Interview
Sarah: Tell me about yourelf...
Ryan: I am from Queensbury, New York, which is about 45 minutes north of Albany. I live on the face of the Adirondack Mountains. There is a lot of hunting and a lot of different cultures right there. You’ve got a big tourist attraction, you’ve got the mountains, you’ve got the cities all within 15 minutes of each other.
Sarah: Tell me about your family.
Ryan: I have two brothers, a nephew, one coming actually, a mom and dad.
Sarah: When did you start playing hockey?
Ryan: I started playing hockey when I was three years old. I started playing local youth hockey there. My sophomore year I moved to play with Capital District Selects of the Eastern Junior Hockey League for about two years. This year I started there and I ended up going to Danville in the North American League. From there I got traded to Cleveland, then to Des Moines. That’s where I am right now.
Sarah: Have you always lived there?
Ryan: I have lived there my whole life.
Sarah: Why did you start playing hockey?
Ryan: I don’t know. Well, my brothers played for a year when I was three. Actually that’s how I got started. Then they quit before the year was over, and I just kept on going. My dad really liked playing hockey too. Plus we had a pro team, where I worked for 4 years. I left last year. I just stuck with it, plus it was the only thing I was good at.
Sarah: You said you came to the Bucs through a trade. Is that what you said?
Ryan: Yeah.
Sarah: Can you tell us about that?
Ryan: I left Capital District cause I wanted to get away from home. I went to Danville and I was doing good, but I couldn’t stand the coach. So I parted ways with them and he traded me to Chicago. I didn’t want to go there so I went home. The next day I got traded to Cleveland. I got home at 12 midnight New York time, and I got the call from Coach Carroll and he told me I would be playing the next day. So they called me at 11 with my ticket. I had a half-hour to get to the airport in Albany. I flew down there and got out here. Then I went back home and drove back out Monday. I got traded from Cleveland for Kelly Miller. It was good for me.
Sarah: So do you enjoy it?
Ryan: I love it here. It is different than New York, but it’s a lot better than Danville.
Sarah: Does it surprise you how flat and open it is?
Ryan: Yes and no. I mean, you can get used to it. On the road that’s all you see is cornfields. Back home it is a fun drive; you’re going through mountains and little villages. You see skiing and all that stuff., where there’s not very much around here.
Sarah: What are some of your future plans?
Ryan: I don’t know about next year and where I’m going to go. Hopefully I’m going to college either this year or next year. Hopefully I’ll play pro hockey somewhere. Get my degree in business.
Sarah: Do you have any goals or is there anything you specifically want to achieve?
Ryan: I want a championship. I’ve never been on a winning championship team. Well, actually I’ve been on one tournament team where we beat Riddle’s team for the championship. But I would love to win a junior championship.
Sarah: Do you have a favorite band?
Ryan: Not really. Probably the Dave Matthews Band.
Sarah: What is the best thing about playing hockey?
Ryan: It is fun. Getting to see a lot of the country. I’ve been to Canada a lot when I played in New York. Coming out here halfway across the country. If I didn’t play hockey, I wouldn’t be here. Meeting a lot of new people. It is fun. When you can do something for this long and have fun at it, it is great.
Sarah: So what is the best thing about being a Buc?
Ryan: I don’t know. Playing all the best junior teams in the country, year in and year out. The fans here are great.
Sarah: Did that surprise you when you came here?
Ryan: Yes and no. In Danville they average about 800 people. Come here and it’s loud. I knew Nick Parillo from a couple years back, and I’ve talked to him about coming out here. He told me stories, plus Des Moines is talked about all over junior hockey. When we came out here for the Buc Bowl, we were talking about it the whole time. We had a kid that played for Sioux City last year at Danville. He said it was just unbelievable here.
Sarah: What are your hobbies?
Ryan: I really don’t have any hobbies.
Sarah: What do you like to do besides hockey?
Ryan: Sleep. I buy a lot of CDs; I guess that is kind of a hobby. I used to collect sports cards, but I don’t really do that anymore. I don’t really have any hobbies. I guess playing video games is a hobby. Ever since I came out here, that’s all I do is play video games.
Sarah: So do you have video games?
Ryan: My housing family does. I don’t back home. I might have to buy one when I go home.
Sarah: What would you like to tell anybody? The fans, friends, family?
Ryan: To my family, thanks for supporting me all these years. Without them I probably wouldn’t be here. We went through some hard times last year, and I almost died. I ruptured my spleen playing hockey. I was out for six months. I was in Boston, which is about four hours from me, so they were there the whole time. To the fans out here, thanks for welcoming me. I had a warm welcome. Thanks for cheering and being so loud out there. It is a great experience for me and hopefully for them too.
Sarah: Do you have an embarrassing moment?
Ryan: Earlier this year at Danville in a shoot out, I went down and I made a move and I deked the goalie really bad. I had a wide open net and I feel flat on my face. The puck went in the corner and we lost the game. I was the fifth and final shooter and I had to tie it up. That was the worst ever. The other team was just a little hard on me, plus two of my friends played for that team from New York. They won’t stop hounding me.
Sarah: You can say, "Look where I am now."
Special thanks to Lisa Sheehy for transcribing this interview.
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