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12/17/06 When Novi HS hockey was officially born on Nov. 18, 1998, we knew we were in for something special. Coach Phelps and his staff were determined to build an entire program, not just simply assemble a roster and become a ‘me-too’ entrant in the tough KVC. I am reminded of this because in a recent issue of Sports Illustrated, a special edition was devoted entirely to the “Faces in the Crowd” segment that has been immensely popular for 50 years. “Faces in the Crowd” chronicles the exploits of young athletes (in some cases 10 years old or less) and presents their accomplishments in their given sport. In the history of ‘Faces in the Crowd’, 392 were from the state of Michigan. One of them was Novi’s own Pat Muston. Pat was TE on the football team, a star in lacrosse (he later played at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County). And, he was also a key member of Novi’s inaugural hockey team. Because of the ‘Faces in the Crowd’ notoriety, his name can be forever linked with other famous honorees like, Tiger Woods, Jennifer Capriati, Terry Bradshaw, Shaun Alexander, and Don Mattingly…just to name a few. It is interesting to note that while many of the ‘Faces in the Crowd’ featured athletes went on to star at the collegiate and professional level, many more did not. However, almost all have parlayed their athletic experiences into success in business, politics, etc. Now that Novi Hockey has ushered in a new era with former NHL player Todd Krygier at the helm, they are in a sense, beginning again. But they are doing a great job, and the tradition continues. For the record, Pat Muston scored the first-ever goal for the Novi Wildcats, and even though it’s been almost 10 years, I remember it like it was yesterday. It took the Novi Wildcats 9 games to get their first victory, but when they did, they never looked back! What a resume since then! Novi Hockey has provided a great vehicle for young athletes to get their start in life, and new stories are developing all the time. We all start somewhere. (c) 2006 Novi
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