he did. He had to learn different skills… and he did. And he did it all with a great attitude. He’s kind of like Clark Kent… he walked into the phone booth wearing his goalie gear, but he came out as winger or centerman. What fun it was to coach this young man…Danny Porth.
Some kids just seem to be born to play hockey, and I’d put this young man in that category. His intensity, his focus on the game, combined with his considerable talents, made him one of our most important players. He scored goals in bunches, he played just about every position, and he was instrumental in our success as a team. My biggest challenge with him this year was getting him to crack a smile on the bench during a game… he was always so serious! When I think of the future of the Blue Knights… this young man is one of our building blocks…Alex Borowiec.
Here is a player who eats, drinks and sleeps hockey. His love for the game is undeniable and he enjoyed practicing as much as he did playing the games. He was always willing to throw his body in front of a puck or to dive across the ice to keep a puck in our possession. His hockey socks and jersey show the proof of that desire. And he also came up big for us in a few games when he played goalie. I can think of only one shortcoming: his being a Rangers fan… Josh Beron.
Some day, Webster’s Dictionary will put this player’s face next to the word “intensity” as a visual reference for the definition. Everything about this young man’s game was intense… even the way he would slam into the boards coming off the ice at the end of a shift. There’s nothing ‘gentle’ about his approach to the game. During our season-ending tournament, he wound up in the opposing net more times than the puck during one period. He was also getting his nose dirty digging for loose pucks, and his body often paid the price, but that didn’t slow him down one bit. He was always ready to go again for his next shift. This young man is living proof that determination is a great equalizer on the ice when facing a larger opponent. Don’t ever underestimate this young man… Nicky Schnuriger.
Next is one of our travel players who didn’t get to play every game with us due to his travel schedule. But that didn’t matter because when he played for the Blue Knights he made his presence felt. I enjoyed our conversations on the bench between shifts when he would talk to me about strategy, or what “should’ve” happened on the previous shift… and what he was going to do on the next shift to be ‘better.’ And wouldn’t you know it, he would keep his word. He also enjoyed putting the puck in the net whenever he had the chance. Mr. Hustle… Joseph Belcastro.
Here’s one of our vocal leaders, someone who’s always chatting on the bench, talking about the game and what to do next. And his constant smile was another reason why I knew he would be a great player for the Blue Knights. He scored some of our most important goals during the season… those timely scores that made the difference in a close game. The coaches love his enthusiasm and his willingness to learn something new each practice and game. He couldn’t wait for the next practice and game… he loves the sport so much and it shows… Cole Franchi.
This young man started the season as a real rookie. I only wish I could have videotaped our first practice and then compared it to a video of our final game. We would all have been able to see the unbelievable improvement. He always gave 100%, and he got better with every shift. I don’t think anyone else on the team hit as many posts as he did. He came so close to scoring on so many occasions. But he never gave up. He was always ready to learn, always ready to skate, always ready to do what it takes to win. He’s one of our “quiet stars” who is going to be a force in the Peewee division next year… Emerson Emery.
Next is someone who has so much fun playing the game, and SO much energy that the coaches used to get tired just watching this player go up and down the ice without slowing down. Opposing players used to think they would have a breakaway once they skated by, but much to their surprise she always seemed to catch up to them and steal the puck. As one of our standouts on defense and someone we could count on to give us her best every game… our Energizer Bunny… Kathleen McNamara.
If I had to select a “Most Improved” player my vote would go to this young man. Back in September, he was a new skater in my eyes, and he needed to learn the rules, the importance of positioning, and to not be afraid of the physical nature of the game. During the season I watched him get better each week… but more importantly, his enthusiasm got stronger as well. By the end of the season he was throwing his body around, playing his position, and he learned so much about the game… my vote for “Most Improved” player goes to… Brian Carey.
When we think of the strong, silent type of hockey player, this young man would be the perfect example. In fact, I consider him to be hockey’s version of John Wayne: hardworking, honest, a true team player, and never-ever did he give up even when one of our rare losses was coming to an end. I marveled at his ability to backcheck and hustle into the defensive zone to thwart a scoring opportunity. He is the most coachable player on our squad… with a remarkable hunger to improve his game… Blair Barrows!
I marvel at how much energy our hockey team has. We had a number of travel players who would play a game somewhere else, and then hustle over to Mennen Arena and play another game for the Blue Knights. This player empitomized the kind of dedication that hockey players are noted for. He never once said, “Coach, I’m too tired, can I skip a shift?” When it was his turn to hit the ice he did so with a lot of gusto and then made the opponents whish he was too tired to play. He was relentless in his approach to making every shift the most important one of the game. We loved coaching this player… Christopher Rupp.
I know that all our players enjoy the game… but this player’s smile at every practice, on every shift, at every game proved that the pure love of this game is the most important asset a player can bring to the sport. But don’t let that smile fool you. When it came to chasing down a loose puck or making an opponent look silly by stealing the puck right out from underneath their stick, there was no one better on our team. A wonderful defensive standout, and someone who puts to rest any doubts that young ladies can play this game as well as the boys… Sophie Fischer.
One of the vocal leaders on the team, this player worked at a number of positions for us… and always gave it 100%. But his strong suit was defense. I can recall a dozen or more times how he would sacrifice his body near the blue line in an effort to keep the puck in the zone, or how he would draw a defender to him before dishing off a perfect pass for an assist. As talented as he was on the ice, his real value came in being a “team player” and always encouraging his teammates to do what it takes to win. And he’s one of my heroes thanks to the size of his heart in wanting to improve… Matt Sefcik.
Last we come to the heart and soul of our Blue Knights squad. The position he plays is the loneliest one on the ice, because behind him is the net… and “the puck stops here” is his mantra. When I think back 19 months ago when I first met him, his goaltending skills were new and untested. He had never skated before but he wanted to try and be a goalie. Fast-forward to today and I am amazed at how much he has grown not only in his skill-level, but also as a team leader. Being a goalie, the weight of the world is often on his shoudlers and he was willing to bear that burden. I can’t say enough about what this young man means to our team, and how much of a pleasure it has been to be his coach. Ladies and gentlemen… Michael Minervino!
