The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
You might find this hard to believe, but David Holinaty didn't like hockey. "My parents put me in and I hated hockey," Holinaty said. "I don't know why and I can't remember." It's a decision he knows was right, as he's been playing since he was five. Fast forward 14 years later and the 19-year-old is loving his time with the Flin Flon Bombers. "When we first started, it's hard to picture yourself at this level," he said. "It's a dream to do what we're doing right now." His best experience playing in Flin Flon thus far was going to last year's prospects game. "It was pretty unique," he said. Of course the only thing that would top that is making the playoffs and the atmosphere surrounding it. It's a good chance that will happen. Before playing defense for the Bombers, Holinaty was a forward his entire career with some stints on defense. "I thought I was a good forward," Holinaty said. "I was a scrappy son of a (expletive). It was a different role. Defense is more laid back." When he showed up to Bombers camp, a shortage of defenseman forced the organization to try him on the back end. "I actually liked it and thought it was a positive change," he said. "I kind of like the roles of a defenseman, I find it fun." Holinaty gets plenty of ice time, which he said may not happen if he was still a forward. One of the things he enjoys about his position is jumping into the play and making the a hit. Perhaps liking Oilers forward Ryan Smyth has something to do with it. "I think he's a beauty - I like his style," Holinaty said, with a laugh and sounding like Don Cherry. "I also like Iginla." For a kid who didn't like hockey, he loves everything that surrounds it, including his teammates. "We're such a good group," he said. "All of these guys are life long friends." Along with that, he loves going to the rink. A sign of a true hockey player.
