Forum Content - LW - Santiago, CL

[frescoelmo 1,218]

Forum Content – LW

Santiago, Chile

6’2”, 220lbs

Age: 22

 

 

 

Originally from the capital and largest city of Santiago, Forum Content was born on August 8^th, 2001, having reached age twenty-two only a few months prior to this writing.  An only child, Content’s parents were ex-patriots from the great country United States of America, who left to start a new life after their federally mandated retirements kicked in at age 55.  With little to lose, the parents traveled the world for about a year before settling in a seaside town called Vina del Mar, where they purchased a condominium along the coast.  It was there that Forum grew up and learned to speak both Spanish and English languages as an adolescent.  Additionally, Forum was exposed early in life to volunteering through the local community center that his parents often visited to teach classes to other youths.  These classes, whether attending or helping with, generated a distinguished interest in other cultures around the world.  From an early age, Content had decided he wanted to pursue a future in design and architecture.

 

Vina del Mar’s coastal importance includes a few things Content really drew from, namely the various high-rise buildings and gardens that constantly drew both admiration and curiosity.  Forum had expressed his interest in studying abroad through either a foreign-exchange program or boarding school, to which his parents were receptive.  Although the latter sounded more comfortable, due to the obvious financial obligations, Forum had applied to Chile’s exchange program, based out of Santiago.   After a few unsuccessful attempts, Content was lucky enough to be selected into the program, with which he was sent for a semester abroad to live and study in Zurich, Switzerland.

 

It was there that he quickly grew a colossal disdain for the city of Davos.  “What a piece of shit,” his host family would proudly exclaim with nearly uncomfortable frequency at the dinner table.  He never understood why, but he was not allowed to wear purple under any circumstances within his host’s household.

 

Zurich was mesmerizing by any definition, and what he had grown to understand was impressive architecture in his home country paled in comparison once he familiarized himself with the intricacies of Switzerland’s financial hub.  Living with two boys, he learned to appreciate hockey as the local sport and would watch it with them outside of his studies.  “Why don’t you play?” one brother asked,” do they have ice in Chile?”  To which, Content explained that the only sport you are allowed to play in South America is soccer (the real name of the sport).  After a few weeks of instigating conversation and poking the proverbial bear, Content rented some skates and spent a few weeks learning the trades of skating on ice.  It wasn’t long before the next step, which was organized hockey.  Skating with a stick in my hand?  What’s next?  He thought to himself.  He had just learned how to stay on his feet!

 

Fast forward a few years, and you wouldn’t have recognized the hardened lean male from the surf town boy who loved to sketch buildings in his free time.  Content took about two years to find himself, but the hockey experience eventually picked up.  First it was the skating that really took off; swift and long strides that could help him accelerate with ease.  Second came the vision; Content appreciated this and reminds everyone that his awareness on the ice is due to him “not really knowing where to go” when playing for the first few months, so instead he would just watch (yes, his coaches typically benched him when he was caught doing this).  There were clear holes in his game, but even after the first few months of organized play, Forum tried to stick around for another semester.  It didn’t work out.

 

Back in Chile, Forum begged and begged his parents to help him find another outlet to continue playing.  The only option was in the capital Santiago, which was a two-hour drive each way.  After a brief hiatus, Content was allowed to attend private school in Santiago, where a club team had their foot in a prep league for hockey.  Content moved back a few hours east and settled into yet another new living situation.

 

Looking back, Forum would tell you that the prep league had become somewhat boring rather quickly, as he began overwhelming the opposition almost instantly once he got onto the ice.  This was nothing compared to Zurich.  He thought to himself.  Immediately recognizing his mistake, Content put his studies on the back burner and investigated prospective schools in America where he could, at the very least, prepare for a potential future in hockey.  Worst-case scenario, he would be able to get a good degree and continue his studies.  A week into his winter break, Content found the VHLM and wanted to put his name into the league for consideration.  He attended a prospect camp in Dallas, Texas with his family the following spring, and although he was not strongly considered for the draft, coaches had suggested he stick around and hone his skills.  With growth, they said, Content would be able to work his way into the league.

 

Three years later and a few seasons under his belt at a local college in nearby Waco, Texas, Content was accepted into the VHLM Entry Level Draft for their 92^nd iteration of the event, and was lucky enough to be picked by Saskatoon tenth overall.

[UghSike 211]