randy smith
"To Have A Chance At Greatness, You Need Great Work Ethics, Passion, Skill, Talent And A Desire To Want It More Than The Next Person." - Randy Smith
Native from Jamaica, I came to Canada in January of 1971. A few days after I had landed I saw my first ever NHL game; Toronto Maple Leafs vs. the California Golden Seal. I instantly fell in love with the game and wanted to learn to skate so I could play hockey!
That summer I was enrolled in power skating and was taught by the NHL referee John Damico, it was hard but loved the challenge! I started off playing in house league in the winter and a year later I went back to power skating with John and by next season played SHA for Wexford. My family and I later moved to the town of Newmarket, north of Toronto, in 1975 where I played AAA hockey for Newmarket. At the end of my first year in Midget AAA hockey I made the decision to stop hockey and follow another passion, basketball. I practiced basketball extensively, to the point where from grade 9 to 13, I was a York Region all-star each year and by grade 13 I was offered a basketball scholarship to Division 1 Niagara State Purple Eagles. Due to circumstances, I had to de-commit my scholarship. I am not one to sit and worry about what might have been, instead I poured myself into another sport, football, and excelled in the game. |