LC golfer hits pucks too

The differences between hockey and golf are about as far as the distance from Spokane to Medicine Hat, Alberta.

And no one knows that more than Lewis and Clark golfer Tommy Maxwell.

While most high school golfers are working on their putting during the winter, Maxwell is honing his slap shot as a member of the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League.

"Playing in the WHL, you realize that even though you're not the best in the league, you're still in the best junior hockey league in the world," said Maxwell.

"Coming back to a high school golf team, you have a lot of confidence in that you know you're a good athlete, and if you're that good at one sport, why not another? That's helped me a lot."

Maxwell, who was a rookie winger on the Tigers this season, showed no ill effects of spending eight months in rinks instead of links. In his first GSL tournament this season, Maxwell fired a 76.

"Last year, it took him a while to get out of the hockey slap shot routine and into the golf swing," said Lewis and Clark Coach Jim Travis. "This year, I didn't know what to expect.

"At the end of last year, when he had to leave to go to the hockey tryouts, he was probably playing our best golf. This year, he came out and picked up right where he left off, playing really well, and he just jump-started our team again."

"Your slap shot really affects your golf swing," said Maxwell. "To come right out of hockey and put up low numbers so easily, it came as a big surprise to me."

The junior, who scored three goals and five assists in 54 games with Medicine Hat this season, found his love for both sports early.

"My dad had me out swinging the club when I was really young, probably when I was 4, out in the front yard with a whiffle ball," Maxwell said. "About the age of 10, I got really hooked on hockey. Ever since, that's been my number one sport.

"The Chiefs had a lot to do with it," he continued.

"I really liked Greg Leeb a lot. I liked Darren Sinclair, Trent Whitfield, Sean Gillam, all of those guys from the 1995 team.

"Just going and watching guys skate, moving the puck, everything happened so quick," he said, "and I just loved that."

Unfortunately for Maxwell, his dream of wearing a Chiefs uniform never came true.

He looked at the Chiefs - and saw they were deep with forwards, had a lot of players coming back, and promising draft picks. So he went to Medicine Hat.

"I really got a chance to play there. I got a chance to do what a lot of rookies don't get to do, and that's get into a lot of games and a lot of different situations," he said, "and I was really happy about that."

After finishing 19th at this week's district golf tournament and just missing out on a berth at state, Maxwell is looking forward to helping Medicine Hat back to the playoffs next season.

"We kind of got a taste of what winning is like, and everyone liked it a lot," he said. "We just kind of got on a roll, so I think going into next season, we've got a lot of momentum."

His golf coach though, thinks his future is as bright striking a golf ball as it is slapping a hockey puck.

If only he played golf year-round.

"I think he'd be one of the top in the league, in my mind," said Travis. "Potentially, I think he could be one of the top five or six golfers.

"He's got a great swing, he's got a good touch, and even when he's not hitting the ball well, he can find a way to scramble."

For now, Maxwell is just happy to play his two favorite sports. Where many people will see differences, Maxwell sees a lot of similarities.

"They're two different sports, but the way you get successful at both of them, you have to do the same things," he said.

"You have to work hard, you have to stay mentally strong, and you have to be a good teammate."

Copyright 2003 Cowles Publishing Company
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