tommy shelby

[Will 4,662]

Tommy Shelby
Age: 22
Position: C
Height: 6' 0"
Weight: 190lbs

 

Born in Birmingham, Halifax 21st centreman Tommy Shelby's life did not follow the 'typical' path of a VHLM player. In fact, he only started playing a few short years ago when he was 18. Prior to that, he had a difficult childhood and led a rather tumultuous life that is worthy of a novel or a TV series. 

 

With his father passing away at a young age, Shelby's family consisted of his mother, two brothers, and a close aunt. The family was not well off, and although his mother worked various part time jobs, they always seemed to be just scraping by. As the boys got older, the family's plight led them to developing an entrepreneurial mindset and they spent their days trying to make some extra money anyway that they could. In the beginning it was normal kid stuff like selling lemonade on the streets but over time their business practices got a little more sketchy and they began to run various hustles like stealing and reselling goods and loansharking small amounts to other kids. Their drive paid off and in addition to making a name for themselves in the local community, the money they were bringing in was making a big difference in their homelife and had lifted the family out of poverty. On account of this, their mother fully embraced her sons growing business. 

 

As these things go, their lines of business continued to expand and the amount of risk they were willing to take on continued to increase. By the time Tommy was 16, the brothers were running gambling rings and engaged in the drug trade. And through a connection with a local liquor store, they were purchasing massive quantities of alcohol an reselling it at massive markups to their underage peers. The trio had long stopped attending school at this point and were generally consumed with conducting their business and bringing in cash. Although they didn't have much time for sport, the boys would, on occasion, pull the net out of the garage and play some street hockey. When they were kids this always their go to sport when the sun was shining and although they played less as they got older, they never completely abandoned it and tended to retreat back to it when they were having a tough time with the business. 

 

Unfortunately for the brothers, the success andd profit that they had come to enjoy didn't last very long. The fact is, this isn't 1920 and these types of things don't stay secret for long in the age of cameras everywhere. In the face of insurmountable evidence against them, all 3 brothers reached plea agreements with prosecutors. The agreements called for siezure of all proceeds of their crimes, a short stint in juvenie detention and lengthy community service. 

 

In detention, the brothers once again retreated to their old past time and Tommy started a street hockey league in the yard. The league was a huge success and the winning team (which was the Shelby team) even had a match against a team of guards. When Tommy was released, he was just shy of his 18th birthday and he knew that he had a choice to make. He could revert to his old habits, make some good money for awhile but he knew that eventually he would be caught and this time he wouldn't be considered a kid. Or he could find a legal way to have the life he wanted. 

 

As part of his community service, Shelby began volunteering at the local rink and it was here that he noticed an advertisement for tryouts for a local U18 team. Despite most of hockey experience being on the street with a ball, Shelby didn't hesitate to sign up and began devoting his time to hockey. He convinced the rink manager to let him use the ice overnight and would spend hours and hours practicing. Tryout day came and, perhaps partly due to his training and partly due to low turnout, he made the team. He was no superstar when he started that season but he continued to work at it relentlessly and he would later credit his coaches and teammates from that obscure team as teaching to him to be the player he is today. 

 

By the end of the season, Tommy was the best player on the ice, every game. One of Shelby's coaches was so impressed with his progress that he set up a tryout for Shelby with a professional team the following season. It came as no surprise to the coach when Shelby made it. And it was shortly after this that Shelby's new coach introuced him to a personal friend of his - former VHL player, commissioner, and agent Don Draper. Draper had been retired and this meeting was simply meant to be an opporunity for Shelby to get some career advice. By the end of the meeting, Shelby had convinced Draper to be his agent and get him on the fast track to the VHLM. 

 

And now, partway through his first VHLM season, Shelby has his sights set on the VHL Entry Draft. 

[LucyXpher 1,585]

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