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Spirit Players Are Asked: “How Do You Like Saginaw?’
You’re a teenager who aims to play junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League, in which 27 of the 30 franchises actually are in Ontario. However, your personal destination instead becomes a remote outpost in Michigan, known as Saginaw. You curiously look on a map and there you see it: Saginaw, down by the base of the mitten map’s thumb and forefinger. Saginaw? What’s going through your young mind? We asked some Saginaw Spirit veterans:
• Jordan Skellett, 19, of London, Ontario: “It would be nice to play at home or closer to home, but wherever I’m wanted is where I’ll go. This is a quiet, small town and a good hockey town. Hockey doesn’t seem to be a Number One priority like in Canada, but it’s nice to see our fans come out.” • Tyler Murovich, 19, of Pittsburgh: “I visited before I signed, and the community was really great. The people around the Spirit were first class, and it seemed like a great junior hockey town.” • Ryan Schnell, 19, of Cary and Itasca, Illinois: “The Saginaw Spirit came to me with an opportunity; they needed a role filled. I felt that I could play well here, and being a U.S. citizen, it’s good to stay home when you can.” • Joe Pleckaitis, 19, of, of Markham, Ontario: “At first, I felt that playing and living in the States would be a little different, but when I came here, the people with the Spirit treated me like home. You are here for one reason, to play hockey, and the organization makes us feel comfortable here.” • Jordan Szwarz, 18, of Burlington, Ontario: “My initial thought was, where is this place? But Craig Goslin and Dick Garber talked to me about Saginaw and made me think this is a great place. They also talked about the team, and the fan support for the Spirit. Being four hours from home can be pretty tough, and the fan support we have is second to none.” The young men, especially those who attended Nouvel Catholic Central, noted that football and basketball are the primary sports here in mid-Michigan. Still, they say that folks who take interest in hockey are extremely loyal. Tyler Murovich has experience in this regard, growing up in Pittsburgh, home of the six-time Super Bowl champion Steelers. Tyler says there still is room for the Penguins, who conquered our Red Wings to win the Stanley Cup last June. He grew up in a hockey family, describing his father as a “long-time season ticket holder” from way back in the Penguins’ vintage era of Mario Lemieux and friends. “I started playing hockey because of my Dad and the Penguins,” Tyler Murovich says. Maybe these young Saginaw Spirit players will have a similar impact on young boys (and yes, girls too) in their adopted hometown. |
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