Lavelle's Luck of the Irish

[Arce 755]

 

Ronan Lavelle was born in Dublin, Ireland. He grew up in a city where like just about everywhere in Europe, soccer was the big deal. Ronan was enrolled, and played soccer for the first 5 years of his life. His father, Patrick Lavelle, played professional soccer for the Shamrock Rovers. Patrick Lavelle had Ronan, and his brother Conor Lavelle heavily involved in soccer, as he was himself. During the soccer offseason, Lavelle was playing what he loved and that was hockey. After his father saw his passion for the game, he decided to let Ronan quit soccer and focus his full attention on his hockey ambitions. Lavelle found himself in the Irish Ice Hockey Association, and he quickly grew beyond it. Lavelle became the all time leading goal scorer in the IIHA with his lethal wrist shot. What was even more impressive than his shot, was his skating. Needing more competition and seeing Ronan's raw skills, Ronan's parents decided to move their family to Ontario, Canada right outside of Winsor before Ronan's 16th birthday. This was obviously a big change for Ronan, and his brother Conor. Ronan Lavelle was selected to the Winsor Spitfires, where he would play two seasons. Lavelle led the Spitfires in goals last season, and led them to the Memorial Cup finals, where they lost a heartbreaker in over time. To no fault of Lavelle, who had 2 goals and 2 assists in the game, as well as a +4 rating. Losing is no friend of Lavelle's, and he was unsatisfied even with the stellar individual performance. Scouts who attended the OHL games compared Lavelle's skating to that of Mat Barzal's of the New York Islanders. Once he got control of the puck, he was hard to knock off of it if you could catch him, as he could mesmerize defenders in the offensive zone. Unlike Barzal though, Lavelle tries to create an opening to shoot instead of pass. This has led to the interest to the VHL. Lavelle came in contact with former VHL player/GM/player agent Zach Arce. Arce was then hired by Lavelle to represent him, and progress his career in the VHL. Arce has set Lavelle up on a one year deal in the VHLM with the Mexico City Kings, where Lavelle is expected to have a role. Lavelle will then be eligible for the S82 VHL Draft where he hopes he can win over team scouts, and achieve his dream of playing professional hockey in the VHL.

Edited November 23, 2021 by Arce