10-29-2008, 05:19 PM
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#45
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All Star
OVR: 27
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Hamilton, Ont.
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Re: The Career of Bryan Hurst (NHL 09: Be A Pro)
Oct. 10, 2008
My debut as a professional hockey player with the Rockford IceHogs yesterday was one of the best days of my life.
I was on the ice for both of our first two goals and I scored in the second period on a one-timer in the high slot to make it 4-1.
I was sitting there on the bench after the goal thinking wouldn’t it be great if my family could have been here for my first pro goal. They live in Ontario and I figured it was just be too far and too expensive for them to travel here.
Was I ever wrong.
As I was leaving the ice after the game to go to our dressing room , I heard a woman call my name from the stand. It didn’t hit me the first time, but then the second time I recognized my mom’s voice cry out “Bryan.” It was that unmistakable voice. The voice that called me in for supper from street hockey games as a kid; the urgent voice that called me out to the car on a frigid morning, worried that I would be late for a midget practise.
I looked up in the stands and there was my mom, dad and sister looking down at me. They were standing near the area where we leave the ice.
“Bryan, you must have your head in the sky,” said my dad. “Your mother has been yelling your name about a dozen times and I’ve been waving at you like I was signaling a plane to land.”
I was nearly speechless when I saw them there. I think the look on my face must have given my surprise away.
“You didn’t think we we’re going to miss your first pro game,” my sister said.
“Wow, you must have gotten great seats to be this close,” I said, struggling to find the right words.
“No, we were sitting way up there,” said dad, pointing toward the rafters. “We ran down here as quickly as we could once the game ended.”
“It’s great that you’re here. Did you see me score?” I asked.
“No, we were busy eating hot dogs,” my dad said sarcastically “Of course, we saw you score. Luckiest one-time ever.”
It was just like my dad to minimize my achievements. He is always worried when things go well that things might go too well, that I’ll turn into some egomaniac who won’t have time anymore for his parents.
“I’ve got to go back into the dressing room, but I’ll change as soon as I can and then I’ll buy you guys a late dinner.”
Now it was there time to look surprised.
There’s nothing like sharing the best moments of your life with your family. We had a great time over dinner and they shared with me the story of how they had planned the trip for weeks, secured tickets from the public relations office and drove 10 hours to make it in time for the game.
They’re leaving tomorrow. It was a short trip for them and most of it spent in a car, but it meant everything to me.
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