Raymond Sawada might be interested in a future of human ecology focusing on biology and kinesiology but he has a philosophy as well.
The 18-year-old from Richmond is making a big impression on both the Nanaimo Clippers and opposing players in the B.C. Hockey League.
His thunderous hits not only crunch the opposition into the boards, but have the fans and his own teammates cringing as well.
“Very few games go by that a member of the opposition doesn’t feel Ray’s punishment,” says Nanaimo coach Bill Bestwick.
“I’m sure the fans can feel them. I know we feel them on the bench.”
And that’s where Sawada’s philosophy comes in.
“In bantam, my spring hockey coach encouraged hitting,” he says.
“At the start of the game everyone had to get two hits on their first shift. That sets the tone and gets you right into the game.”
He has brought that philosophy with him to the Clippers and it has paid off.
“When Ray is flying around and playing with a mission, he is one of the most effective players in the league whether he is scoring goals or not,” says Bestwick.
“He loves the game, competes hard every night, keeps the other teams honest and is a player those teams fear.”
Sawada says hitting is almost as good as scoring a goal.
“As long as I’m hitting, I’m having a good game,” he says.
But crunching hits is not his entire game, as he has produced 15 goals and 31 points in th first half of the season.
He can usually be found right in front of the net, creating havoc, taking the slash, the cross check and the punch to screen the goaltender and pounce on a loose puck.
“I don’t mind a couple of bruises here and there as long as the final product is someone getting a goal,” he says.
“I’m not a natural goal scorer. I have to work pretty hard for each and every goal.”
He describes his style as more crash and bang but working with Clippers leading scorer Tyson Mulock on his line has made a big difference.
“Tyson provides a lot of confidence. His passes are right on the tape and I’ve learned a lot from him,” he says.
“Every practice he tells me to move my hands this way, receive the puck that way, shift your body this way to have a better shot. He is definitely helping me.”
Clippers scout Brent Graham spotted Sawada in March playing Junior B hockey for the Richmond Sockeyes and told Bestwick he was going to love the kid and that Sawada is a Clipper through and through.
“When I met him and his family it was clear he was a focused, determined young man,” says Bestwick.
“I had a chance to watch him in April and it was evident he was a very good skater with a physical presence.”
Presented with a Clippers training manual, Sawada worked seriously in the off-season.
“He is a great athlete and came to camp in August in as good a shape of any player I’ve ever seen in our uniform,” says Bestwick.
Sawada and Sockeyes teammate Jason Garrison joined the Clippers and he couldn’t be happier with the move.
“After seeing all the other places and other teams, this is definitely the best place to play Junior A hockey,” he says.
The South Surrey Eagles and Langley Hornets were interested in Sawada and his original plan was to go play in Langley.
But the firing of Hornets coach Rick Lanz changed Sawada’s mind.
“The whole organization took a different direction and it really didn’t interest me anymore,” he says.
Sawada will be pursuing his interest in human ecology at Cornell University, committing to the school which boasts a long line of Nanaimo Clippers.
“They heard of me through Bill, came to see me during exhibition play and thought I would fit into their program,” says Sawada
But right now the future Dr. Sawada is interested in helping the Clippers to a BCHL championship and more.
“I’d just like to see us go as far as we can as a team,” he says.
“As long as we keep on improving like we are, I believe we can reach our goals.”
Winning breeds enthusiasm and the Clippers on a roll makes it fun to come to the rink for practice.
But Sawada says as much fun as the team is having, it is still all about work.
“The coaches make us work very hard every day. Right now we have yoga, aerobics and work outs with our off-ice trainer,” he says.
“We know how to have fun but when it comes game time, everyone is pretty serious. It’s a good balance.”
