In early April, I got a call from the head coach of the Bismarck Bobcats, a team in the North American Hockey League (NAHL), which is a Junior A Tier II league. The recruiter with the Indiana Ice, a good friend of Jason's, had been in contact with the coach at Bismarck and had a lot of good things to say about me. It didn't hurt that the captain of the Bismarck team was another kid from Edwards, Colorado, Casey Kleisinger. The Bismarck coaches had a lot of trust in the Kleisinger's, and they also had a lot of good things to say about me. After I had signed up for the Bobcats' regional tryout camp in Denver, I got a call from the head coach at Bismarck. They had heard enough good things about me and here are my thoughts the day after I got the initial call:
Things are already working out for me. The Bismarck Bobcats are very interested in me without ever even seeing me play. He told me that he had heard enough about me and that he wanted me to wear a Bobcat uniform next year. I've kinda stayed away from the whole junior scene for a long time, and now I've been thrown into the mix and don't really know what to do but trust what people are telling me. The Bismarck coach wants to keep me a secret so he can draft me or tender me and basically make me a member of the Bobcats if I don't make the Indiana Ice. It's very exciting to be in this position of stealth because when people see me next year, they won't know where I came from. I'm gonna bust onto the scene wherever I end up and turn a few heads. People must see something special in me because not many kids get the same opportunities that I am getting, and I've only been playing in a crappy high school league the past 4 years. There's a long road ahead, but I'm off to a good start.
After the call with the Bismarck coach, Jason called me. He thinks that Bismarck is a perfect fit for me, and it seems like it is the best place to play in the NAHL. The fans are dedicated, the coaches are knowledgeable, and there is a good off-ice program and a lot of time to be on the ice, working on becoming better. I talked to my family and called Casey and the Kleisinger's. They also think that Bismarck is the perfect place for me. The coach found a tender and offered me his last remaining one. I signed the tender, giving the Bismarck Bobcats my rights within the NAHL. I am so excited to be a Bobcat! Even though it's not for sure yet, it is still exciting to have people who are interested in helping me become a hockey player!
Jason told me that my character and what I have done off the ice so far is what has gotten me further than my on-ice accomplishments. That was a pretty powerful statement because that reinforces what my parents have been telling me all along: doing well in school and being a good person will open more doors for you than just an athletic ability. I guess I am lucky that I have been able to balance my academics, athletics, and still be a good person throughout high school.
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