pedigree but not privilege

For any young Hoosier with aspirations of playing professional hockey, Scott Pooley is your inspiration.  Pooley is the son of Paul Pooley, a former pro and current Associate Head Coach for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.  The senior Pooley was a standout at Ohio State, wearing the "C" for his final two seasons before getting a shot with the Winnipeg Jets organization.  He spent two years bouncing between the big club and the Jets AHL affliate, the Sherbrooke Canadiens.  His final season as a player came with the Fort Wayne Komets during the IHL days, before returning to his alma mater to launch his coaching career.

Now Scott is following in his fathers' footsteps.  An undrafted free agent after concluding his collegiate career at Holy Cross, Pooley earned a tryout with the Toronto Marlies (AHL) just before the club embarked on its historic run to the Calder Cup championship.  Pooley wasn't part of the playoff roster, but he made enough of an impression during his five-game stint that the Marlies offered him a contract for next season.  "My goal coming into the season was to earn an ATO somewhere.  I wanted to prove that I could play at the professional level.  Not to everyone else, but I wanted to prove it to myself.  When the opportunity came with the Marlies, I wasn't going to waste it."

But just because his father is a 20-year veteran of the collegiate coaching ranks, don't think for a moment that things came easy for the Granger native.  Pooley may have grown up around hockey, but nothing was ever handed to him.  He has earned every break he got.  "I'd say the only advantage I had growing up was that I saw from an early age what it took," explained Pooley.  "Spending time around the teams and having the opportunity to see different aspects of the game, both on and off the ice.  I learned early on the mindset and level of commitment it took."

HOOSIER ROOTS

Pooley started skating at two years old and has played hockey since the age of four.  "My Dad never forced the game on me.  It was just something I always wanted to do.  That's probably why I still love the game.  It's the best part of my day, the thing I look forward to the most."

In 2005, the Pooleys moved back to the South Bend when Paul was offered a coaching position with the Irish.  "I think I was a first-year PeeWee then, recalled Pooley.  "I remember making the AA team that year."  Pooley played in the Irish Youth Hockey League through his freshman year of high school, gaining both valuable experience and precious memories.  "Playing in the IY was a lot of fun - the travel, the friendships - those were some of my favorite hockey memories."  It was also when Pooley began to think seriously about hockey.  Halfway through his junior year at Marion High School, he received an opportunity to try out for the Chicago Mission, a tier one elite midget program.

"Playing for Mission, I realized how much I enjoyed the competition.  It started me thinking about a future in hockey and what that might look like."  Pooley finished that season as well as his senior year with the Chicago club, giving him a chance to hone his skills against some talented young players.  At the end of his time with Mission, Pooley attended the USHL Combine in search of a place to continue his hockey development.  Only the Fort McMurray Oil Barons expressed any interest.

the great white north

Located in the Northeast region of Alberta, Fort McMurray lies about 1,800 miles away from Chicago.  To Pooley, it seemed much further than that.  "Total culture shock... and cold!  That's about the best way to describe it.  I remember it being the first of October and freezing my (butt) off.  We didn't even have our winter coats yet!"  Frigid temperatures weren't the only thing Pooley had to adapt to, but he has zero regrets about his decision to go north.  "Going to Fort Mac was the best decision for me as a person and a player.  Being away from my family, not knowing anyone, I knew I either had to find my way through it or go home.  It forced me to grow up very quickly."

After tallying 22 points (11G, 11A) in his first season in juniors, plus three more goals in the Oil Barons brief playoff run, Pooley decided to give the USHL another shot.  After being cut from a couple of team camps, he headed back to Fort McMurray for his second season in the AJHL.  Four games into the season, the USHL called back.  He suited up for the Muskegon Lumberjacks, recording 16 goals and 11 assists in 57 games.  Being back in the US and significantly closer to home, he was thrilled that his parents could watch him play again.  But it was the jump in competition that stood out the most.  "There's a good reason why the USHL is quickly becoming the best junior league in North America," proclaimed Pooley.  "You're going against some of the most talented young players in the world.  In that league, you had to find your game quickly or risk getting exposed."

a cross to bear

Yet despite a relatively successful season in the USHL, Pooley once again found limited suitors as he looked to move into the college ranks.  But just as before, things seemed to work out for the young winger.  "I'll admit it was hard not having some of the bigger schools interested in me, but (Holy Cross) ended up being the best place for me.  The academics were tremendous, but what I'm most thankful for is the coaching staff and the amount of work they put in.  They were incredibly involved and put in a lot of extra time with me.  I'm not sure I would have got that same level of attention at a bigger school."

The extra attention certainly didn't hurt, as Pooley capped his collegiate career with his best season (34 points in 36 games) and a Hobey Baker Award nomination.  "Making the long list was totally unexpected and an incredible honor, just to be listed along side some of those elite players.  My junior year, I didn't make the progress I thought I should have, so it was a bit of gratification for a bounce-back season.  But I owe a lot of the credit to my teammates and coaches.  It was a team effort for sure, and I consider (the nomimation) to be a team honor.  I certainly couldn't have done it without them."

The past few weeks have been a blur for Pooley, but he doesn't plan on resting on his laurels anytime soon.  "Being (in Toronto) for the first round of the playoffs was a very cool experience.  Then it was back to Holy Cross for finals and graduation, which was an incredible honor and recognition for all the years of hard work.  I managed to make it back in time to see games six and seven of the finals.  Watching the Marlies hoist the cup was incredibly cool.  From a player's perspective, it gave me a significant amount of motivation to help the team get back there next season."

looking back, giving back

There has never been a shortage of motivation for the former Rovers forward, and now Pooley hopes he can provide some for the next generation.  "The one piece of advice I could offer a young player is that if you really want to play hockey, whether it's juniors or college or pro, is to just go after it with everything you have.  I remember years ago watching a junior hockey video - Pembroke, I think - and they talked how you're going to miss some Friday nights, some Saturday nights.  That it was tough being in high school, how you kind of felt like an outsider.  But that if you're going to be a hockey player, you have to commit to being a hockey player.  You're going to have to be ok with being uncomfortable."

Choosing the hockey lifestyle may mean being anything but a typical teenager, yet even if given the chance to do it all again, Pooley wouldn't change a thing.  "I might have felt back then that I was missing out, but looking back it was totally worth it.  I didn't mind not doing some of the things other kids my age were doing, but I didn't care because I was doing something I was really passionate about."

"Just believe in yourself and go for it."

Take it from someone who knows.