Hockey player can run with the best
Minor midget Rangers defenceman Brzustowski a cross-country racer to watch
WATERLOO — For the past six weeks, Luc Brzustowski has been doing a fair bit of juggling.
By day, he’s a Grade 10 student in Cameron Heights’ international baccalaureate program who dabbles in cross-country running for the simple reason it’s something he enjoys doing.
At night and on weekends, he’s an assistant captain and defencemen for the Kitchener Rangers minor midget “AAA” hockey club.
On Thursday afternoon at Bechtel Park, the soft-spoken Brzustowski added the title of Waterloo County (WCSSAA) champion to his resumé, cruising to a first-place finish in the 5,000metre junior boys race and establishing himself as one of the racers to watch at next Thursday’s Central Western Ontario (CWOSSA) meet.
Brzustowski crossed the finish line in 17:56.03 for a comfortable win over Ried Henderson of Bluevale (18:16.31) and David Cummings of Sir John A. Macdonald (18:51.54).
“It’s just something I enjoy doing, running in the woods is kind of fun and I get to hang out with my friends,” said Brzustowski, whose hidden talent is the ability ride a unicycle.
“Hockey’s first, though. I never want to be too tired for hockey, but if I have an off-day or something, it’s nice to get out for a run.”
Team and individual championships were up for grabs Thursday as racers competed in six categories.
Sir John A. Macdonald was tops in midget girls, senior girls and junior boys, Cameron Heights was first in junior girls, Waterloo Collegiate was first in senior boys and Bluevale won midget boys.
A busy evening of hockey prevented Brzustowski from celebrating his WCSSAA championship.
The Rangers staged a video session to get the puck rolling and followed that up with a 90-minute practice at Activa Sportsplex.
On average, Brzustowski said he runs three to four times a week and averages about five ice
times. Upcoming games include a two-day road trip, with a Friday night game in Essex and a Saturday afternoon tilt in Windsor.
Rangers head coach Dean DeSilva has given Brzustowski the green light to compete for the cross-country team, he said, but isn’t sure whether the blessing would include the Nov. 3 OFSAA championship in Hamilton.
First, he must qualify, but if he does, the Rangers have a late afternoon game in Kitchener against the Huron-Perth Lakers.
“I’ll play it by ear. It’s pretty hard to get to OFSAA, but if I do, it will be a nice problem to have,” he said.
The top two teams and top five individuals (who are not members of the top teams) in each race at next week’s CWOSSA meet will qualify for OFSAA.
The District 8 championship will be staged Friday, also at Bechtel Park.