“It makes you feel good when your parents and family are out there cheering you on,” says 14-year-old Cody Mortensen, when talking with pride about his Valencia Express Bantam B travel ice hockey team.
Mortensen, the team captain, recently led his team to victory earning them the title of champions of all of Southern California in the Southern California Amateur Hockey Association (SCAHA).
Mortensen plays the position of forward with the Bantam team, his second year, and says he is happy to have the responsibility of captain.
“It helps when you have your teammates behind you. I try to keep them in line and instruct them,” says Mortensen about his team of 17.
The true hockey guru in the equation of success is Tony Hernandez, a hockey coach for 17 years.
“They come to work every week with a true sense of dedication,” said Hernandez, “They really want to excel and win. I’m going to miss these guys when the season ends.”
One of the things Hernandez notices that is different about this group of 15 skaters and two goalies compared to other teams he has coached is that they may have personal differences but, they put them aside as soon as they hit the ice.
“I usually spend at least four to five hours with them each week and I tell them to take things slow, one day at a time, because this sport is a ‘read and react’ kind of game. It’s important to train and develop consistently. Loyalty to your line mates, teammates and coach is critical,” says Hernandez.
The coach should know, as he started playing the game himself at the age of five.
It’s no wonder the team was able to skate to glory and take home a winning trophy and banner along with a lifetime of memories.
But for Mortensen, it’s much more than a memory because he has the goal of becoming a policeman or fireman and knows this ice hockey experience is a skill-building one.
“I’ve learned that team work and communication is very important in order to play well together. To be a good firefighter or policeman, you also need to be able to communicate to get the job done,” says Mortensen. This approach from a 14-year-old on his road to a lifetime of leadership and success is a rare and valuable trait for one so young.