When Alex Vazquez moved to Athens from Arizona in 2015, the change was no big deal.
Traveling and moving for hockey at both the junior and college level made it easy for him to transition from attending college in the desert to college in Appalachia.
But experience with various moves, travels and climates wasn’t the only thing that helped Vazquez get accustomed to life in Athens. He had one of his favorite coaches, Ohio coach Sean Hogan.
Now a senior in his last semester, Vazquez doesn’t want the loss in last month’s ACHA National Championship Game to be his final memory in a hockey sweater.
He wanted to keep playing and on Friday, March 24, he got the opportunity to keep playing.
He was playing for the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs, appearing in a professional hockey game for the first time.
Nervous, anxious and in his first game, Vazquez, got a little puck luck and tucked away his first professional goal. In his first professional game.
“I was in shock,” Vazquez said. “I didn’t even know how to celebrate.”
The goal might have been his only point in his two games with Roanoke. Both he and his coach, Sam Ftorek, agreed his performance was worthy of a return.
“The weekend went a lot better than I expected,” Vazquez said.
Although he did well and was asked to come back and play again for the Rail Yard Dawgs, Vazquez decided to put those plans on hold for the time being. He has something far more important to pursue: his college degree.
Vazquez will graduate with a degree in political science at the end of April.
He has seen various players throughout his time in hockey that have decided to leave school to play. Often, those players never return to get their degree.
Vazquez didn’t want to fall into the same issue.
“I asked (the Rail Yard Dawgs) and said my degree is more important at this time,” Vazquez said. “But if they’re able to win and go into playoffs, I’m welcome back.”
He doesn’t mind putting hockey behind his education; he is in a good situation.
Each summer, Vazquez goes to free agent camps to show professional scouts his skills. Those camps paid off for Vazquez at the end of the Bobcats’ season.
Although his situation with professional hockey is a good start, it comes with a goodbye that will not be hard to say.
His favorite coach will no longer lead him, no longer teach him.
“After our season, I sent him a long email,” Vazquez said. “Basically I was thankful for the opportunity for here, in Arizona and in juniors.”
