After almost a decade playing hockey in the States — first with the Portland Winterhawks in the WHL and then with various professional teams after being drafted by the St. Louis Blues in 2009 — Beaumont native Brett Ponich is excited to be coming back home to Alberta to play for the Augustana Vikings.
Spending five years moving due to trades, Ponich said he's lived "basically everywhere you can imagine, from Springfield, MA, to Anchorage, AK, to Chicago. I've been in St. Louis and Columbus," he said, adding that while he's thankful for the opportunities he has had, he's also looking forward to playing hockey in one spot and the stability of school life.
Coach Blaine Gusdal said it was a bit of a surprise hearing that the defenceman was looking to play university hockey.
"It happened in mid-May and only took us a couple of weeks to solidify him and his commitment," he said, adding Ponich has "a ton of experience. Four years in the Western Hockey League, a captain, a second round draft pick, five years of pro hockey, playing one step away from the NHL."
The professional player will be adding height and strength to the team, measuring six feet and seven inches tall, and Gusdal is excited for the kind of impact the left-handed shooter will have on the team.
"He's just a natural leader. He's going to be a huge cornerstone to our team," said Gusdal. "He's got character. He's calling and texting, he's been in touch and already reached out to his new teammates."
That feeling is reciprocated by Ponich, who said he's excited to play for Gusdal during his university career.
"I'm really excited to see what he has to bring for systems, to see if the college game is any different from the professional game," said Ponich. "He was great and very gracious and has shown me around the locker room and facilities and so far has been extremely welcoming and done everything he can to make me feel comfortable in town."
The 25-year-old said that while he had offers to continue playing professionally, he is ready to start the next phase of his life and wanted to do so at a school that took its education, as well as its athletics, seriously.
"I'm looking for the next step after hockey. That was the reason why I'm transitioning out of the game professionally," explained Ponich. "I had opportunities to go back and play more seasons, but I'm excited to try and work towards another career."
While he's had a plethora of experiences not all hockey players get the opportunity to have, heading to university will be a new one for Ponich after having previously studied through long distance learning.
"It's just excitement. I don't know what the experience is going to be like, but I know it's going to be positive," said Ponich. "I've done distance learning and that sort of thing while I played, but I've never experienced the university lifestyle, so I'm coming with open eyes and an open mind to enjoy the experience and hopefully learn a thing or two."
Photos by ProSports Photography