2/24/99

Steve: Nick, this will be your first interview with the Bucs, so we need to get a little background information. Where were you born and where do you call home?

Nick: I was born in Jackson, Michigan. I have lived there all my life until about three years ago. Jackson is in Southern Michigan in the lower peninsula. It is about a half hour south of Lansing and about an hour west of Detroit.

Steve: How big of a city is it?

Nick: 20,000, I think. Maybe a little bigger, I’m not sure.

Steve: What is your background in hockey? When did you first start playing?

Nick: I started playing probably when I was three or four and I have been playing ever since.

Steve: How did you get interested in hockey then? Did your parents just take you out?

Nick: Yeah, my dad started me, you know, just through a learn to skate program. Then, you know, eventually I just started playing house leagues and then travel leagues and then all the way up to here.

Steve: So did anybody in your family play hockey? Did your dad play hockey?

Nick: Yeah, just my dad. His family was big in hockey.

Steve: Where did he play hockey at?

Nick: He just played locally around Jackson.

Steve: So he got you started. Is this the only sport you ever played then?

Nick: No, I played baseball in high school and I played golf when I was younger. I played basketball when I was in junior high. I played a little football, not too much though.

Steve: So when did you first find out that you really wanted to pursue hockey? I assume you played in high school hockey.

Nick: Right.

Steve: Tell me who you played for.

Nick: I played just travel leagues around Jackson until my freshman year. Then I started playing AAA hockey in the Michigan National Hockey League for the West Michigan Warriors. I played there for two years, and then my junior year I started juniors in the North American Hockey League with the Cleveland Barons. I came here after a couple of years there.

Steve: How did you find out about the NAHL? How did that all happen? Basically, they just came to me. I got drafted into their league after my sophomore year. After looking them over, I decided to make the jump and go to juniors then. I was pretty young but I did it. It has worked out so far.

Steve: How did you come to play for the Bucs?

Nick: I had a pretty decent year last year for them and we weren’t a very strong team. Coach Owens noticed it and sent me some stuff and made a few contacts. I came out here to watch a game at the end of last year’s playoffs and liked what I saw, liked the area. I talked with a few other people, and they told me it would probably be best to come out here for this year.

Steve: So the NAHL is the same league that the Compuware Ambassadors are in?

Nick: Yeah, Compuware, Springfield and Danville.

Steve: So how do you like playing in the USHL versus the NAHL?

Nick: It is an older league, whereas most of the guys in this league are between 18 and 20. The other league had a lot of 16 and 17 year olds in it. The pace is a little quicker. The atmospheres are a lot better out here. I think it prepares you more for college better in that aspect, as well as everything else.

Steve: When did you first notice that you really wanted to play hockey? You said you played baseball and other sports.

Nick: Well, I started playing AAA in high school and that took a lot of commitment. Because I was going to play JV football and stuff there and practices interfered with that, so I decided just to focus on hockey. Then once I did that for a couple of years, and then juniors came around, I decided to make that jump.

Steve: So you really didn’t have much of a high school life at all, did you?

Nick: Nope.

Steve: Were you always gone? How did you work that out?

Nick: Well, I was home my freshman and sophomore years and my junior I left. I left for that full year.

Steve: That was with the Cleveland Barons?

Nick: Yeah. And then my senior year I went back to Cleveland. At the end of that year, I came home and graduated with my class so that was all right. But as far as, I never went to any homecomings or any other things like that. I did go to a couple proms though; I had time for that but that is about it.

Steve: We need to get some other information. Tell us a little bit about your family. You say you grew up in Jackson. Do you have brothers and sisters?

Nick: Yeah. I have an older sister. She is, I think, 27. She is married and has a daughter who is going to be two in April. I have an older brother who is, I think, 24. He is actually in the Army. He is in Germany doing time over there, and his wife lives there. I have a younger brother who is 15 and lives at home. He is a sophomore.

Steve: Any of your brothers or sisters play hockey?

Nick: My younger brother does. He plays on midget travel leagues around home. He also plays baseball.

Steve: He might be a future Buc?

Nick: I don’t know. I don’t know if he has the drive for it.

Steve: Any other hobbies you like to do when you’re not playing hockey during the summers?

Nick: In the summer, you know, we are home for a little while so it’s nice just to be able to hang out and do stuff with friends that you don’t see too often. You know, I like to work out and golf and that type of thing. So basically we just like to hang out and have fun over the summer.

Steve: What are your future plans? Now you’re eligible to play for the Bucs for what, this year and next year maybe?

Nick: I think next year would be my last year, but I’m not going to play here next year. I’m going to go to college.

Steve: Have you got any ideas where you would like to go, or do you have any offers?

Nick: Yeah, I have been talking to Ferris State and Michigan State and I will probably know within the next week where I’m going to be at.

Steve: Well, let’s get some of the other things that people like to know. What is your favorite food and dessert?

Nick: I don’t really have a favorite food. I like Chinese pretty much. I like fettucine alfredo. Nothing in particular, I guess. As far as desserts go, the same story. Nothing in particular, just stuff that is good.

Steve: Do you have any favorite type of music you like to listen to?

Nick: I listen to a variety actually. I listen to country a lot. I listen to just, you know, regular hip hop music on the radio, rock, anything.

Steve: Now you mentioned that you were looking at Michigan State and Ferris State. Is there any specific reason why you kind of like those colleges? What do you like about them?

Nick: First of all, they are both Division I schools in the CCHA, which is close to home. Closer traveling distant for your family and friends, you know. They are both good hockey schools, as well academically. I grew up paying attention to those type of schools right around there, so it’s nice to be able to get a chance to play for one of them.

Steve: Do you have any ideas of what your major may be in?

Nick: I have been thinking about just business right now. I am not real sure. But I am kind of interested in sports management or something along that line.

Steve: This is a great year to come to the Bucs obviously with 40 wins and counting. What has it been like this year for you? Why are we doing so well, in your opinion.?

Nick: First of all, I think we have got a good nucleus of players here. We have got an old team for juniors with the guys that have a lot of experience and that helps a lot. I mean, obviously you guys have lots of talent here. We have got, I think, seven guys signed to go to Division I already and probably a few more, I would assume. I think basically the coaches here just do a good job of brining in players, and they can sell their product real well here. That helps out a lot.

Steve: Is there any USHL team you like to play or any rink you like to play?

Nick: To tell you the truth, I like Sioux City’s arena. I think it is kind of a neat type of place. I mean, the ice is obviously a lot smaller and that’s not real nice, but the arena itself I like. I like playing in Lincoln too. That is a fun place to play at.

Steve: Any place you don’t like to go to?

Nick: Green Bay. I don’t like that at all. I don’t know why.

Steve: Well, this is going to be your last interview with the Bucs. We would just like to thank you for coming to play. Is there anything you would like to tell the fans out there?

Nick: Yeah. Where I have played in the past, you know, there hasn’t been too much fan support and this is my first year to play with an actual fan base. To tell you the truth, it’s a lot nicer to come in a rink knowing that there are going to be people supporting you. As far as that goes, there are tons of them out there. I mean, just throughout the city, you know, things like that and the games. It’s just nice to have people there for you.