"And through all of this,'' Kerdiles said, "there have been a lot of good things that have come out of it. I don't try to look at all the negative things, I just look at the positives."
to the French culture and emphasis on the family unit, he said, "They are a loving people. They're al- ways having dinner together. They're always talk- ing, communicating, that kind of stuff.'' Regarding the hurdles to playing college hock-
ey, he said, "I'm a big family person and obviously my family has been through a lot with me. We all fought through it (the NCAA ruling) together. That has shaped me as a person, and the way you are as a person determines how you get over adversity.'' Everything happens for a reason. While Kerdiles was honing his forward skills
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with the NTDP in Ann Arbor, he at- tended Pioneer High School which is located across the street from the Big House: Michigan Stadium. The Pioneer football staff had more than a passing interest in Kerdiles, who's now listed at 6-2, 196 pounds. Shrugging, he suggested that their interest in him was due largely to the fact that "when you're a good-sized kid and you have a good arm and they see you throwing the ball around'' it's only natural that their curiosity might be piqued. "They approached me about it,'' he admitted. But he wasn't interested. "I like football, and I think I'm a pretty good quarterback,'' he said. "But it's all about hockey for me. I love it too much. Nothing against football. It's great sport. But I feel like I have the
potential to go farther in hockey. Playing on the ice works well.'' Not playing — not so much. That's why he can't
wait for this weekend's series in Denver. "When you hear a hockey player say, 'I need a break, I need to get off the ice for a little bit,''' Kerdiles said, "ask them after they do that a week or so and they'll all say, 'I want to get right back on the ice.' "That's exactly how I am. I want to be on the ice every day.''
That definitely translates.
