Garrett Stafford - Cleveland Barons - American Hockey League [AHL] - California Kid - On MLN Sports Zone

Cleveland Barons

California Kid
After a stellar rookie campaign, Cleveland Baron defenseman Garrett Stafford may soon be back playing in his home state as a member of the San Jose Sharks.

Brian M. Anderson
MinorLeagueNews.com

04.07.04 -- Culture shock has become more and more of a reality in the world of sports as foreign players continue to increase their footprint in the American athletic world.

However, the experience can be equally as strong for homegrown players.

Just ask Cleveland Barons defenseman Garrett Stafford.

He has already traversed across the continent in his young career.

Playing hockey has brought him a long way from his home on the West Coast with a stop in Des Moines, Iowa along the way.

"That was a shock both from a culture and weather standpoint," the Los Angeles native said. "I was used to a much more diverse setting. You see all types and all colors of people out there. I wasn't ready for Midwest white America."

As shocking as his adjustments have been, his meteoric rise to become one of the premier scoring defensemen in the American Hockey League has caught many off-guard, especially considering he was an undrafted free agent coming out of college.

The 24-year-old has defied all odds to be a surprise all-star selection and one of the major contributors to an improved Barons squad. Cleveland was well out of the playoffs in their first two seasons, but the club is now in the thick of the playoff picture in the North Division of the Western Conference.

What makes Stafford's outstanding rookie campaign all the more impressive is that he was also cut loose by two different teams before finally catching on with the San Jose Sharks organization.

"This has definitely been a learning experience for me," he said. "You can't let it (being cut twice) bother you. I tried to stay focused and just try to find my path. I really think that what doesn't break you only makes you stronger."

Southern California is not exactly the starting point of choice for most professional hockey players. Even with the game expanding here in the United States and an ever-increasing influx of European players, you will find a larger percentage of players from the same places (i.e. Ontario, Minnesota, Massachusetts).

The land that brought us skateboarding and Baywatch is not given much of an afterthought when it comes to hockey.

"It's bigger than a lot of people think it is," Stafford said. "There's a lot of young talent now (in the Los Angeles area). After Gretzky came to town, the Kings were a hot ticket in town and really helped put the sport on the map."

Even with hockey expanding, Stafford left California to improve his game elsewhere.

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