Game On Magazine 2017 Nov Game On low res | Page 109

Lenny Baranyk, St. Paul’s Crusaders
now has been Bruno Zarrillo. I
also spent the past summer at
the new Sport for Life Centre
downtown working out with
Jeff Woods five times a week.
That definitely helped me get
bigger and stronger for this
season.”
Playing on a team with 13
grade 12 students has really
opened Baranyk’s eyes to the
true meaning of the word
‘teammates’.
“Playing high school has
really been a great new
experience for me so far,”
the 15-year-old said. “I have
been looking up to my older
“ AS A SMALLER GUY I JUST HAVE TO STAY
FOCUSED ON PLAYING MY GAME, AND GO
INTO THOSE BATTLES FOR THE TEAM”
teammates and feeling out
how everything works around
here. Everyone is happy to be
at practice; everyone actually
wants to be there. Even at
school when you see each
other in the halls you just
know that you’re rolling with a
great group of guys.”
Another great guy in
Lenny Baranyk’s life is his
grandfather Leonard, who
he claims sparked the fire in
his mind – a blaze fueled by
hockey.
“Of course I’d be out
playing street hockey with
my friends and family as a
kid, but what really got me
interested in hockey was my
grandpa,” Baranyk reflected.
“He got both my brother Nick
and I involved. I remember
playing mini sticks with him
whenever we’d go over to his
house, and he would always
ask me questions about the
games that were on T.V. the
night before, getting me more
involved in the sport.”
Whether it’s watching
Auston Matthews and his
favourite team, the Toronto
Maple Leafs on Hockey
Night in Canada on Saturday
evenings, talking hockey with
his grandpa around the dinner
table at family gatherings, or
lacing up his skates for the
St. Paul’s Crusaders, Lenny
Baranyk is always sure to
deliver. ❍
NOVEMB ER 2017 | GAME O N | 1 0 9