it was frozen, anytime
that he could physically
get out there, day or
night,” said Kurt. The
family even put up
a small rink in the
garage with synthetic ice so he
could practice
his shooting.
“He really
has a passion
for it,” said
Roxanne. “It’s
one of those few
and far between
things. When he
gets new skates, he
sleeps with them on,
even at this age.”
“Yes I do!” laughed
Karch, “when I first get
them, in order to help
break them in.”
That rare combination of
passion and speed has launched
Karch to the highest levels of North
American junior hockey. For the past
three years, Karch has divided his summers between Ann Arbor, MI, playing
in the USA Hockey National Team
Development Program, and Toronto,
Canada playing for the East Coast Selects. Like its name suggests, the East
Coast Selects team is comprised only
of elite players from the eastern half
of the US and Canada. Karch won the
MVP award last summer.
Great success is seldom possible
without help, and the list of people
who have lent Karch a hand over the
years stretches around the block. A
perfect example is John Kline, a close
family friend and retired pilot. He has
shuttled Karch around the country on
his own plane numerous times. On
one occasion, he picked him up from
a tournament in Ohio and flew him to
Minnesota so he could play another
tournament the same day.
Karch is grateful to everyone, but
knows none have given up more than
his family. “My dad, mom, and sister
have sacrificed the most and without
everything they have done I would
surely not be where I am now,”
said Karch. “It is unfathomable how much effort,
pain, and sacrifice all
three have had to go through just for
me.”
Ever since Karch began playing,
his teams have been located in Battle
Creek, Kalamazoo, or Detroit. Kurt
remembers driving to all those practices, “three, four days a week to Battle
Creek, Kalamazoo. Coming back and
forth from Detroit we’d get home at
two or three in the morning.”
Since his job is somewhat flexible, Kurt handled most of the traveling with Karch while Roxanne stayed
home with Karis. Karch thanks Karis
in particular for allowing him to chase
his dreams.
“She has spent the majority of the
past 7-10 years without a father around
very often due to him taking me all
over for hockey,” Karch said. “I give
her all the credit because all she had
to say is “I want dad to be home” and
my career would have been over right
there, but she never said that. She is
my biggest fan.”
Kurt went through three vehicles
hauling Karch around
three or