Trent Gibson (bottom, middle right above the trophy) won state for his High School in his junior year. It was a surreal moment, but also a bittersweet one. Promised to start the championship game by the head coach. He found himself sitting on bench for the entire game because the other goalies dad was an assistant coach. He watched his parents sitting in the stands, it was the only game they were able to go watch. The hurt was agonizing, and his morale was broken. While everyone else was cheering about a victory, Gibson never felt more ostracized in his life. It had been the cycle he lived in, he did all the work to get the team into a championship spot, he took all the tough games. But whenever the title was on the line, it was always him riding the pine.
It was strange, as I reflect back on my playing career. I had a lot of great moments. I remember playing AAA for the West Coast Renegades U14 squad. I remember my 94 save performance against the Niagara Falls Purple Eagles like it was yesterday. I remember spilling over the boards like everyone else when we won that state championship. But after that season of extreme nepotism, and then losing my starting role my Senior year because of more nepotism. I was done. I went on to play a year of beer league, and started my coaching career. At least thats how the story ended in real life.
How the story continues here however, is after that Senior year while I am doing exit interviews with my school for the yearbook of all things. @Spartan was quietly waiting in the background for the two girls interviewing me to leave. Once they did we talked about my future in hockey, he told me he had been watching my career unfold since that 94 save performance in Chicago. He watched my coaches squander my talent and ability by making me play left bench to their own kids. He wanted to give me a chance that he felt I deserved. The offer was intriguing, take a year as a sign on player for the Las Vegas Aces and develop into the best goalie I could be and then hit the draft for the VHLM. It was an opportunity out of a dream, and one I was happy to accept.
Training camp was almost over by the time I got there, but I instantly started gelling with the team. Guys like Minott, Kasey Tamm and Nick Sunderbuch were awesome to be around. Unfortunately I did suffer a concussion in that time so my development stalled for a bit, but after that I was all in on the development. I only got to play in 6 games, 5 of which I started. I finished with 2 shutouts against the Houston Bulls for a total of 3 wins and 2 losses. Then it was back to sitting on that all too familiar pine bench. Honestly, I hate that thing.
But when draft day came, my agent told me that I was in for a long wait. And a long wait it was. I fell pretty far in the draft, I think I was like 61st overall by none other than the team I shutout twice last year. The Houston Bulls. Now I was being given a starting position and a time to shine, I also got taken by the major leagues somewhere along the way, I really wasn't focused on that. I simply got a call saying welcome to the Helsinki Titans, and my career was underway. I need to really get my game in order now, as after this season with Houston, I will be preparing to make the jump up to my pro team.
It's an absolute honor to be apart of this team, and I'm looking forward to doing great things together. My message to the kids who still play in the U18 and below levels. Don't let one ass hat coach get in your way to being great.
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