Matteo Stefano - Small stature, big heart

[mmrs617 398]

"Work hard, get in the dirty areas, don't let anyone's effort out-match yours, and most importantly, have a great time." Those are the words that Matteo Stefano's father has told him before every game and every practice as far back as he can remember. Those are the words that have motivated Stefano to strive for what many have deemed extremely unlikely or even impossible, reach the VHL. 

 

Matteo Stefano is a first-generation Canadian, born to Italian parents. From a young age, Stefano struggled in school. Although he had a love for stories and books, he had trouble with reading and writing. He couldn't keep the words straight in his mind. He and his parents chalked it up to the language barrier, as he spoke primarily Italian at home, but soon found out that Stefano was dyslexic. Determined to not let this impede his love for literacy, he would sit at the dining table for hours with his father practicing and coming up with strategies to overcome the challenges he faced. This was Stefano's first introduction to adversity, and the first glimpse into his unmatched work ethic.

 

Something Stefano didn't have any trouble picking up was a pair of skates. When he was 7-years-old, Stefano was introduced to figure skating, and it was apparent that he had some natural skill. If he wanted, he could have used those skills to compete at a very high level, but he took the words of his father very seriously: "Have a great time". Figure skating left something to be desired in Stefano, and he knew exactly what it was when he saw his first hockey game. Although he had the skating ability, placing a stick in his hands created an entirely different story. This was Stefano's second bout with adversity. So he worked at it and he improved by leaps and bounds in a short amount of time. His father says "Matteo created a strict regime for himself. He would come home from school, finish his homework, then go to the garage and practice. He would handle the puck and shoot for hours, only taking a break to eat his supper. It would wear me out just looking at the work he put in, but I don't think I have ever seen him not smiling when he has that stick in his hand." It is that unbridled enthusiasm for the game that sets Stefano apart from others. He is a workhorse, but also never passes up the opportunity to help a teammate. By the age of 12, Stefano had competed in every major hockey competition he could, often being awarded for his sportsmanship and leadership.

 

As the years went on, Stefano's competition grew in ability and size. This is where Stefano's third major run in with adversity hit, and unfortunately, it has to do with something which no amount of effort could fix: his size. Although Stefano was quick on his feat and had the hockey sense his 5'5" frame was a deal breaker for many coaches and managers. He began to be turned away from teams he had previously been high on the list for consideration. He was told it was "for safety reasons" and "uncertainty of long-term effects." Though his confidence would waver at times, his experience with overcoming challenges just continued to feed his work ethic. His size was too much of a risk factor for teams to take a chance on, but it seemed as though his effort was recognized by the other players. Many of Stefano's previous teammates would contest the manager's decision to not take him on. This seemed to fall on deaf ears until the father of one player happen to be granted ownership of an expansion team and could not believe that Stefano was not yet on a team. Stefano was offered the first ever contract for the team and named captain for the inaugural season. He went on to score 68 points (26 goals, 42 assists) in 40 games. Even through the tough run Stefano faced, he is too humble to tell you that. When asked about that season, Stefano always speaks to the effort of his teammates and their massive feat of having no player's plus/minus in the negatives. He speaks about his appreciation for the opportunity to show that he can compete at the highest level possible, and that he will continue to strive for improvement.

 

Despite his size, there is no one that can match Stefano's heart. He exudes an overwhelming positivity and love for the game of hockey that I has not seen in a long time, and he is ready to take that to the next level. Stefano has set his sight on the VHL, and if I've learned anything from looking into this young man's life, there's nothing that will stop him from getting there.
 

Edited April 3, 2024 by mmrs617