WHERE ARE THEY NOW? – AUSTIN CHAVEZ

Born and raised in Southern California, Austin Chavez found his way to the rink at age 5 where he began his hockey career in Ontario, CA. Even as a youngster, he enjoyed playing defense though occasionally he would be called upon to fill a void as a forward. By age 15 he was skating with the Anaheim Jr Ducks in the NAPHL.

He made the jump to Junior A hockey in the 2013-14 season when he joined the Kenai River Brown Bears in the NAHL. His style of

play caught the eye of the Wenatchee staff, and when the Wild moved from the NAHL to the BCHL in 2015, they acquired Chavez to help bolster the blue line.

Chavez played two seasons for the Wild, winning the “Fan Favorite” Award in the 2016-17 season. His favorite memories from his time in Wenatchee include the late come-from-behind Game 6 playoff win over Prince George to advance to the next round, and the reactions from the home fans following his numerous on-ice scraps.

Chavez felt his expectations from where hockey might take him were realistic. “The game was only going to take me so far”, he later reflected. Following a lifelong desire to follow in his father’s footsteps and pursue a career in law enforcement, he began the long process to become a police officer, providing him with a career that will enable him to provide for his family in the future. He is currently an officer with the Pomona Police Department in Los Angeles County.