Chris Crowell – A True Leader:

Chris Crowell – a true leader by don klepp Added 2009-05-20

When Chris Crowell was ejected in the first period of the May 10 RBC championship game, he took it like a man and showed the kind of leader he is. This wasn’t just any game; it was the final game of his junior hockey career and his biggest game to date. But he didn’t go to the dressing room to vent his anger or lament his fate. Standing at the exit gate, he stayed in uniform for the whole game.

After the ejection (for checking from behind), Chris was interviewed by Dan Marshall on KISS FM’s live radio broadcast. When asked about the penalty and about the impact that his absence would have on the Vipers’ chances, he replied “the team will be fine. It’s not about just one guy. They’ll step up. We have at least three or four guys who can play with Pimmer and Mike. Our coaches know what to do.”

In the intermission, Assistant Coach Jason Williamson said that the players would play even harder, to win the game for their captain. And they did, even though Humboldt came on strong in the second period.

The Vernon Vipers’ work ethic in that championship game mirrored Chris Crowell’s approach to athletic competition. Incoming players like Cole Ikkala say that they have learned a lot from their captain: “He’s a good example of what it takes to be successful. His work ethic is unbelievable; you should see him in the gym. He doesn’t let the rest of us slack off, either. Also, Chris and the other vets made the transition easy for us newcomers, showing us the ropes and helping us understand how to conduct ourselves, on and off the ice.”

In addition to leading on the ice, Chris is a vocal leader. For example, at a team meal at the RBC Cup when the coaches were away scouting a team, Chris stood up and reminded his team mates to “get your rest today; keep your focus; remember what we came here for!”

Chris eased into his leadership role with the Vipers. When he joined the team as a big, raw kid in the 2005-2006 season, his main job was to create havoc. He amassed 145 penalty minutes that year and 205 minutes the following year. After he became captain, the sin bin minutes tailed off. In 2007-2008 (134 minutes) and this season (112 minutes), he was counted on to provide more offence while exercising more self-discipline. This season was his most productive with 12 goals and 31 assists in the regular season and another 8 goals and 9 assists in 25 post-season contests. He also tied Connor Jones with 2 short handed goals in the regular season.

The Viper team and its fans appreciate what Chris Crowell has done for the Vipers and for the community – he has participated in many community events and charity fundraisers. He doesn’t dwell on his contributions, however. He’s grateful for what he’s received: “I’ve learned so much and I’ve met so many great people that I’ll stay in contact with for a long time.”

His competitive fire and physical presence will be hard to replace as he moves on to the University of Alaska. His game will translate well to the college hockey and he’ll do well academically; this winter he earned an “A” in each of the university transfer courses he studied at Okanagan College. Typically, he challenged himself with three tough classes – English, philosophy, and economics.

Chris is currently leaning toward earning a business degree. Here’s a wild but conceivable prediction: one day Chris Crowell will return to the British Columbia Hockey League as the owner of a BCHL franchise, and that franchise will be very successful.

This article is the first in a six-part series about the Vipers’ graduating 20-year olds. Next week’s story will feature Cody Ikkala.