Article Photos

Kellen Fausch seems like such a natural on the ice at Martin County Arena.

The Fairmont Area senior forward has brought a unique combination of speed, skating and stick-handling to the ice every varsity game for the last two-plus seasons.

That's why it's difficult to believe there was a time he almost gave it up for good.

"I was about to quit, but my mom kept me in it and I'm glad I didn't quit," said Fausch.

Fausch said that about the time he started playing at the squirt level, he wanted to give up the sport.

"I couldn't skate like everyone else," he said.

Now, that is still the case, but it's most other hockey players who would rather have his skating abilities.

Fausch is both a standout on the Martin County Arena ice and the Mahoney Field gridiron, but after a rough beginning, he said hockey is his favorite.

"I just love the game," he said, noting his friend and current teammate Andrew Staebler got him to go out for the sport.

Fausch has been playing football since seventh grade and has been playing hockey for 13 years.

From an unsure beginning, Fausch finally decided the sport was definitely for him after his second year at the bantam level when he was named a captain.

"I noticed how much leadership I had to have (to be a captain)," he said.

And he displayed that learned leadership on the ice during his first season on the Cardinal varsity lineup as a sophomore.

Fausch tied for the team lead that season with nine goals and led the team with eight assists.

During his junior season, he did not suffer the dreaded 'sophomore slump' as his second varsity campaign proved to be better than his first.

He reached double figures in goals scored with 12 to lead the team and tied for second on the squad with six assists.

But it was his first game this season that has proved, thus far, to be his most memorable.

Fausch tallied four goals - a career high - in his first game of his senior season in helping the Cardinals to a 7-5 win over Luverne.

"This past game when I scored four goals. ... I knew something good was going to happen (before the game)," said Fausch, when asked to comment on his favorite career moment.

He also added an assist in the team's second game of the year, a 7-4 loss at home to Austin.

He has a few individual and team goals for the season.

"I want to score at least 20 goals and I want to win the (South Central) conference," said Fausch.

Fausch takes a mental approach to a very physical sport.

"I usually just listen to music, relax and think about the game - what could happen," he said on his pre-game rituals.

Fausch said he has the most confidence in his passing game.

"I need to work on my skating form," he said, when asked what he'd still like to improve upon.

Fausch certainly is not planning on having his first game of the season be his best.

"I'm going to keep giving assists and I look forward to scoring a lot of goals this season. ... I have a really good feeling about this season. I'm looking forward to it," said Fausch.

Fausch is thinking about attending Minnesota West next fall to pursue studies in the medical field.

However, he has not given up on the idea of playing hockey at the next level.

"I actually want to play some college hockey," he said, noting he'd like to attend some tryouts.

"See where I rank among the other guys," Fausch added.