Who is Jack Ryan?

[Keenan 5]

Who Is Jack Ryan?

 

 

 

Jack Ryan was born in a small town in Kansas, almost the last place that anyone would think of when they hear hockey, but through all the adversity he has persevered. Growing up it was difficult for him to find a sport he liked playing. He tried everything from Baseball to Football to Soccer to Basketball but none of them scratched the itch that he had, an itch for something greater. That's when he saw the flyer in his high school. 

 

"Floor Hockey, starting after school on November 3rd". Hmmm..... hockey. The sport had always interested him, but in Kansas hockey is about as popular as professional speed walking, that is to say, not at all. He figured he'd give it a go, even if it would be pretty far from the professional leagues that he would stream games from at any chance, it was a start.

 

Picking up the plastic hockey stick just felt natural, and even though it was a very laid back atmosphere (as most club sports are) Ryan would always give it all every game and more often than not would find a way to let his team win, whether it be with crisp passes to his teammates, his booming shot, or the fact that he'd risk skinned knees and bruised shins in order to get in front of any shot he could. After one game a few fellow players approached Ryan in the locker room and told him about their roller hockey league a few towns over, they were on a mid-tier team and really needed a defenseman to play the back end and give his all to help their goalie keep the puck out of the net. He agreed and soon found how difficult skating could be, but through training as often as he could, Ryan soon got the hang of being on skates and was able to help his new team bring home the cup. Although he wasn't as offensively gifted as the other players, his ability to read plays and stop opponent's scoring chances was second to none.

 

Ryan skated with the team for a couple more years until it was time for college when he made his choice to study in Minnesota. He figured although he wouldn't crack he roster on his school's team, there would be plentiful men's league teams for him to play on. His first few weeks of school were all about setting in, but once he got used to living on his own he began playing in recreation leagues and loved it. After one of his games a man in a suit approached him. The man represented the VHL and told Ryan about the exciting league. Ryan would be able to play against some of the top players in the world in the VHL, which he thought could really help him hone his craft. He thanked the man and took his card, saying he'd think about it even though his mind was already made up.

 

Jack Ryan is joining the VHL!

 

Ryan's Strengths:

• Defense: Ryan Considers himself a defensive defender. His day isn't complete until he has blocked multiple shots and helped his goalie out of any jams that occur when he is on the ice. He prides himself on his excellent positioning and decision making on the defensive side of the puck.
• Passing: While always more focused on the defensive side than the offensive side, when Ryan does get the puck in the offensive zone he is able to make great passes to his teammates. He also excels at passing the puck up to his forwards in order to start a rush. The majority of Ryan's points in his career will be coming from assists.
• Checking: What kind of a defender would Ryan be if he wasn't a skilled checker? Obviously not the best one he could be. Ryan is able to cancel out many opposing forwards with big hits and often uses those opportunities to jar the puck lose and give his forwards the puck.

Ryan's Weaknesses:

• ​Scoring: If there is one major knock on Ryan's game, it's his lack of a scoring touch. Ryan will never be one to put the puck in the net with any regularity. His over reliance on his passing means sometimes he'll pass away a puck when he has a really good lane to shoot, and with his scoring lacking he may hesitate to pull the trigger from time to time, giving opposing goalies more time to set up.
• Skating: Compared to others in the VHL, Ryan's hockey career is fairly young, not having started playing until high school. As such his skating isn't as refined as the others in the league. He is still able to position himself fairly well, but in the event of a breakaway, Ryan would be hard-pressed to catch up to opposing forwards.
• Puck Handling: Sometimes Ryan has difficulty handling passes that come in too hot in the offensive zone, leading to them hopping over his stick and having to have the whole team regroup before trying again. He is also someone you don't want going for you in the shootout, as he doesn't really have any dekes to put to use against opposing goalies, and as mentioned previously his shot leaves much to be desired.

Edited November 21, 2013 by WouldYouKindly?

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

This is very well written, but I'd recommend checking out the Biography grading rubric again. There are a couple of things you're missing, most notably a pros and cons section. While this would make a great media spot, you'd be missing out on some of the TPE you could get from a biography.

[Keenan 5]

This is very well written, but I'd recommend checking out the Biography grading rubric again. There are a couple of things you're missing, most notably a pros and cons section. While this would make a great media spot, you'd be missing out on some of the TPE you could get from a biography.

Fixed it up, thanks

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

Overview: 3/3 - First off, welcome to the League! I hope you've enjoyed your stay so far. In general, this was a pretty solid biography, especially since you're new to the league and there many others to use as guidelines since we moved websites. You're right, Kansas isn't particularly thought of as a hockey state, but that didn't stop the Penguins from almost moving to Kansas City! I'm sure Ryan will find success in his VHL career, especially since defenseman can always find a home.

 

Grammar: 1.75/2 - A somewhat long list, but four of them are essentially the same mistake.

 

Baseball = baseball

Football = football

Soccer = soccer

Basketball = basketball

over, they = over. They

crack he roster = crack the roster

Ryan Considers = Ryan considers

 

Presentation: 1/1 - Solid.

 

Pros: 1.75/2 - A solid group of pros, but they aren't quite close to 200 words.

 

Cons: 2/2 - A solid group of pros and over 200 words.

 

Overall: 9.5/10

[Doomsday 4,034]

Overview: 3/3 - Very impressive job here for a first generation player! Hope to see you around some more, because you could be off to a great start here!

 

Grammar: 1.75/2 - I didn't see anything else, but overall not too bad. You'll fix all that in no time!

 

Presentation: 1/1 - Beautifully done, sir.

 

Pros: 1.75/2 - A bit short, but what you do have is good.

 

Cons: 2/2 - Perfecto!

 

Overall: 9.5/10 - Great start to your career with 10 TPE!

 

FINAL: 10/10