Childhood/Early Years
In December of 2001, Juan was born the middle son to the Jaundice family, composed of a brother two years his elder, a stay-at-home mother, and an iron worker father. A third brother would soon factor into the mix 2 years later. Nestled deep in Pennsylvania's Coal Regions, specifically Pottsville, the family never saw too far above the poverty line. Despite the lower household income, the Jaundice children were encouraged to participate in as many sports as possible, most likely as a stronger entertainment outlet than video games or television. This led Juan to have a natural curiosity about the world around him, spending from dusk til dawn bounding around the creeks and wooded areas outside of town. More than once his mother would go steaming out her front door hollering for Juan to come home, well past his Street Light Curfew. These bouts were normally followed by the worst torture a young Juan could think of: forced to stay inside for a week, with the exception being school. While discipline was common place in their household, it wasn't without it's share of laughter. Speaking to him now, even as a young man, Juan looks back fondly for the days that shaped him, no matter how many summer weeks he spent "locked up".
The Jaundice family instilled in all their boys a strict moral code, a yearning for adventure, and most importantly a compassionate heart. While his father worked long hours, interactions between the two were striking and warm. Juan remembers lessons taught by his father that can very much be summarized as "You'll understand when you're older." His mother, on the other hand, gave Juan his most polarizing feature, what can make or break his performance in anything: his Stubborn streak. The stubbornness was so profound that his grandmother jokingly gave him the same nickname she gave his mother: "Testa Dura", Hard Head. The clashes between mother and son were heated, usually over as quickly as they started, with Juan slamming a door after being sent to his room. His relationships with his brothers were revolving, two would always get along with one being the odd man out. Not a day went by when the odd man out didn't shift.
School Years
In middle school, Juan began to bulk up in efforts to continue playing football. He enjoyed stonewalling people as an offensive tackle, but overall size was a limiting factor. Juan wasn't gifted, no more than anyone else, that is. In fact, you could say his only true shining feature was his unrelenting nature. He was not a boy that you could tell "You aren't right for this." His single-minded focus led him to sticking to the position of tackle, even after he was informed he could find greater success under center or at guard.
He got along well in his studies, never shining too bright or dim. He friend group tended to follow the same method. He was well liked, but had few close friends. Juan stood as an Everyman, just like his father. He held tightly onto that blue collar workman's spirit. Everything he did followed that old method: Clock in, do your job. Nothing too flashy, just hard honest work. The fire in him was more like a furnace than an inferno; steady heat instead of wild bursts. He didn't take to change well, instead preferring to let his skills and talents compensate for any new styles or techniques.
In High School, after a rousing summer of street hockey, Juan decided he'd like to try out for the school's hockey team. He had watched a fair amount of games, but that first taste of the game over the summer sparked a fire in his heart. He began to spend every waking moment obsessing over the game. His interest laid primarily in the brazen position of goalie. "It'd take some balls to basically dare them to beat you." he excitedly said to his parents on the day he signed up for try outs. As predictable as it was for a small town in PA, there was not much interest in the team outside enough to barely fill the roster. Juan got his spot.
His coaches saw potential in the young man, but also saw the many flaws. Because of the fact that he was never formally trained in the sport, his form was on anywhere from sloppy to awful. His discipline suffered greatly, as well. When your only physical taste is backyard hockey, rules tend to taste foreign. His entire freshman year could be summarized as a back and forth battle between him and the coaches. As a result, he rode the bench more than he saw any actual ice time. Initially spurned by this, he resolved himself to studying the position in his own free time. What started as another sport to play ended up becoming a time consumer. With a voracious hunger, Juan began poring over highlight reels, scouting reports, reference texts. He was devouring any information he could get his hands on. He began to taste success in the coming years and while his hockey prowess grew, his grades shrank. By his senior year it became abundantly clear that no college was going to offer him a scholarship, especially with his grades just barely keeping afloat.
Post Graduation
Juan couldn't imagine giving up the sport he grew to love so much, and with the idea of college drifting further and further away, he resolved himself to joining the workforce along side his father after high school. He would get his taste of hockey through pickup games at the local rink, volunteering to play goalie for any team that needed one. Sometimes even rushing straight from work to the rink to suit up for an impromptu game. It wasn't much, but it kept the fire burning. Juan knew deep down that he was destined for something more, and until he figured out what that was, he would keep grinding away.
After a phone call came through at the end of an inauspicious week, one that saw Juan get his third reprimand for clocking in late, the answer may have come sooner than expected. Some people say to wait and think about big life changing decisions, but Juan never was that great at listening to others. The Saskatoon Wild needed a goalie, any goalie would do, and it just so happened that Juan was any goalie.
Review - Great write up, very detailed and I like how you had the personal accounts or quotes sprinklend in there at every turn of your life, but on slightly odd topics, equipment managers, losing teeth, etc. This guy seems a lot like a guy I used to rent an apartment with back in college, substitute the Bulleit our for Kessler and I think we'd have a match. I bet that bull-riding background and hard work ethic has paid dividends for you time and time again on the ice. Good luck this upcoming season! Cheers!
I am the GM of the defending cup champion Las Vegas Aces and we are in need of your services.
All VHLM contracts are $1.5million and we would be delighted to offer you a contract to play for us this season.
We have an active discord that can help you along the way with getting your player suited for the new season set to start in just a few days.
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K1NG LINUS reacted to Jus in The Jaundice Story: Juan in a Million [2/2]
K1NG LINUS got a reaction from nethi99 in PS, GM 8: Saskatoon Wild vs. Ottawa Lynx
