North American Hockey League


Spinder’s confidence growing in Kalamazoo J


By Matt Mackinder


ake Spinder is the first to admit it took some time


to adjust to living away from home for the first time, but the Arvada native is growing more and more comfortable with his


new surroundings as a member of the Kalamazoo Jr. K-Wings. “It’s been a real learning experience,” said the


defenseman of his indoctrination into the North American Hockey League (NAHL). “I’m figuring out how to play the game at this level and making the most of it.” The support system in place with the Jr. K-


Wings, most notably head coachMarc Fakler, whom Spinder says has helped build his confidence on the blue line, has played a big role in helping the 19-year-old focus on hockey while being more than 1,100 miles from home. “It hasn’t been too bad, but I’d be lying if I said


it didn’t affect my game early in the season,” said Spinder. “I’ve just battled through it and stayed positive. “I Skype with my family pretty regularly and


that’s made it easier. It’s hard to lose touch these days with e-mail, Facebook, texting - stuff like that.” Spinder spent his entire pre-Kalamazoo life in


Arvada and played for Team Rocky Mountain, now known as the Rocky Mountain RoughRiders. Nick Larson, whom Spinder


credits - along with the entire RoughRiders organization - for developing him into a junior-caliber player, was his coach his final four years in Colorado. “My last year of Midget Major


AA, we won states as the last seed in the tournament,” said Spinder. “That was a magical year. The guys from that team are still very close and Nick helped get us to that point. “Nick saw potential in me since


2007 or so when I played Bantams and always told me I could play at a higher level. He always said I was good enough, but that it was up to me how far I wanted to go.” Larson, the RoughRiders’ 18U coach this season,


still sees a lot of potential in Spinder as he navi- gates his way through the highly scouted Tier II Junior A league. “Jake’s the kind of player every coach wants 20


of,” praised Larson. “He shows up every day with a good attitude and work ethic, and he’s proof that, if


NAHL.com


Arvada’s Jake Spinder is hoping his seasoning in the NAHL will help land him a Division I college opportunity.


you want something bad enough and are willing to work for it, you can achieve it.” Derek Robinson, the


RoughRiders’ director of hockey operations who played for the first incarnation of the Jr. K-Wings during the 1988-89 season, echoed those sentiments. “Jake’s worked for and earned


everything he’s been able to achieve,” said Robinson. “He’s put a lot of long hours in with us, both on and off the ice, and represents a lot of what’s good in youth sports today: a young man who made the commitment to get better and is willing to outwork his competition to get to that next level.” Spinder is counting on his


development in the NAHL to get him to an even higher level: college hockey. “From the moment I got here in August, I could


tell this was a close-knit team,” said Spinder. “We have tons of scouts that come to every game and I really feel like I could play Division I hockey. “I never thought I was good enough before, but


I’m working hard every day and Kalamazoo is definitely where I know I need to be.”


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