Travis: I was born in Fairbanks, Alaska. I was born and raised there and I lived there my whole life. That is my hometown.
Steve: Tell me a little bit about your family, brothers, sisters, parents, relatives. Are they all from Alaska too?
Travis: Well, my mom and my dad are both from the lower 48. My mom is from Ohio. My dad is from Eureka, California. They actually met in Fairbanks. I have got a 21-year old sister. She is living in Fairbanks right now.
Steve: So did they come up to Alaska for business?
Travis: Both of them came up for work.
Steve: And so you are an actual native of Alaska?
Travis: Yeah, I was born and raised there.
Steve: So with your family being up in Alaska and so far away, have they seen you play as a Buc?
Travis: Yeah, they came down for the first month of the season to watch me play and they are coming back. Actually this Sunday they will be here.
Steve: Speaking of Alaska, I know we’ve had several players from Alaska. We’ve had Bob Revermann, the goalie, and of course, Felipe. I noticed you called us the lower 48. Is that how they refer to us down here?
Travis: Yeah.
Steve: Do you guys kind of feel like you’re left out? Is it different being from Alaska?
Travis: The living is the same. The cities are the same; there is the same kind of stuff. It is not all that different. The only thing that is different is a lot of the attitude, the people. The people down here seem to be so much nicer, to be honest with you.
Steve: Really?
Travis: Yeah. And it is nice down here. Everybody seems a little more friendly. Up there I don’t know if it’s the cold and the dark or what it is, but the attitude is a lot, lot different here.
Steve: Now, hockey is big up in Alaska?
Travis: Yeah.
Steve: So how did you start playing hockey?
Travis: Well, I started when I was five years old. My cousins and uncles all played hockey. My whole family pretty much lives in Fairbanks. They all played hockey and all left to play juniors somewhere or another. They just talked me into doing it. I was just a little guy and I still remember the first time I ever stepped on the ice.
Steve: Why do you remember that?
Travis: I don’t know. I remember my dad my getting me dressed cause I had no idea what went where. I just remember skating around on the rink not knowing what was going on.
Steve: So with all the hockey that is going on in Alaska, once you get to a certain level do you have to leave the state?
Travis: They are just now getting into the junior programs. They have got the northern division of the WSHL, which is Junior B. There are five teams in Alaska. Then there is a southern division, which is through Utah, Nevada, and California. There are teams from all over down there. We have won the league the last two years now, Fairbanks has. It is just getting into the juniors up there.
Steve: You mentioned we won the tournament. Tell me about some of the past teams you’ve played for.
Travis: I played for a midget AA team for three years, including last year. We always did really good. We had a tough time with the state championship games, but we did really good. We would either win it or come in second.
Steve: So how did you end up playing for the Bucs then?
Travis: Well, guys from Fairbanks have been coming down here and trying out for a long time. I grew up with Phil, or Felipe.
Steve: You call him Phil?
Travis: Yeah. We grew up together, you know. Josh Roach was here last here. He talked me into coming down here and giving it a shot.
Steve: What are some of the great things about being a Buc? People are talking up there and saying you ought to come down to the Bucs. Is it like you thought it would be?
Travis: Well, the hockey is incredible. I was not expecting, you know, this kind of hockey. Just the jump from the Junior B to the Junior A was a step that I haven’t even made yet. I am still struggling a little bit.
Steve: In general, what are some of the things you like about playing hockey at this level?
Travis: It is fast paced. Everybody is a skilled player. There are no players on any of the teams really that don’t deserve to be here. It is good to see all these players playing around you.
Steve: Do you have any plans for hockey in future? You are going to be with the Bucs how many more years?
Travis: Just next year.
Steve: Do you have any plans or things you would like to do?
Travis: I would love to go back to Fairbanks and play with the UAF. There are quite a few guys from the USHL up there. A couple guys that played for North Iowa last year.
Steve: Now just a little change of pace. In all the years you’ve been playing hockey, there have got to be some moments where you had some embarrassing times. Do you have any that come to your mind?
Travis: Yeah, the first time I ever played in a game when they announced the players and you skated to the blue line. It was the first time I had ever done it cause, you know, they don’t do that through pee wees and bantams.
Steve: Was this Junior B?
Travis: This was actually midgets, the first game of midgets where they announce the player’s names and you skate out and everything. I stumbled really bad and I almost fell. I fought it so hard to stay up that I looked even more stupid.
Steve: Do you have a nickname?
Travis: Doaner. Everybody calls me Doaner.
Steve: What are some of your hobbies besides hockey?
Travis: I play the guitar a lot.
Steve: Electric or acoustic?
Travis: Both. I have one of each. I love music. That is about it, that and hockey.
Steve: If you won a million dollars, what would you do with it?
Travis: Let me see. I don’t have any idea. Give half of it to my mom.
Steve: I can’t imagine living without . . .
Travis: I couldn’t imagine living without hockey.
Steve: The fans probably don’t know that . . .
Travis: Probably don’t know that I’ve caught a 212 pound halibut.
Steve: Is there anything else you want to tell the fans?
Travis: Oh, I love them! It is great! When you play at home, you’ve got so much of an advantage just because everybody is out there just screaming. We’ve got great fans.
11/11/99
