3/03/99

Steve: Jerrid, this is your first interview with the Buccaneers so let’s get a little background information. Where were you born, where do you call home, and where did you grow up?

Jerrid: I was born in Golden Valley, Minnesota. I grew up in Ramsey, Minnesota, which is considered part of Anoka. I grew up playing for Anoka hockey and I have lived there my whole life.

Steve: So tell me about some of the teams you’ve played for.

Jerrid: I played on the Anoka squirt teams and peewees and the high school team. When I was 16, I had a chance to experience playing on the Select 16 USA team, the national team. We went to New Brunswick, Canada and that was an experience of a lifetime too, just playing with all those good guys.

Steve: So you grew up playing with Bill Birrenkott and Dan Donnette and those guys?

Jerrid: Yeah. I was the same age as Billy and Danny and Josh Flynn too. We were all on the same teams growing up, all the way from like squirts to high school and then I was fortunate enough to come down here and play with them again.

Steve: You said you had played for the Select 16 and you went up to Canada. Tell a little bit about that experience.

Jerrid: Well, it was a national team. There is a tryout every year for the Select 16’s and Select 17’s, and I think now there is a Select 15 team. And there are three tryouts and I just made all three. We went to Canada and there was a tournament up there, but we didn’t do too hot. I mean, we played Finland and Sweden, I think, and it was amazing just playing all those different countries and stuff.

Steve: When you play somebody like Finland or Sweden, do they play the same style of hockey?

Jerrid: I think the foreign teams that we played were more like skilled. They were better skilled players, I thought, and they tried to make plays. They were always circling through the neutral zone and trying to get a play developed. I think the US players would just dump it in or something and try to forecheck. But I think the difference is that the foreign teams try to make plays and are more skilled, I think.

Steve: Now Anoka has got quite a hockey program. I mean, they are known throughout the country for their hockey.

Jerrid: Yeah. The coach was Billy’s dad and he coached us all the way since we were peewees, I think. So I really didn’t experience another coach until I came down here. Yeah, Anoka has really got a good program. Last year we took second in the state tournament. The year before that with Danny and Billy and those guys, we took fifth. We had a pretty good high school career.

Steve: So how did you end up playing for the Bucs?

Jerrid: Well, they protect Anoka’s rights so, I don’t know, it’s just the way it turned out. You know, everybody came down here, and I didn’t want to go anywhere else. I chose Des Moines all the way and they had the rights so I just came down here.

Steve: So you tried out for the team obviously, and that is how it came about?

Jerrid: Yeah.

Steve: Had you seen any Buccaneer games before you tried out?

Jerrid: Well, I saw two of them. When they played the Twin Cities my senior year, I came and watched them play. But I never came to a Bucs game down here. So it was a new thing for me when I stepped onto the ice.

Steve: So what did you think of it?

Jerrid: It was amazing. The fans are louder than heck and it’s weird. They really can change a game for you. If you go into a place like we have here, you know, it’s a lot harder to play. Like in high school, road games were just like another game, you know. But at this level it is a totally different game.

Steve: So have your parents been able to come down and see you play at all?

Jerrid: Yeah, my parents actually come down quite a lot. I get a lot of people ragging on me, you know. Well, your parents come down so much. But, yeah, it’s nice to have them come down all the time and it kind of doesn’t make you realize that you’re away from home that long, you know, so it is actually a good thing.

Steve: Actually, a couple weeks ago there was a family reunion up in the stands or something. There were like 30 Reinholzs up there - and they were all crazy, yelling and screaming.

Jerrid: Yeah. My dad likes to get people to come down here, and he is always telling people to come down to Des Moines. Come down to Des Moines; it is so fun. That weekend it was Valentine’s weekend when they came down. There was like 22 of them or something, I think.

Steve: There are a couple of non-hockey related questions I would like to ask you - what is your favorite dessert?

Jerrid: Favorite dessert... I would probably have to say apple pie. I really like apple pie and whenever it is there I eat it.

Steve: How about your favorite food?

Jerrid: Favorite food. I don’t know. I guess I really like pizza. I mean, I am just kind of the garbage kid, you know. I like steaks but they can get sickening, you know, so I like the garbage stuff.

Steve: What is the best thing about Des Moines since you’ve been here, other than hockey?

Jerrid: I would say the weather. I like the weather a lot better down here. It is a lot milder, I would say. It’s not as cold.

Steve: Now how many more years of eligibility do you have with the Bucs?

Jerrid: I have got one more.

Steve: Do you think you will play another year or what are your plans?

Jerrid: Yeah, probably. I haven’t even really thought about it, you know. It’s just there, so if I want to come back, I am here.

Steve: Okay. What do you think about this year’s team? Obviously, you’re coming in the first year and you’re breaking records and wins and all that kind of stuff? Have you usually been on a winning team?

Jerrid: Yeah. I’ve had a winning team, you know, growing up. So, I mean, it is not too different but it is nice, you know. I guess I haven’t really had any experience with a losing team. I am used to winning and it’s just like you are expected to do it, you know, and our team has done it and I’m fortunate to be on this team.

Steve: A couple other things I forgot to ask you. Do you have any other hobbies or anything you like to do when you’re not playing hockey?

Jerrid: Well, I used to be a football player and I like to play football. I like to play tennis and golf. I played on the high school tennis team too. That’s just a fun sport kind of, get out and play tennis under the sun. I play some golf.

Steve: If you were to head off to college, do you have any favorite places you would like to end up if you could, if your dream came true?

Jerrid: I don’t know. It’s tough to say. You know, ever since I was a little kid I always wanted to go to Minnesota cause that’s what every Minnesota kid wants. But now it is just, I don’t know. I guess it would be tough to leave Minnesota, so probably a Minnesota school. That would be a dream come true, I guess, and play hockey there.

Steve: Do you have any idea what you would want to major in?

Jerrid: Probably business. I was thinking maybe along the lines of being a teacher somewhere. I think that would be a pretty cool job.

Steve: Great. Anything else you would like to say to the fans this year?

Jerrid: I just say thanks to the fans. It’s a whole different game when you’ve got the fans behind you, and our fans are the best in the league and it helps out so much in the game. I just say thanks to them for all the loudness and rowdiness they have got for us, and it’s a great place to play.