Emil Passerelli Biography [2/2]

[SparrowLTD 14]

 

 

Emil Passerelli
Born: Utica, New York, United States (age 19)
Height: 5’10” (178cm)
Weight: 160lb (73kg)
Position: Right Wing
Shoots: Right

 

Early Life

Emil Passerelli was born to Italian immigrants Claudio and Silvia Passerelli in the city of Utica, New York. From a young age, he was encouraged by both of his parents to try whatever sport interested him, which led to a few years of testing the waters in soccer, football, and hockey. By the age of 7, Emil grew disinterested with the former two sports, deciding instead to focus his attention on learning as much about hockey as he could. While neither of his parents were familiar with hockey themselves, they reached out to friends in the neighborhood to make sure that Emil had as many resources as he needed in order to learn the game. He played in a number of youth leagues in his early years, but the boy was certain that his main priority would always be his education.
 

Growing up on the East Side meant that Emil was constantly surrounded by Italian-American culture; at 10, the boy was fluent in both English and Italian, and due to the diaspora of many Latin American immigrants across the state of New York (especially so in East Utica), he quickly picked up Spanish as well. His knack for languages in addition to his charming and personable demeanor meant that he never had difficulty making friends, and he was always well-liked on his teams.

High School
It wasn’t until high school that Emil’s love for the sport of hockey became serious; this wasn’t something he had foreseen. While he adored both watching and playing hockey, he didn’t quite have confidence that he’d ever amount to anything beyond his adolescence. This changed when multiple friends decided to try out for the boys ice hockey team in his freshman year at Mohawk Valley High School, and Emil decided to join them. Thanks to his average build, his coaches were able to mold him into a good all-rounder, but Emil quickly found success on the wing due to his speed and ability to pick out perfect passes. While his shooting skills left a little to be desired, the freshman cemented himself as a valuable play-maker in his first season, with 28 points (4 goals, 24 assists) from 19 appearances, although the Raiders did not end up going to the state tournament.

At the end of his first year in high school, Emil found himself at a fork in the road. According to his coaches and his teammates, he had what it takes to make it to the pros. At the same time, he wasn’t sure that his parents would approve of him putting his education on the backburner in order to become a better player. When asked what influenced his final decision, Passerelli had this to say:

“I went to my mother and father after the school year ended and I told them exactly what was going on in my head. Looking back on it, I poured my heart out. I talked about the coach’s comments, my team’s praise and my own obsession with the sport and when I had finally exhausted all the words I could muster, I just remember them grinning. Papa just told me that both he and Mamma had known all along that I’d come down this path, and they would always be in full support, no matter what. I remember that conversation as clear as day. That was the day I knew where my destiny lay.”

 

The individual success he found playing varsity hockey was only exacerbated in the following seasons, and in his junior year Emil helped lift Mohawk Valley’s first ever state championship after a shootout win at Memorial Auditorium in Utica, touted as being one of the greatest upsets in the tournament’s history. Following their Cinderella run, Emil continued to flourish on the right wing, ending the regular season of his senior year with an astonishing 44 points (10 goals, 34 assists) from 20 appearances. The Raiders unfortunately fell in the semi-finals of the state championship, leaving the young man with a slightly sour taste in his mouth moving toward graduation. Doubt beset him; individually, he was a star. His team, however... had his team held him back? He quickly banished that line of thought. No, no. If he was meant to go further, then the chips would fall in the right way.

 

College

Graduating at the age of 17, Emil accepted a scholarship to play for Boston College’s men’s ice hockey team, moving from his hometown of Utica with a fair few tearful goodbyes. The baby bird was finally leaving the nest, and in his mind he felt that he would be forced to fly or else end up a smear in the dirt. With the help of his charisma and overall outgoing personality, the young and hungry New York native made many friends in his new home in the colder reaches of the Northeast, adjusting quickly to his new life as a college student and hockey player. Just as had occurred in high school, his coaches at Boston College saw the wellspring of untapped potential that lay within him, and they brought out the best in Emil.

 

In his first two years at Boston College, Emil assisted his team in bringing home back-to-back Hockey East Tournament championships. Along with that, the Eagles reached the Frozen Four twice, and in his sophomore year he led the team to the NCAA National Championship, losing to the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs 4-2.

 

It was at the end of this incredible run that Emil Passerelli felt as though he was ready for the next stage in his life: beginning his career as a professional ice hockey player. At the age of 19, he signed a rookie deal with the Saskatoon Wild for $1.5 million, vowing to enjoy his life no matter where his career led him and vowing to never forget his roots as a kid on the East Side of Utica, playing hockey in the street with his friends.

[rjfryman 1,120]

It was an enjoyable read. My favorite part would have to be the quote Passerelli makes in the middle of the bio. It gives more character to Passerelli than simply commenting on what he did and that he was at a crossroads. I also enjoyed the inner turmoil he faced when his teams lost but he was having great seasons. Not that I want to encourage cocky players but it would have been interesting from a character arch to see him lean more into that and get it kicked out of him in college after some battle for a position with another equally talented teammate. All in all very good bio.

[RunnerBert11 57]

Review: All the details from start to finish really create a visual of this player and bring him to life. I totally agree with rjfryman on this, the quote in the middle immediately hooked me on the bio and really brought more dimension to the player and his background. Being a student athlete myself I can relate to a lot of these experiences and feelings that you portrayed. Overall great write-up and this player's career has really caught my attention. Looking forward to seeing you out on the ice once this season starts rolling.