(WXMI) — A Muskegon native is getting a chance to play for the Lumberjacks. The team drafted 15-year-old Ty Raap in May. On Monday, he took the ice for the first time with the Lumberjacks.
"It's something I've always wanted. I've had the Lumberjacks as role models my whole life. It's every kid's dream to play for their hometown team," Raap said.
Raap remembers the moment he got the phone call from the Lumberjacks.
"Coach called me and I was super happy. Me and my dad kind of freaked out about it," Raap said.
Raap was at a hockey tournament when he received the news. He and his dad were sitting in their hotel room when the phone rang.
"There's certain moments as a father that are instilled. Right when they're born, and that's going to be one that will never go away," Ty's dad, Adam, said.
Raap's love for hockey began at a young age – he was at a Detroit Red Wings game and wanted to be on the ice himself.
"He never wanted to be off skates," Adam Raap said.
Monday was Raap's first day on the ice, wearing his own Lumberjacks jersey for the first time.
"It's super cool. I've obviously worked for it, so it's it's like work paying off. I'll keep working and it'll keep paying off," Raap said.
The Lumberjacks coaching staff shares what they see in Raap.
"The best piece about him is that he hasn't even touched the ceiling yet. There's a lot of room for growth and improvement and something we're excited for. It means something extra to us having a kid in our backyard that we can help develop and hopefully one day play for us," Lumberjacks head coach Colten St. Clair said.
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