Brandon Kids Help Lead Hockey Team to National Championship

It's been a season of growth and change for the Farrell family on the ice.

Coming into this Tampa Bay Scorpions hockey season, Casey Farrell was a lifelong defenseman, but his father and the rest of the Scorpions coaching staff decided to put him on the wing to attack instead.

His twin brother, Cyle, while playing his usual center position, took on as well a new role as one of the team's leaders.

"Last year we only had a couple people that could play a leadership role so this year some of us had to step up and help make us into a team of leaders," Cyle said. "With that comes a little bit more pressure, because I'm like the quarterback of our second line, but I think it's made me better.

"As the season went along we started coming together as a team better and were able to make things happen,” he added. "That definitely made me feel more confident as a leader."

For Casey, the challenge of learning a new position and being thrust into an attacking role took some adjustment, but he has re-discovered himself as a hockey player in the process.

"Being on defense for my whole life the change was hard for me," Casey said. "I had to learn where to go and how to handle the passes but I was able to do because I spent a lot of time at practice working with my coaches specificly on what I was suppose to do. We were really good at passing and getting through the other team's defense by the time we got to the national championship."

The Scorpions AA 99 (12-year olds) is comprised of players from the Bay Area, who have played with or against each other over the years of their youth. The team was able to come together in October, when the season began, to form a bond built on hard work and game plan execution.

"This is a great group of kids," Sean Farrell, the twins' dad and an assistant coach with the team said. "They work their butts off for us and they have become one solid unit. That's why their so successful, because they play for each other."

Last week, the team went to Washington D.C. to play in USA Hockey's National Championship as the No. 16 ranked team in the nation. They would win two of four games, losing in the quarterfinals to eventual champions Denver Junior Pioneers.

"We played well, but next year we need to work on conditioning I think," Cyle said. "The teams we play down here aren't nearly as good. I think we kind of backed off at times thinking we had the game under control and the teams at this tournament took advantage of that. Sometimes we have to be able to stay out on the ice longer and fight harder."

It's been a season of learning for the coaching staff too, particularly Farrell, who is new to coaching the sport and didn't play it growing up. For him, being involved with a team of the Scorpions caliber has been a great coaching experience.

"As a kid I played basketball and baseball but when the kids got involved with recreational hockey when they were younger I decided to get my coaching license," Farrell said. "I've kept myself close to people who know hockey which has helped, but this season has been great for me as a coach. From watching the kids overcome adversity to learning new things, it's been an experience."