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Anchorage42 · 06-30-2014, 10:37 PM

Few locations in the United States will put you only a few minutesâ€™ ride from nature's beautiful scenery and the dozens of ways to experience them year-round; Colorado may be the biggest exception. Maybe it's a scenic overlook on one of the stateâ€™s scenic and historic byways; perhaps you'd fancy wildlife watching in one of ten national parks and monuments; for the athletically inclined, you can try mountain biking or hiking thousands of acres of national forest, or a snowshoe trek through one of 42 Colorado State Parks.

From the highest sand dunes in North America at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve to 54 Rocky Mountain peaks that rise over 14,000 feet (referred to by locals as 'Fourteeners' Wink

to red-rock formations that shoot from the earth to the swaying grasslands of the eastern plains, Colorado has one of the most unique and varied natural landscapes in the world â€” and itâ€™s a playground for discovery year-round.

These are the very reasons that the Reid family settled into the suburbs outside of Denver over 20 years ago.

A warm, hard-working couple, Alexander Reid was a collegiate hockey player in Boston and an avid musician. Marie Reid spent her time as a modern dancer and contributing to the local political climate to help ensure the success of those around her. The two met and fell madly in love, combining their assets to go on and positively affect their community -- volunteering and donating to various organizations on a local and national level.

After not too long, nature called and the Reids brought a baby into this world. They named him Benjamin after the youngest and most kind brother of Joseph in the Old Testament. They would soon find that his name would be a fitting moniker for his personality.

From a young age, Benjamin had a wise spirit. When talking to his parents, they fondly reflect on his early years:

"Benji always had a way with people. When someone was upset, he had this magical ability to sit with them and calm them down. He was a great hugger, too, and wanted to help out even strangers", said Marie.

It wasn't long before he was old enough for team sports and he found fancy with all of the old hockey gear his dad has around the house:

"I remember taking my first trip to Boston when I was a little kid with Dad. It was a boys trip. We were both so excited. We were going to catch the Beanpot tourney, something I had heard him talk about but never really experienced. He told me so many stories about what happened when he was playing in the Bean. He bought me this little Huskies jersey and I wore it for weeks after we got back. I remember Blake (Sherrill) and I picking up his sticks one day after school and pretending to be on the ice and from there I got hooked."

It started with frequent requests to go watch the pros at all of the area leagues: The Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL), the Colorado Eagles of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) and the Denver Cutthroats of the Central Hockey League (CHL). That would only quench the urge for so long, though.

Ben began playing hockey and his sense of protectiveness and loyalty landed him a gig on defense. He is quoted as having said that he had an internal drive to ease the goalies mind and to act as a "second goalie". But his penchant as a set-up man and goal scorer gave early coaches delight:

"It was so unique to see this kid so fiercely dedicated to teamwork making smart and unselfish plays, while occasionally making the choice to fire a shot at the net and watch it go in. I think a lot of other kids respected this balance of comradery and offensive awareness and that's what drew them to him".

Pretty soon, Reid was wearing the letter C and leading various teams through successful championships. Off-ice, he was your fairly normal young adult, daydreaming about girls and playing guitar (a chicken-or-egg situation if I do say). He was equally as good in the classroom and dedicated his time to volunteering at the local Autism Society with his parents.

High-school was evolving rapidly as was his game and personal style. As the statistics and leadership awards began piling up, so did the possibilities for his future in hockey:

"There were lots of phone calls coming in and people stopping by the house interested in Ben's talents. The one thing that always stood true for him though was his interest in having some college education..."

"It was always important for me to get away, see the world and do something different. Despite the fact that I was raised with such a broad world view, I wanted to experience it for myself. I wanted to be in a place with other people dedicated to growing, personal development and learning..."

As decision time came closer and closer, there was a nagging that he couldn't ignore;

" I still remember looking through my dad's photo albums from his time as a Husky in Boston. I vividly remember that trip we took when I was a kid. The stories he used to tell and the laughter and light in his eyes when he talked about those years of his life just.... I couldn't shake that. That little voice that chirps at you sometimes said I had to at least explore Northeastern as an option. So we made another boys trip out of it...."

The two Reid men returned to Boston on a different kind of trip so that they could explore the options in the city. After a whirlwind tour, meetings with coaches and player staff they returned to Colorado.

"I really loved my visit but needed to think about what I was really doing. When I commit to something, I commit all the way. If these people were going to invest time into me, however much that would be, I wanted it to be ideal for the both of us. I have a lot of respect for the time and efforts of those who give me the nod and wanted it to show".

Well, we all know how the story goes and the Back Bay became home to the up and coming phenom. Taking up residence in student athlete housing, Reid began his tenure on the ice with the Huskies. Though not the winningest team his first season, Reid found a home playing with a stellar selection of guys that just had to learn how to merge together ;

"It was interesting, here I am this freshly 17-year-old kid getting on the ice with much older players and I just wanted to be respectful. I tried to play it cool and stick to the background and let the coaches and captains lead the squad. There were some periods of time where it felt like we weren't quite connecting and I think the game tapes show that under a microscope. There were times that we were flying around like a pro team, looking really solid with all the pieces in the right place and just before we had our chance to do something with that, it would all fall apart. Over and over... You can imagine how frustrating that would be to see the greatness in front of us and to watch it stumble over and over. Worse, it Felt like my hands were tied behind my back because I didn't want to step on any toes. "

It wasn't long before the dynamic shifted..

"The coaches were expecting me to be what I always was and I was dealing with this internal struggle to be respectful but also to comply with their desires. It was a challenge that thankfully I learned to overcome. Slowly, I started speaking up more, chatting with teammates on the ice to encourage their strengths. I thought we needed to connect as more than just a bunch of dudes in the same sweaters. Pretty soon, I started hosting parties for us -- it was college after all -- hoping to get us all to gel more like family".

The plan worked. Despite a successful run in his first year, the Huskies couldn't hold off the Boston College Eagles in the Frozen Four and their season ended earlier than they would've liked. But by the time that his sophomore season began, the Huskies looked like a different squad. Exploding out of the gate, the team looked like a unified package.

"I remember catching them early on in the season and being thunderstruck. The Doghouse was rocking, the fans at Matthews made the place feel like it was going to explode! The guys were just so unified it was beautiful to watch. It's was no surprise how the season went from there".

Ben, often referred to by teammates as "Bodhi", seemingly united the Huskies top team to a family and brought them together for a big win , crushing their nemesis Boston College Eagles in the Beanpot and taking the Frozen Four by storm.

What a wild ride it has been for The Bodhi and it's only going to be amplified from this point forward. We're about a week away from the SMJHL draft where Reid has been a figure talked about for his on and off ice presence. Rumor has it that there are a few teams interested in the young Husky captain but no one is certain who those teams may be.

We checked in with Mr. Reid to ask him a few questions about his feelings leading up to the draft.

Rep: "We've been seeing a good amount of you in the media, initially flying solo and now being paired with Blake Sherrill. What do you make of all of this?"

BR: "Blake is a great guy. We grew up together and really pushed each others' skill sets. For every yin there's a yang, so to speak. He's a very confident guy and outspoken but he backs up his words with actions on the ice. We've been through a lot together over the years and I'm just as excited for his success as he is for mine. Any team would be lucky to have him and any team would really benefit from us as a combo"

Rep: "It seems that there's been some other people that have been mentioned in the same conversation as you as well..."

BR: "John (Heimer-Schmidt) is a great guy and has said some very nice things about me. I only have the best of thoughts for the guy and am excited for his draft success as well. He's been connected with Forsberg as a potential pairing but they've been radio silent for a while. I'm assuming they're getting to know each other on the ice to solidify a potential partnership."

Rep: "Anyone else of interest....?"

BR: "To be honest, this is a really deep draft class. There are so many people I wish I knew better but I haven't connected with yet. I would love for some of them to reach out if they're interested in getting to know me."

Rep: "Where do you think you're coming in strong to this draft? I know you're not a fan of promoting yourself but put down the shields for a moment and let us in..."

BR: "Haha. Calling me out, eh? I think you guys have done a really flattering job of detailing me so far. Fine... Here goes. I love the game. I love my teammates. I'm willing to work really hard to make sure that not only am I successful but my team as a whole is doing well. I can put up points for the team and set the rest of the guys up to put up big numbers as well. I think the mixture of my fun side and my inclusiveness really has a way to help people connect and to rise up to be their best. I think I know how to have a good time ... Play hard, practice hard, work hard. I've been working extra hard training and practicing to ensure that I'm a great fit for any team that may draft me. It's been wonderful and it's really starting to pay off; I can see it in my growth. That will always continue for me. But enough about that...

Rep: "Any misconceptions you think people have about you? Any weaknesses?"

BR: "There were some misconceptions a little while back. I think some people are concerned that because I'm an offensive defenseman I won't be as focused on the "defense" part of the program. I'm quick on the ice and while I work well in the offensive Zone I'm ultimately part of a defensive pair -- trio if you count the goalie. I think someone said Bobby Orr with busted knees was the comparison -- haha -- I've been training that portion of my game to make sure that's not the case. Checking is my weakness as I'm not as likely to do that and some would suggest I'm injury prone. I'm taking the time now to make sure that's not the case. I think I had the misconception, for myself, that it's either be the strong silent type or the partier ; that there wasn't an in between. I'm realizing that there is a balance and that balance produces a world of good."

Rep: "What are you most excited for?"

BR: "Oh man... Haha... Gosh. This whole thing is crazy. I just can't wait to hear the teams skates on the ice, all the chirping, wearing some new colors with pride. Getting to know a new group of people, a new hockey family. You know... My old man never played in the bigs but I still feel like I'm walking in the shadow of someone awesome. One of my heroes. Probably my biggest hero. It's amazing to imagine that every game he's right along side me, even though he's up in the stands. I love to make my folks proud as a way of thanking them for always believing in me. This is just the next turning point for my career and I'm ready for a positively big explosion".

Rep: "Biggest expected challenge?"

BR: "Making sure that I manage my time well by committing to all of my important causes and life with gusto".

Big hopes and dreams from this kid with the draft rapidly approaching. It seems like his stock is on the rise with him doing everything he can do to prepare for the next wave to come a'crashing. No surprise from a guy with a nickname like Bodhi, he seems to be putting out a ton of good karma into the universe. With his spirits seemingly Rocky Mountain high, we leave Benjamin Reid to his craft.

Is he a party animal, a deadly defenseman, a family man, a team leader? It seems that Benjamin Reid is something of an enigma. We'll have to wait and see.

From DenverNews6 and GameCenter, stay classy San Diego.