æz ɐ jˈuːθ, hiː lˈɜːnd tə skˈeɪt ɔnðɪ aʊtdˈoːɹ sˈɜːfɪs ʌv ˈɑːɹvɪdəz pˈaʊɛl pˈɑːɹk, ænd lˈeɪɾɚ plˈeɪd fɔːɹ ðæt tˈaʊnz pˈiːwˈiː ˈoːɹɪˌoʊlz mˈaɪnɚɹ ˈaɪs hˈɑːki.
As a youth, he learned to skate on the outdoor surface of Arvida's Powell Park, and later played for that town's Pee-Wee Orioles minor ice hockey.