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element · 06-14-2021, 12:42 AM

Pattinson Park in Huntington Beach is packed, as usual on a Thursday night. Pickup basketball games galore. On one court, there is noticeable more spectators than the others. Crowds have become accustomed to gathering to see King Rhames play, a 6’9, 250-foot power forward from the local area.

Rhames has grown up the oldest of four kids to a single mother. He has an alpha mentality due to being the oldest man in the family apartment. He remains protective of his family but is ready to leave the home and explore the country, if not the world. It is Rhames’ hope that his size would offer him a ticket out of the subsidized housing area he has called home for a decade.

Rhames was a phenomenal basketball player in high school, but his sad reality is that he lacks the vertical leap and the mid-range jump shot to make it to the NBA. This disappoints Rhames, but he is not ready to quit. He routinely works out at a local gym and plays pickup games at Pattinson to progress his game.

Anyways, on this particular night, a Simulation Hockey League (SHL) scout is watching Rhames play ball. You see, Rhames has some shortfalls in basketball, but he is known in the local area as a phenomenal inline skater. Additionally, the preferred game in Rhames’s apartment complex is street hockey. He and the kids in his neighborhood were known for cutting down the nets on the tennis courts and skating around till sundown with sticks made up of broken ice hockey sticks and cheap, plastic inline blades that can be purchased at Walmart.

One would think Rhames makes the perfect goalie given his size, but his tall, slender frame does not fit well between the pipes. Rhames also enjoys bouncing all over the surface rather than being confined to a cage. Regardless, the SHL scout watched in awe as King glided up and down the court. King quarterbacked the offense and played shutdown defense. And while Rhames shined in many facets of the basketball game, his shooting stunk and he showed a lack of composure in the paint.

The SHL scout encountered King after the pickup game and introduced himself. He asked Rhames if the stories about his inline skills were true. Rhames was almost embarrassed to admit that he played hockey in the presence of his Pattinson cronies. The SHL scout then asked if he could skate on the ice, to which King admitted he never tried. Later that night Rhames and the SHL scout were at the closest ice arena.

Rhames’ mother and sisters watched as King stepped onto the sheet. At first, King took baby steps. Unsure of himself, he slowly pushed his skates forward. Within 5 minutes, Rhames found his balance and began taking bigger and faster strides. After 20 minutes, Rhames was skating around like a seasoned skater. All watching were in awe. It was as if King Rhames had been on skates from the moment he could walk.

Rhames’ mother and sisters were again present to watch him board the plane at John Wayne Airport. King was leaving California with the SHL scout and heading for Winnipeg, the site of the Season 61 Rookie Showcase. It was there, where Rhames would have the opportunity to hop onto the ice with skaters and goalies; most destined for the Simulation Junior Hockey League (SMJHL). For Rhames, it would be his first crack at organized hockey on ice.

Little did King know that the true purpose of the Rookie Showcase was for SMJHL teams to see potential SHL Season 61 prospects in action. The performance of each rookie would weigh heavily on the minds of every SMJHL general manager as they completed preparations for the Season 60 SMJHL draft.

Of the many Season 60 SMJHL draft prospects, King Rhames was most notable, not because of his ice hockey skills or experience, but rather because of his lack thereof. SMJHL general managers were beyond intrigued by the story of the kid from Southern California, the 6’9 basketball player with no jump shot, but mysteriously natural skating and stick skills despite playing zero organized ice hockey.

Rhames was expectedly raw on the first couple days of Rookie Showcase practice. Having been assigned to Team Mexico City, King was paired with Season 60 SMJHL draft hopefuls, Duncan Mackenzie and Jake Suthermer. Both young men were incredible influences on Rhames as he overcame feelings of anxiety and inferiority in the first few days of practice. It was Suthermer who constantly reminded King of his natural advance due to size. Mackenzie then spent time with King after practices, showing him different techniques and ways to best help the team with physical play along the boards.

King Rhames was cruising by the time the Rookie Showcase tournament began. He skated with confidence and displayed excellent stick skills. For what Rhames lacked in positioning, he made up for with instinct and athleticism. King was caught out of position several times during scrimmages and round robin games, but coaches and scouts agreed that could be fixed. Of all the favors Rhames did for himself, he proved to be very coachable. Rhames was like a sponge during practices, looking to soak up every bit of ice hockey knowledge he could gather.

Mexico City unfortunately fell to the San Diego Sea Lions in the tournament semifinals, but for King Rhames, the stage was set. He made enough of an impact during the tournament and received an invitation to enter the Season 60 SMJHL draft. Rhames was beyond words when the SHL scout who discovered him at Pattinson Park hand delivered the letter from the SMJHL commissioner. Rhames immediately called his mother. The feeling was bittersweet. King would be now on a path to potentially improve his family’s financial situation and lifestyle, but he would not be coming home.

King Rhames boarded the second plane ride of his life. He was heading for Quebec City, the site of the Season 60 SMJHL draft. He knew it was only a matter of time before his third plane ride would be to the city he would call home for the next 3-4 SMJHL hockey seasons.

1034 words

DeletedAtUserRequest · 06-14-2021, 06:56 PM

Love it.

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