Chatting with Cal Heeter – Ohio State Buckeyes
10/14/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
A goaltender since he was a youngster, sophomore Cal Heeter feels at home between the pipes. He is also comfortable in a big city, growing up in downtown St. Louis. He adjusted easily to attending a big college with a sprawling campus. It showed on the ice, too, as Heeter started his career off in spectacular fashion, defeating the No. 2-ranked team in the country, Denver, on the road, in his first career start. When called upon this season, Heeter expects good results, especially if he’s gotten his rest.
How did you become a goaltender?
“I played one year of roller hockey and house hockey as a defensemen when I was 5 or 6 years old, but have been a goaltender ever since. It’s tough to say how I ever became a goaltender. I remember one day our goalie didn’t show up for practice, so I put the pads on. I don’t think I ever looked back.”
As a goaltender, what are some of the major differences you notice from the NAHL to the college level?
“I’d say it’s a big step up in depth. Every team has four lines of quality, solid players in college. In the NAHL, teams might have one or two good lines and it really trails off after that. There are a lot more top-end players in college. Overall, the speed is quicker in college, but it’s not a huge difference.”
How was living and playing for a year in Wichita Falls, Texas?
“Interesting, to say the least. It’s a whole different culture down there. It’s a small town of about 100,000 people out in the middle of nowhere. Everyone said y’all, but I had a lot of fun. Our team was pretty popular in town since we were the closest thing to a professional team they had. We always had a lot of fans at our games.”
What was it like growing up in downtown St. Louis?
“I absolutely loved it. Everything is closer and there are so many more things to do and so much stuff to see. I’d say after growing up in a big city, there was no real difference to me when I came here. It is pretty much the same thing.”
You say lying on the couch is one of your favorite things to do and a pre-game ritual of yours is taking a nap. Why is sleep so important to you?
“They really work us hard in practice and off the ice in workouts. The most important thing you can do after a long day at the rink is to get a good meal and catch up on your sleep. You have to get ready for the next day or a game that night.”
