THE INDIAN SMACKER

[Dabnad 174]

Dabnad Shaw
6'4" 198 POUNDS
Baroda, India

 

Born in Gujarat inside of India, Dabnad Shaw was one of few people who liked playing hockey in India. Many people, including field hockey selectors, saw Shaw’s raw ability to play the puck and strip the puck away from some of the best field hockey players. Shaw had great ability in every aspect of the field except one: agility. He was the biggest field hockey player which very severely destroyed his ability to beat shorter and faster players on his feet. When he turned 13, his parents surprised him by sending him and his friend (whose birthday was also on the same day) to Canada for an entire month. During Shaw’s stay in Canada he saw people on ice with sticks whose sport looked exactly like field hockey. When he inquired about the sport he learnt what ice hockey was and how to play it. Shaw spent the rest of his stay there learning how to skate and played hockey on the ice. Soon enough, when he had to leave, he was sent off with many people he’d met inside the rink. When he went back to India, he learned that his family was moving to Delhi due to a promotion his dad got inside of this job. When he moved to Delhi, he started going to the Delhi ice skating club where he ended up improving his skating even more to the point where he was one of the fastest ever players seen on ice. On his 15th birthday, he asked his parents if he can move to Canada with his friend forever and ended up getting slapped on the face. This encouraged the inner-rebel of Shaw and he left his parents for his grand-parents who fueled his ambition to become one of the first Indian ice-hockey players of all time. He left India at the age of 16 and lived with his grandfather’s old friend who had moved to Canada. In high-school, many selectors called him the next big hockey player considering how agile such a big player can be. He optimized every chance he ever got and in his first year of college, he got to be known as the “Indian smacker”. On his 18th birthday he went back to India and he met his parents putting a very emotional moment with him and his parents. His dad later promised that he’ll figure out a way to fund the remaining money that Shaw needed to fulfill his dreams of becoming a professional ice-hockey player. Going into the hockey season, he was known as one of the best players that touched the ice of the UBC (University of British Columbia) and he was supported by many players to become the best hockey player in existence with his outstanding defensive ability and his agile movement. He later signed with New Mexico during free-agency before becoming draft-eligible the next season. He adopted #13 in respect to his dad (born March 13th), mom (born November 13th) and his friend who supported him the entire way (who was born on April 13).