Leading by example
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By Dave Pollard for GuelphStorm.com
More often than not, the captain’s C stands for character and consistency.
That’s precisely the case with Guelph Storm captain Matt Kennedy, a grinding forward who wears his heart on his sleeve, does the dirty work that makes a team successful and leads by example on and off the ice.
Kennedy, a Shanty Bay native who the Storm made a seventh-round draft pick in 2005, was chosen as the 19th captain in team history by head coach Jason Brooks just prior to the start of the 2008-09 regular season. Overagers Brandon Buck, Tim Priamo and Nathan Martine were selected as alternate captains.
“It’s a priviledge to wear the C here in Guelph,” Kennedy said. “To get that C is an honour. It’s a huge honour. It means I have to work that much harder and be a role model for the yourger players and the older guys on this team.
“There were six or seven of us (potential captains) called in by Brooksy before camp got under way. So we never think of it as an individual thing, but as a group leadership.”
Despite Kennedy’s work ethic, passion for the game and heart, he wasn’t a foregone conclusion to take over the Storm’s captaincy from graduated forward Rafael Rotter. Brooks didn’t have an easy time determining who would serve as captain.
“I think it was difficult in the sense that there are a lot of great leaders in that room,” Brooks said. “Over the course of training camp and the pre-season, Matt stepped up. That was the final factor. It’s his character as a person that draws you to him.
“I think Matt brings a hard-working, heart and soul game every night. But it’s not only (what he does) on the ice, it’s (what he does) off the ice, too.”
On the ice, what you see is what you get with Kennedy. And he’s consistent. You won’t see Kennedy take a night off, even if he’s a little banged up or tired.
“There’s one thing I can control at all times, I can be the hardest worker,” Kennedy said. “Consistency and making the smart decisions. That’s something I measure my performance by.”
The 6-foot-2, 203-pounder is not flashy, doesn’t possess the pure skills of, say, a Drew Doughty, whose talent makes the game look easy. But he still managed to score 17 goals, third most on the team, despite being limited to just 45 games because of injuries.
And he has always been quick to throw a big hit or drop the gloves if the Storm need a pick-me-up. Brooks points to a point in Kennedy’s rookie season, when he played 13 games as a call-up once the Tier II Seguin Bruins were eliminated, as a perfect example of what Kennedy brings to the rink.
“In his first game he scores a goal, gets in a fight,” Brooks said. “He’s not a perfect player but that’s OK. It’s that passion that makes him special.”
Kennedy’s willingness to get his nose dirty, sacrifice his body, is a trait every coach applauds. It can also leads to injuries, though.
Last season, after an ankle problem early on, Kennedy missed a number of games after suffering a concussion in a blind-side hit by Sarnia Sting tough guy Devin DiDiomete. That concussion could have been career-ending but Kennedy has put it behind him and is looking forward to staying healthy for the entire 2008-09 season.
“I’d love to play in all the games,” he said. “Finally being healthy, I feel great. Last year was a tough go. It was pretty tough for me. Once I started feeling better, the year picked up for me.”
Kennedy finished the 2007-08 regular season strong, racking up five goals in his last two games. He’s started this season the same way, scoring three times in the Storm’s first four games, all wins.
“A fresh start is a great thing for me,” he said. “I came into camp in the best shape I’ve been in. If I get a chance I definitely want to put the puck in the net. Personal goals are kind of hard to judge. If I can help the team any way I can, that will be great.”
No doubt Brooks and the rest of the coaching staff feel the same way. That said, it’s the intangibles Kennedy possesses that are his biggest asset.
In the room, Kennedy isn’t the most vocal captain the Storm has ever had. But, as Brooks is quick to point out, he can be a little intimidating to his teammates, not just opponents.
“He speaks when he needs to speak,” Storm forward Anthony Nigro said of Kennedy. “He lets the guys know what to do constructively, never puts them down. He’s a great leader, a great captain. I don’t think too many guys were shocked when Matt got the C.”
Dave Pollard is Senior Sports Editor with www.canoe.ca
Throughout the 2008/09 season, articles written by Dave Pollard will be published exclusively on GuelphStorm.com.
