Slow Start, Late Entry – Apollo Comes to the Minors [1/2]

[Renomitsu 934]

SASKATOON, SK - Apollo Hackett is used to being ahead of the game.

 

A year ago, Apollo was speeding along to his college degree, intending to finish his undergraduate degree in three years and moving on to graduate work in the life sciences. Life was predictable, in spite of being ahead of schedule – but let’s save the character-building bits for later, shall we?

 

Somehow, some way, this young defenseman endured and was motivated by the career of his uncle Saul – a defenseman who failed to live up to his ‘destiny’ and flamed out of the Victory Hockey League some twenty seasons ago. In spite of the considerable trials overcome en route to the professional league, Apollo considered his uncle’s few seasons to be squandered potential – a road block to be overcome in scouting.

 

“I’m proud of Uncle Saul for making it to the majors in the first place – don’t get me wrong, it’s an incredible achievement,” the nineteen-year-old stated in a press conference last year.

 

“But I think our family deserves a chance at redemption. A shot at a legacy he wanted rather than the one he achieved. My uncle has a lot of lessons for me to learn from; a lot of wisdom to dispense.”

 

For some, the younger Hackett’s remarks may be construed as a slight against his relative – but the two defensemen have nothing but respect for one another.

 

“I’ve always been told failure is the greatest teacher,” the senior Hackett noted, “and I’ve a lot to teach my American nephew.”

 

In spite of Apollo’s apparent academic acumen, he has a lot of development left to do. A pair of American scouts have posited that he has only a handful of years on the ice under his belt – and at times, it shows. He’s occasionally less than graceful in tight space, and some of his fundamentals – passing, handling, basic scoring skills – could use some work.

 

“Frankly, he’s a long-term project for any team, even in the minors,” one of our sources stated, “there are a lot of rookie – even worse than rookie – mistakes he makes; it’s not always pretty.”

 

“He’ll be riding the bench for a while, but a proper mentor will be a significant boon for him.”

 

On Friday, Hackett was offered a short-term contract with the Saskatoon Wild – a couple of weeks into a grueling season that has seen the team from Saskatchewan jump from third to last, with a rebound up to seventh in the league’s most recent games. The defenseman has had a chance to ride the pine for a pair of games and has shown rapid adjustment over just the last few days.

 

“Access to training facilities and a chance to shadow some of my teammates has been really important,” Apollo noted in a brief interview on Saturday.

 

“Honestly, just adjusting to the schedule of the league – with or without time on the ice – has been something of a challenge.”

 

Hackett’s current contract – and the Wild’s current depth at defense – suggest that he may see play time sooner rather than later, but it’s hard to levy judgment on the team with such an unpolished prospect. Will the American teenager have to learn on the fly with opposing minor leaguers, or is the team even sure he’s ready to take the ice at all?

 

It’s a fast moving league, and Apollo’s not exactly ahead of the game.

[Renomitsu 934]

Woof. Give me some time to get back into writing media spots! It's been a little while, and quality will return with experience. Looking forward to working on these in the future!

Edited March 18, 2019 by Renomitsu

[Peace 1,562]

You’ll be in the lineup ASAP!

[TheLastOlympian07 2,388]

Review

I think even though you weren't happy with the quality of this article. I think it was well written. Nice start to your writing career back in the VHL but we all know how great you really are.