After having followed both the college and professional levels of sports since I was a young toddler, witnessing some of the impossible become possible has been nothing short of a thrill.
Having said that, that doesn't just go for records being broken--or even huge upsets that nobody in the world could have predicted before hand--but what I truly mean by it, is seeing teams and individuals making certain things happen due to never giving up. To me, that is something I have the up-most respect for, and will never get old seeing happen.
Well, with the certain circumstances that the 2012-2013 Springfield Junior Blues are having to go through, this team throughout this season has an opportunity to make this a season that I myself, may never forget--and definitely not just because I'm writing for the team this season, either--but because of all of the adversity and turmoil that they are going through and having to overcome.
Despite losing an impressive core from last season of Kyle Cook, Joseph Pontasch, Chris Sitler and Gabe Antoni between the pipes due to the fact they all went on to play D1 hockey, the team this season may not be as well known--nor as experienced or as highly touted--but one thing is for sure, the kids sure do know how to play some good hockey.
With this being my second season (first full season) writing for the team, it certainly does bring excitement--but coming from someone that has been around and followed this team organization for many, many seasons--the franchise is most definitely heading in the right direction, and faster than any past team Springfield team that I have ever seen.
After having spoke to and having had conversations with the new head coach Tony Zaowski and his fellow coaching-staff members, this is the first time in what I would call forever that I finally have belief in winning our third Robertson Cup.
I'm not saying that it will happen this season, but it's definitely something that I can see happening in the very near future.
With a team that is as young as the current squad is, it's hard to really predict what may happen. Being a die-hard St. Louis Cardinals fan though has definitely helped me see the light though. The older veterans on this team such as ex-Illini star and team captain Mike Fazio and Brett Skibba will certainly have a large part in whatever happens.
After the last two championship runs from the Cardinals, with St. Louis squeaking in at the very end--all to end up as world champions--speaks its own volumes.
This team has a head coach that has a past resume with a lot of winning on it, and with the likes of both the rookies, veterans, and coaching staff all coming together at the same time, something very special could be in store.
The Junior Blues haven't won the Robertson Cup since winning in it in back-to-back seasons in the mid-1990's, but with the way that everything works out nowadays, making the tournament (playoffs) is all that it takes.
So despite the slow start that the team got off to--followed by a minor stretch of three wins in their last four contests against two of the NAHL's best teams (Port Huron and Topeka), if this team can continue to progress together and gain more and more chemistry--with the coaching staff and the current state of talent, the Springfield Junior Blues have a Roberson Cup caliber team--but making it happen is all about what happens on the ice.
No matter what happens though, Springfield has an opportunity to turn the impossible into possible.
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