BY SCOTT HADDOW
It has been said great leaders are made, not
born.
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Yves Bastien plays in front of his
family and friends tonight at the Sudbury Arena as the
Rangers take on the Wolves. |
Since birth, Dowling's Yves Bastien has been
overcoming adversity to make him a great young leader and a top
notch hockey player.
The Kitchener Rangers rookie forward was born
with a cataract in one of his eyes. It left him partially blind
in the eye, but also full of determination and
heart.
Bastien wears a full visor and face cage to
protect his good eye.
"I have poor vision in my one eye, so I wear
the full cage because I am looking out for my one good eye,"
said the teen.
"It's always been something I have had to
deal with, but really it's nothing at all. I have to deal with
guys in the league that chirp a lot about me wearing the full
cage, but I laugh about it. They're just trying to play a
mental game with me. I take it the right way and keep
playing."
Bastien, 16, has got used to the reduced
vision.
"People always ask me what's it like to only
see out of one eye," said Bastien. "I don't know because I have
never seen with both my eyes. I've been like this since birth.
It's not a problem while I am playing hockey."
(The player prefers the competition not to
know which is his good eye.)
At five-foot-nine and 170-pounds, Bastien has
also had to overcome size issues in each league he has played
in, and again, he hasn't let it burden him.
"I am solid on my skates," said Bastien. "I
wouldn't say I am a scorer, but I can put up some numbers. I
bring leadership and a physical aspect to the
game. It doesn't matter how big the other guy
is, I'll go in and try and fight for the puck."
His attitude, play and leadership has
endeared him to the Rangers coaching staff.
Kitchener head coach and GM Pete DeBoer sees
plenty of potential in Bastien as a future captain. DeBoer
knows what he's talking about as he coached Mike Richards, who
was captain of Canada's 2005 gold medal-winning World Junior
Championship squad, as well as the Rangers captain.
"Yves contributes every night, playing a
regular shift and on the penalty kill," said DeBoer. "He oozes
character, which I think will make him a future captain in this
league. He possesses leadership skills and a maturity beyond
his age."
As a 15 year old, Bastien left home to play
Junior A hockey with the North Bay Skyhawks, after two
successful stints with the Onaping Falls Huskies AAA bantam
team. Bastien credits the coaches on that team for helping him
drastically improve his defensive game.
The slick-skating forward was drafted 38th
overall by the Rangers in the 2005 draft, and hasn't looked
back.
Bastien was recently selected to play for
Team Ontario at the 2006 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.
"I went to the main camp and felt I belonged
there, but I wasn't sure if I would get the call," said
Bastien. "When I did, I was shocked and thrilled. It will be an
honour."
When the dust clears at that event, Bastien
will make his name known.
"I think he will be a big part of that team,"
said DeBoer. "He's the type of guy who will go into that
situation and before the end of the tournament, find a way to
contribute and make an impact."
Being away from home for the last two years
has wreaked havoc on Bastien's family life. "It takes a toll,"
said Bastien. "My mom (Julie) misses me. You don't know how
important your family is until you move away. It's made me
realize how good it is to live at home with my family."
The skilled forward is enjoying his time in
Kitchener though, and plans to keep things simple in his first
season.
"I want to play every game and reach 30 to 40
points," said Bastien. "The main thing I want to do is be
consistent."
Bastien will play in front of his family and
friends tonight at the Sudbury Arena as the Rangers take on the
Sudbury Wolves. Game time is 7:30 pm.
