From the Stands
By Paul Osborne, Guelph Tribune
Goaltender Garret Sparks has been sensational over the last two months for the Guelph Storm. He leads the league in shutouts with seven, is second in wins with 28 and seventh in save percentage. Last Wednesday night he was marvelous again shutting out the Owen Sound Attack 2-0, racking up his second straight shutout on the Attack’s home ice.
The season didn’t start that way for the Illinois native. Early on he struggled with consistency. He would be brilliant one night, then pulled the next but that is no longer the case.
“I didn’t hit the panic button and held myself accountable for the way I was playing”, said Sparks. “It is all about consistency. It sounds a lot easier than it is. Some days you feel like you have it and some days you don’t but on the days you don’t you have to find it within yourself to fight through it.”
Experience in another factor he acknowledges that is working in his favour. Understanding the importance of every game. Not just getting up for a big game against London and then not being prepared to take on a weaker club.
“Every game counts and every game is important and when I was younger I didn’t appreciate that” he said. “Why win the big game if you’re not going to win the ones you are supposed to win?”
Having a clear head is also important for any player. When you are in a groove the game comes naturally. It is if you move without thinking, your body instinctively in the right position at the right time. Sparks is now in that headspace.
“There is a time for thinking before the game and a time for reacting during the game” Sparks said wisely, “and you don’t want to get the two confused.”
The Storm is still waiting to play with a full slate of defencemen. Heading into the weekend captain Matt Finn was still out of the line-up suffering from the side effects of mononucleosis but the addition overage veterans Brock Beukeboom and Saverio Posa have also contributed to the team’s overall defensive improvement.
“They are two solid defensive guys that help our team in both depth and leadership” said Sparks. “You look at our team defensive numbers and my numbers from the first half of the season to when we picked up those two guys. They have sharpened our defensive play as a team which encourages everyone else to take care of their defensive responsibilities.”
The other event that refocused the 19-year-old goaltender was his time with the gold medal winning American World Junior team. He was the club’s third goalie but the opportunity was still beneficial.
“I didn’t play a lot but watching from the press box definitely brought the fire back that you lose when you are starting every other night” admitted Sparks. “Sitting in there wasn’t fun but it taught me not to take for granted playing every night. It really stokes the fire.”
The Storm, still a relatively young team, will go as far as Sparks will take them. He has displayed both talent and consistency over the past two months and if that continues, it will be a deadly combination for any opponent to overcome.
