KVIDAHL: Bruin skips MAC game for C&W
DeSmet's Bruin skips MAC for C&W
"Where is Will Bruin?"
Bruin, a recent DeSmet graduate, is the best prep soccer player in the state, if not the country. He was, far and away, the most dynamic player on the pitch this fall, leading the Spartans by scoring 26 goals and handing out 16 assists.I'd been looking forward to watching Bruin and a host of the area's top futbolers kick it around one more time at the MAC game.
Instead, Bruin was MIA.
Theories as to Bruin's whereabouts circulated around the A-B Center.
"He must have a vacation."
"He must be at a camp."
"Aliens must have taken him home."
Bruin is otherworldly. He stands 6-foot-2, weighs almost 200 pounds and is faster than Vanilla Ice's 15 minutes of fame.
However, he didn't hit the beach, take off for an elite camp or join Elvis in orbit.
He spent the evening with Rascal Flatts.
Bruin passed on the chance to wear an MAC all-star shirt. Instead, he opted to sport a cowboy hat, a short sleeve plaid button down shirt, khaki shorts and hiking boots.
"It was awesome," Bruin said.
Bruin was interested in playing in the MAC game, but not enough to give up his concert tickets.
"They opened their summer tour in St. Louis," he said. "They had confetti flying from the back, it was great."
It's not like the North team missed him. It pasted the South team for a 9-2 victory, as Duchesne's Johnny O'Mara netted three goals and was named the North MVP.
Chaminade's Peter Hyde put his claim in for MVP, as he scored two goals, including a rocket in the game's final two minutes.
Instead of getting his kicks, Bruin was kicking off what is going to be a summer of country concerts.
"I've got Brooks & Dunn coming up," he said. Also on tap are Tim McGraw and Toby Keith.
Come August, Bruin will join a host of other local talented players at Indiana University. The Hoosiers are one of the nation's top programs and have a roster loaded with local talent. Among those who'll join Bruin are St. Louis University High's Tommy Meyer, Chris Haffner and Luis Soffner. Michael Roach, a 2007 Chaminade graduate, will be a sophomore for IU this fall.
So, what's he looking forward to more, being serenaded by country music's biggest acts or playing with the Hoosiers?
"I don't know, it's close," he said. "But, I'll take kicking it around with the Hoosiers."
Drew Hanlen has kept himself busy this spring. The recent Webster Groves graduate just published his first book, "Drew Hanlen's Driveway Dedication."
The book is 50 pages of skills and drills he used to help turn himself from skinny shooting guard into a Division I basketball player.
Originally, Hanlen wasn't planning on penning a book.
"It was going to be a little pamphlet and it turned into a book," he said. "People around town wanted to know what I did for my workout."
He says it took him between 175 and 200 hours to put it together and even more time for it to be edited. He wanted it just right before he decided it was ready for publication.
"I'm a perfectionist," he said.
Along with putting out the book, he started his own training company, Pure Sweat. The long-term goal for Hanlen's Pure Sweat is to train young athletes and help them mature into the best basketball players they can be.
"I hope it helps out the kids in the area," he said.
He plans on stepping away from the company while he's involved at Belmont University, where he signed to play basketball this winter.
There was some doubt as to how ready he'd be for his freshman year at Belmont. Hanlen suffered a knee injury this spring. He tore his medial collateral ligament (MCL) and cartilage in his right knee.
After successful surgery this past Thursday, Hanlen is expected to only miss a month.
If the injury had been worse, he could have been out up to four months.
Instead, he'll have physical therapy every day here before continuing at Belmont once he lands on campus in July. He's taking two classes, one of which is Introduction to Business.
If you're interested in getting a copy of Hanlen's "Driveway Dedication," you can find the book at Hanlen's Meat Shoppe on Manchester in Kirkwood, the St. Louis Sports Center and at Hanlen's website, www.dhanlen13.com.
You can e-mail David Kvidahl at dkvidahl@yourjournal.com.
