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Pingy Pingu · 04-27-2021, 01:36 PM

It's 6:30 am. We pack all our equipment into the van and head to Detroit Metropolitan Airport. From there we board a small plane to fly across all the league's major cities, with a few stops here and there. After the last stop, we depart the country and head for Penguin Town. This destination is not known very well by the rest of the world, because it is a very mysterious place in the Land of Gumba. We arrive to find a very welcoming community, the winter wonderland of all winter wonderlands.

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When we first set foot on this snowy land, we were in awe of the environment around us. The buildings and streets in pristine condition, with architecture the likes of which the world has never seen! Not much is known about the settlements here in the Land of Gumba, but they are rumored to have technological advancement that is far into the future for the rest of us. We are welcomed by the ambassador, and taken around Penguin Town to see all of its wonder in the flesh. Museums, theme parks, stadiums, artwork, and lots of community space all live in this place. It seems Penguin Town was built around fun.

We arrive at the Penguin Town Hockey Stadium which I must say is a beautifully designed arena and home of the Penguin Town Thrashers. The arena has everything you need to become an SHL star: state-of-the-art tech, a brand new training facility, custom equipment fitting, healthy food vendors to match your every need as a hockey player. The locker rooms are very nice as well, each cubby has their own gatorade dispenser. The arena sits around 17000 people, which is quite a big size! It looks very nice inside with very comfy seats. Hockey is very popular in the Land of Gumba. Penguins and people travel from other cities to watch the Thrashers play. We meet up with The Detroit Falcons newest rookie, Monsieur Pingy Pingu Lunga Gumba Esq, who invited us over here to report his Intro into the SMJHL, while he had come back home to have specialized training before heading back out to Detroit.

Monsieur Pingy was scouted out by the Falcons a while ago and he was very impressive. He had really good puck handling skills and was a speedy skater too. What a goal scorer too! He can skate up and get a goal easily where it would otherwise be difficult for other players. He was very exciting to watch. We had the opportunity to speak to Monsieur Pingy Pingu Lunga Gumba Esq about his start in hockey.

So, Monsieur Pingy Pingu Lunga Gumba Esq, How did you find your start in hockey?

Where it all began, ah yes. As you guys know, hockey is a bit of a religion here in the Land of Gumba, and I was born into a hockey loving family. My parents put me into skates at just 4 years old and I fell in love with playing on the ice right at that moment. I made my way through different hockey clubs growing up, even joining school teams. I made a lot of friends and a huge social life through my hockey. There was so much I learned through honing my skills as a kid that really helps in the bigger leagues today. As I grew I saw my game improve with each year, and I couldn't have been drafted to the SMJHL without the support of my family and the professional grade coaching I was fortunate to have received throughout my hockey career.

Tell me, how did you get noticed and offered a contract by Detroit Falcons' management?

I was still in high school when I was approached by some SMJHL teams, Detroit being one of them. At the time, I was playing for the Narwhals competitive club. This particular club is more designed to help players build their skills to get into the big leagues, and they were very impressed with my performance. I think Tig was the one to meet me on behalf of the falcons. I remember him saying something along the lines of "Hey kid, you got a lot of potential, keep up your game and you got a spot on the Falcons!" When I heard that It made me feel really good and I knew at that moment that I was gonna work even harder to make it to the SMJHL. From my time with the Narwhals, I eventually made it to the SMJHL affiliate in my hometown, the Penguin Town Thrashers. I really loved playing in the Penguin Town Stadium and I think the atmosphere here really helped me to show the SMJHL I had potential. After a couple seasons with the Thrashers I got offered contracts (I was not able to get drafted because their was some discrepancies about whether or not my birth certificate was valid because they didn't think the Land of Gumba was real) by the Colorado Raptors , Quebec City and the Detroit Falcons. I accepted the Falcons' contract because it was really the best choice for my future plans as a hockey player. I knew the Falcons' had the equipment, training and the team that I needed to perform at my best.

It must have been very exciting when you first met the Detroit Falcons and their hockey community. What was your first time in the big league like?

I can't describe enough how ecstatic I was when I took the trip to Detroit and met my team. Everyone was so welcoming and nice! Some of them, like Pavel Jeziak and Pickle Juice had actually recognized me from watching me play which I though was pretty darn cool. I remember seeing my own name on my cubby in the locker room and thinking "wow, so I really made it huh." That was a really special moment for me. The coaches really know their stuff too. they met with me and explained how they were going to find my strengths and weaknesses and develop a specialized training plan for me. I stepped on to the ice at my first game vs Maine Timber, with the fans were cheering and a special greeting made just for us rookies. I don't know how I played that game, but I can say it did feel really good when I started playing with Detroit. I haven't played many games yet with my team, but I can say everyone is really focused and wants to play their best at every minute. It motivates me a lot to know I have such a passionate group of players on my team. I love all the fans as well, they were all really welcoming to the rookies and I had fun getting to meet them after my first game. It's only the beginning, but I am certainly going to like it with Detroit.

Your hometown is one of the nicest places that I have ever seen! What is life like here in Penguin Town?

I will always have a soft spot for this place. It is definitely one-of-a-kind that's for sure. This town is very humble, safe, and lots of fun to live in. Everything you could ask for is here. We got our own little festivals, parks, concerts, food, culture, you name it. You should really try our Fish-a-La-Gumba dish, you will really like it I'm sure! It is winter the majority of the year here, and we really know how to create a winter wonderland. One thing that we are famous for is our world-class ice sculpture competitions, and some of the creations are truely spectacular. I am talking dragons, sea monsters, landscapes, some very large and some very small, but with great detail. We have really efficient transportation here and a lot of things are really close by so you don't have to travel very far. I'm going to try to get some of my teammates down here some time so they can get the experience of a unique city such as Penguin Town, there really is no other like it.

We've only been here a short while and I can already tell that this town is lots of fun. What do you like to do in your spare time?

When I am not playing hockey, I love doing other wintery things. I have taken part in the ice sculpture competition a few times, making some really nice ice trees as one of my pieces. I love to ski as well, and it's also a good workout. I like to ski down the steep black diamond type runs and it really gets the adrenaline going. I do play golf, however I have to travel more south of the Land of Gumba where it gets a little warmer to be able to play it in the summer months. Golf really helps me to calm my mind and relax, as hockey is a pretty intense sport. I also have this really cool snowmobile and I'll sign up for races from time to time with it. We have a really good night life here, and I like frequenting the night clubs and little pubs. It's really a great time. In Detroit life is a little different, but I like to go out with my teammates and we have a lot of fun together. We also do movie nights on the weekends which are a really good bonding experience for us. I love playing video games, especially rpgs where you can immerse yourself in a fantasy world. I'll also play shooters with my buddies from time to time. Aside from that, I spend lots of time with my lovely girlfriend and I meet with my family whenever I can. That's basically what I do in my spare time!

So, Monsieur Pingy Pingu Lunga Gumba, I would like to know how what kind of training you do to keep up your game, and I understand you will be coming back to Penguin Town to train during off-season, correct?

Yea so I do a lot to keep my game strong, as you don't become a big league player overnight! My diet is just as important as the way I train. I make sure I get lots of whole grain carbs for energy, lots of protein from both meat and plants, healthy fat, and lots of fruits and veggies. I'll usually start my day off with some kind of smoothie with fruits and veggies so I can get those good nutrients right as I wake up. I also eat lots of lean meats like chicken and lean beef to get the type of protein that you can't substitute for. I also eat whole wheat and oats often because those are healthy grains for carbs. It's all about balance with my diet. The way I train can seem complicated but the idea is simple. I'll do some type of cardio along with working out all my muscles. I'll usually do running or biking for my cardio as well as swimming. I do some weightlifting at the gym to build my strength, which consists of dumbbell training, bench pressing, deadlifting, and the squat bar to work out the booty. I focus a lot on core training too so I can get strong abs, chest and back muscles. I like to use my own body weight for core training, so I do a lot of planks, push ups, and other core exercises on the floor. I also use the machines to do resistance training and work out my back muscles. For the legs, going on my bike helps but I'll also do machine training to work out the quads and calf muscles. That's pretty much it for my training! I like to alternate and have a rest day every other day to avoid injury. I will be going back to Penguin Town to do my own training during the off-seasons, because we have special facilities and equipment here that you just can't find anywhere else. Finally, you'll usually find me training with some buddies, like Pickle Juice, Kermit or Pavel. We have a great time training together.

What kind of conditioning do you do on the ice to improve your skating and stick skills?

That's a great question! There are a number of things I do on the ice to improve my skating and stick abilities. I do a lot of sprints forwards and backwards to get my stamina up and get good acceleration. I also do skating drills to improve my turns and I'll do them with a puck as well. For my stick skills, I'll do a lot of shooting practice from points and do some butterfly drills as well. During practice I like to gauge my stick handling skills when I do offensive and defensive zone plays. On top of that, I'll do a lot of practice for power plays and penalty kills as well. That's about it for my on-ice training, I can't say any more because it is a bit of a secret.

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I know you may have heard this often, but I want to know what kind of strengths you have and what are you looking to improve?

I like to be a little more humble when I talk about my own strengths and weaknesses. I am a strong skater and I have a good shot, and these are the 2 main things that I was scouted for as well. I am strong at getting the pass and skating it up to shoot, which is a good quality to have as a centreman. We also have some amazing wingers with the Detroit Falcons, like Salzberger and Viktor Zukal, who are great at passing and getting in front for those rebounds. I always try to be as speedy as I can on the ice, so I don't have to spend too much time going around other players. My weaknesses are my defensive skills and I am not as strong as I need to be to be able to use my body more. I think with a good amount of training I can get a lot stronger and be a really good defensive center by the end of the season.

We are so delighted and honored to have been invited to this humble place called Penguin Town. I want to formally thank you for having us. Are there any final thoughts you want to share?

It was a pleasure having you guys come over. I am so happy to be able to show you guys what life is like here in the Land of Gumba and around my hometown. It's been quite the journey getting to play for the Detroit Falcons. From when I was offered a contract to where I am playing my first games in the SMJHL, I have had my ups and downs and it has been a great time. I have an amazing team that I get the opportunity to play for, they are all great guys on and off the ice. Our veteran centers Kermit Murphy and Johnathan Granstrom are really good to me. They take any opportunity they can to teach me different tricks and skills that comes with experience. It's really nice to know that they want me to improve as much as I can. I have amazing coaches, trainers, doctors, physiotherapists, and nutritionists who take really good care of us to keep us in tip top shape. I couldn't play without them. I loved this whole experience talking to you, if you ever want to come back to do another report or just hang out, you guys are always welcome here in Penguin Town!

So, there you have it. The legend, Monsieur Pingy Pingu Lunga Gumba Esq, formally introduced into the SMJHL. Pingy is a really unique player, someone that you don't usually see in the big leagues. It will be a huge advantage for Monsieur Pingy being such a unique player coming from a mystical place like the Land of Gumba. He has been playing the great game of hockey ever since he picked up skating at just 4 years old. He comes from a town that is steeped deeply in hockey culture and has an amazing community. He spends lots of time training, eating right and honing his hockey skills. He loves to go skiing, snowmobiling and play golf in his spare time, and he loves to spend quality time with his girl, family and fellow Falcons. He is a really good skater and has a good shot, and speedy too. There is no doubt he will be a good asset to the Falcons now and during the playoffs. The Falcons are already a really hard team to beat, and have snagged another star player. Monsieur Pingy is also lucky to have a lot of support from his fellow centremen and coaches. The Detroit Falcons have played really well so far and they are on track to perform a record season this year. You won't want to miss any Falcons games, and you won't want to miss Monsieur Pingy Pingu play his best on the ice too. Lunga Gumba has a very bright future ahead of him, and a player who will make a big entrance into the SHL indeed.

We spend a little bit more time chatting with Monsieur Pingy and getting to know Penguin Town in the Land of Gumba. This is really a beautiful artistic place to be and we will certainly be coming back here the next chance we get. As we head back to Detroit, we will reflect on our time here and remember how a legend from Penguin Town came to be.

Fin
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