Earned success: Condors' Sexton takes pride in pride in proving critics wrong
| Thursday, Oct 29 2009 11:15 PM
Last Updated Thursday, Oct 29 2009 11:28 PM
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Utah at Condors
When: Tonight, 7
Where: Rabobank Arena
Radio: KGEO (1230 AM), 6:45
Condors record: 4-2-0
Grizzlies record: 2-2-0
Notes: The Condors will don special King of Pop jerseys and each player will wear one white glove tonight in a tribute to Michael Jackson. Also, anyone named Billie Jean (there are none listed in the Bakersfield phone book) or Michael Jackson (there are a half-dozen possibilities) will be admitted free with ID. The jerseys will be auctioned after the game with proceeds going to the Children's Miracle Network. "Its over the top," said Condors defenseman Stu Brickel of the promotion. "It'll be fun." ... Goaltender Justin Pogge remains in Anaheim with the Ducks, who host Vancouver, and former Condor Alexandre Bolduc, tonight.
... Nine-year NHL veteran Kyle Calder practiced with the Condors on Thursday morning and will play as soon as his immigration is complete. "He's a hard worker and could be playing this weekend," Condors coach Marty Raymond said. "He's a great guy and will bring a lot to our locker room. He's going to really help out the young guys."
Images:
Henry A. Barrios / The Californian Bakersfield Condors #8 Dan Sexton battles with Ontario's Jon Rheault for the puck in their game Wednesday night.
Dan Sexton is used to rejection. That's why he works so hard to attain success.
He's been told so many times that he's not good enough, or specifically, not big enough, to make an impact in hockey that it just seems normal.
So he keeps trying to prove his doubters wrong.
He's doing a pretty good job thus far with the Bakersfield Condors.
Sexton, who didn't join the Condors until opening day, leads the team in goals (3), assists (6) and points (9) and is among the top rookies in the ECHL in all three categories as well.
Not bad for a guy who is used to hearing 'you're not good enough.'
"I think it just made me a little stronger mentally to be able to take that and prove people wrong, I guess," Sexton said.
Sexton, 22, caught the eye of the Anaheim Ducks as a sophomore at Bowling Green State (Ohio) University last season when the speedy center was en route to leading the Falcons in goals, assists and points.
The Ducks lured Sexton away from college and assigned the rookie to San Antonio, Phoenix's American Hockey League affiliate.
Sexton went to San Antonio with high hopes but sat in the stands for the first five games. That was enough for the Ducks to send him to Bakersfield, already stacked with a host of AHL-caliber players because the Ducks do not have an AHL affiliation this year.
"When I was on the bench there, they kind of used the excuse that I was small," said Sexton, listed as a generous 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds by the Condors. "It kind of just brought me back to my younger days when I was a teen. I thought I was a pretty good player but then I'd go try out for a team and for some reason, it was always the easy excuse -- you're not big enough."
Much like Rodney Dangerfield, Sexton is used to getting no respect.
Following high school, Sexton, out of Apple Valley, Minn., tried out for the top junior league in the states -- the United States Hockey League, only to be told he wasn't good enough. So he played a step down in the North American Hockey League which got him drafted into the USHL the next season.
"I got cut again but got picked up two days before the season by another USHL team (the Sioux Falls Stampede)," he said. "I didn't play very well the first half of the year but they stuck with me and by the second half of the year I felt like I was playing really well. I got my confidence way up."
That season also earned him a full-ride scholarship to Bowling Green, which led to an offer he couldn't refuse from the Ducks.
"After my sophomore year I didn't want to pass it up because you never know if you're going to get a chance like that again," Sexton said. "I would have loved to get another year or two of school to further my education, especially since it was being paid for.
"It was a lot of money I was giving up education wise, but as far as the opportunity (to turn pro), you don't want to give it up and then not have it the next year. I wanted to take it when I had it."
But the opportunity to play in San Antonio didn't materialize, which proved to be frustrating.
"At first, I was like I only want to play in the AHL," Sexton said. "Then after you sit out five straight games you just want to play hockey."
And the Ducks hierarchy wanted him to play. Thus the reassignment to Bakersfield, where Sexton is getting plenty of playing time.
He made an immediate impact with the Condors, scoring a goal and adding an assist in the first game and has only failed to produce a points in one game -- Bakersfield's 3-0 loss in Victoria on Oct. 23.
Sexton and linemates Sean Weller and MacGregor Sharp have been the top producing line. Weller has three goals and eight points and Sharp has three goals and seven points.
"They're good players, hard workers, skill guys," Sexton said of his linemates. "I played with Sharp a little in rookie camp and played against Weller in (training camp in Anaheim). So far it's worked out well."
Well enough that Sexton just might prove that he, indeed, is good enough to play at the next level.
