My Story

Going to my first tryout back in 1976, the coach lined us up on the goal line and we had to race, backwards to the opposite goal line.  I came in first on that drill and the coach pointed at me and shouted, “you’re on D, welcome to the team”.  And that was how the D was picked back then.   It was a great time to be a kid in the 70s and love hockey living in Metro Detroit.  Of course, the Red Wings, back then, were terrible, but the legend of Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsey had parents wanting their kids to play this amazing game.    For me, living in an area where channel 9 Windsor was available on the TV, I watched the 73 series between Russia and Canada down in the basement at 5 years old and was hooked!   Playing my youth hockey at this rink was amazing.  I was fortunate enough to grow up with 4 kids who made the NHL - Chris Cichocki, Brian Felsner, Dennis Felsner, and Chris Luongo.  I spent many days in the Felsner brother’s backyard playing hockey.  We had some intense games, including a few stitches while developing our skills without knowing it.  Many great memories growing up, mostly from my time spent at Warren Ice Arena in the 70s!  Our parents used to send us to Toronto to live with hockey families from a team we would vs over the weekend back when we were 11 and 12 years old!  Then the same player I stayed at would come and stay at my house with my family a short time later.  Pretty cool but typical 70s logic there leaving your kids with strangers lol.   I am the middle player top row with the big smile on my face!  Goal scoring and hip checking AAA defensemen!  3 years later after many tennis balls shot at me in the Felsner back yard, I was fortunate enough to make it back to AAA as a goalie.  Thanks Dad for spending that money on goalie equipment!