If hockey couldn’t come to them, one pair of native California
brothers was determined to go to where hockey was – even if it
meant moving across the United States while just teenagers.
Anyone who has grown up in California knows how hard it can be
to get into professional ice hockey. It is almost like the Chicago
Blackhawks or the Pittsburgh Penguins winning the Stanley Cup this
year. But that hasn’t stopped 22-year-old Mike and 21-year-old Mark
Adamek from doing whatever it takes to live out a dream.
If hockey couldn’t come to them, one pair of native California brothers was determined to go to where hockey was – even if it meant moving across the United States while just teenagers.
Anyone who has grown up in California knows how hard it can be to get into professional ice hockey. It is almost like the Chicago Blackhawks or the Pittsburgh Penguins winning the Stanley Cup this year. But that hasn’t stopped 22-year-old Mike and 21-year-old Mark Adamek from doing whatever it takes to live out a dream.
Their skills have earned them scholarships to play for the Lake Superior State University ice hockey team in Michigan.
“We recruited them because we saw opportunity for development,” said LSSU coach Frank Anzalone. “They are a lot closer than what they show in practice because each stays focused. They have been together a while and always look after the other. They had to leave home at a very young age and paid some dues that way.”
The Adameks grew up in San Diego before moving to Hollister about 10 years ago. Their parents, Mark and Cheryl, who still live in Hollister, were big fans of the Los Angeles Kings hockey team and used to take their sons to see games.
But they never could have expected their kids would have shown such an interest in the sport.
When Mark was seven and Mike was six, they went to an open skate and decided they liked it. The brothers became obsessed with the sport and played it whenever and wherever they could ever since.
“I never thought I would be playing hockey when I was young,” Mark said. “It is getting a little more popular now in California, but it wasn’t then.”
The Adameks played for the San Jose Junior Sharks, who were based in Oakland, while still in Hollister. Mark and Mike would receive rides five times a week for games and practices. Their younger brother Nick, who just graduated from San Benito High and is playing junior hockey in Minneapolis, also went with them. They have two younger sisters as well.
“Our parents would put a lot of mileage on the car,” Mike said. “We were up there every day almost.”
While they were 15 and 16, they moved to Vail, Colo. to have the opportunity to play at a higher level.
Mike had been out there a year before with a travelling team and really liked the area.
“The competition in California wasn’t that good,” Mike said. “I decided I wanted to play hockey as far as I could go, and the best thing to do was to leave California.”
About a month after Mike left, one of the defensemen on the team was injured, so Mark joined the team to take his spot.
“Our parents were kind of hesitant because we were kind of young,” Mike said. “But after a month or two, they got used to it. I haven’t really been back much since.”
Their parents agreed to let them go and become exchange students, receiving their housing from a family, who had a son on the team.
The Midget AAA team in Vail that the Adameks played with finished fifth in the nation that year.
After a six-month stint in Michigan with the Junior-A level team (the next step up), the brothers came back after the season and finished their high school education at Battle Mountain High School outside of Vail.
“It was a little tough making new friends,” said Mike, who left San Benito High after his sophomore year. “But the whole hockey team I was playing with went to the the same high school, so I had 20 friends right there. It was pretty hard for the first couple months, but I got used to it pretty fast.”
Mark admits that leaving so early might not have been a good idea because he got himself into some trouble while in his three different high schools.
“It affected my schooling,” Mark said. “I was on my own since I was 14, and I kind of had a little too much fun. I definitely missed out on growing up with my family like every other kid does – living at home until they are 18 and going to the same high school. It was a little hard, but now I am reaping the benefits.”
Mark comes back every summer to visit his family. He tries to stay in shape by playing some pickup hockey in San Jose while he is here. Neither Mark nor Cheryl were available for comment at press time.
The Adamek brothers share a town house with two other roommates while attending school. Because they play on two separate ends of the ice, the brothers don’t get much ice time together. But they were able to combine for an assist on a game-winning goal during their freshman year last year.
They are both listed as 6-foot-2, 190-pounders, but coach Anzalone said Mark is built stronger than his older brother.
Mark has played in all 20 games this season. Although Mike has played in only five games this season as a forward, he has scored the game-winning goal in one of them.
“It’s unbelievable,” Mike said. “It’s really good hockey. When we go places, there are 10,000 fans watching. I really wanted to play collegiate hockey, and I knew the best way to do that was to play junior hockey for a couple years first.”
“The school has got a lot of tradition,” Mark added. “It has won three national championships in the ’80s and ’90s and plays in probably the best league in college hockey – the CCHA.”
The Adamek brothers, who are almost unseparable, hope to continue to play hockey together and show that their teenage years were not wasted after all.
“We are pretty much best friends,” Mike said.
