Sholl charting own path inspired by his father

Growing up in California may seem like a deterrent if you are looking to play hockey. But for recent Bowling Green alum Tomas Sholl and his father, Brad, that environment did not sway them from following their passions.

Sholl, a 2017 graduate of BGSU, had prime connections to develop an interest in hockey and find the means to build on it. His dad grew up playing ice hockey in Southern California, and later enjoyed brief semipro stints with the Dayton Jets of the All American League and the California Hawks of the Pacific Southwest League.

But the bulk of Brad’s story as a pro goalie came when the roller version of the sport peaked. During Tomas’ early life in Hermosa Beach, his father tended the net for the Los Angeles Blades, a team that played from 1993 until 1997 in Roller Hockey International.

“My dad actually never played much roller growing up, so when he had the chance to play for the Blades, I believe it was a bit of a surprise for him,” said Sholl in an interview with Pucks and Recreation. “He did it because it was a way to keep playing hockey as well as being a great experience personally.”

Tomas admits he did not recall witnessing a game in person, but his father continued to instill the love of the game to his son with another short-lived roller hockey entity. Brad earned the moniker “Scholie the Goalie” through his time with the Salsa of Pro Beach Hockey, a six-team house league in Huntington Beach that lasted from 1998 to 2000 and was syndicated on ESPN2.

Besides the outlandish team names and uniforms, the outdoor PBH league turned heads for including a two-point goal range and skateboard-like ramps behind each net, which made for more compelling scoring chances. In turn, for the likes of Brad Sholl, that made a sound goaltending performance more rewarding and inspiring for those looking up to him, Tomas included.

“I remember going to the PBH games pretty well as they were a lot of fun to watch growing up,” the younger Sholl said fondly. “They had a big cut out picture of my dad outside the rink, which was cool to see as a kid growing up wanting to play hockey.”

These experiences allowed Brad to pass on his knowledge and goaltending prowess to his son. That would amount to two years of local junior hockey with the Fresno Monsters and a subsequent spot at BGSU in Ohio, two hours north of where Brad had briefly played for the Dayton Jets.

“My dad played goalie and taught me all the basics of the position, as well as being my inspiration for playing the position in the first place,” said Sholl.

For the younger Sholl, that experience in the goal crease consisted of mostly harnessing his on-ice skill. He did dabble in roller hockey, but the variation’s craze had fizzled by the time he was old enough for serious competition. In addition, the region had erected plenty of sound indoor ice arenas to shut out the effects of the climate.

“I actually only played in one roller hockey tournament in my life for a total of five games,” he said, “and that wasn’t until I was 15 or 16 years old. I grew up playing ice hockey, and never had much interest in switching blades for wheels.

“As a goalie, the biggest difference I noticed in my brief roller career was the lack of ability to slide and no shuffling.”

After both of their roller careers ended, the two Sholls turned their focus to the ice. Brad took to managing rinks while Tomas continued his development with the Jr. Kings and Monsters before he became a member of Bowling Green.

“His management of rinks afforded me a lot of opportunity in the form of all the ice time I could ever ask for and making connections with coaches and other people around the hockey world,” said Sholl of his father’s continued impact on his life.

Beyond the rink, Brad has impacted Tomas in other ways as. After his playing career ended, Brad became the GM of the Toyota Sports Center in L.A. and briefly worked for the Vegas Golden Knights youth program.

“My dad is extremely invested in the growth of youth hockey on the west coast,” admired Sholl. “He is a product of the California hockey world, and has spent most of his adult life contributing to the growth of the game.”

The elder Sholl’s duties have ranged from sitting on the board of local youth hockey organizations to coaching the Jr. Kings.

“There were a lot of people involved in growing the sport in SoCal,” Thomas remarked, “but I think my dad has made a large impact.”

Between his degree in finance and Brad’s post-playing work in the game, the younger Sholl could have the means to keep following his father’s footsteps for the long-term future. In his own post-graduate career, Tomas has sought to carve out his own unique journey and plans on continuing his passion for hockey in the fall.

“I do have plans to continue playing,” he said determinedly, “and will be attending training camp for an SPHL team later this year.”

However, in addition to his playing pursuits, the WCHA All-Academic team member continues to make an impact on the lives of young athletes in a similar way that his father had impacted him through coaching every summer in his native California.

“Coaching is something I have done every year in the summer since I was about 14, 15 years old,” he said . “I enjoy coaching because it’s a way to give back to a game that has given me a lot.

“For my career after hockey, I plan to utilize the knowledge I gained in school, but I have always thought about volunteer coaching on the side of whatever job I end up working.”