On December 1, Kristen Robinson asked:
>I heard a rumor that Jason Welch, former Lake Superior State Laker and native
>of Sault Ste. Marie (like me!) is going to be a Northern Michigan Wildcat next
>year. Is this true?  Does anyone know why? Did he quit the Lakers or get cut?
>Any information at all would be welcome.
 
Sorry to take so long to post this reply, but I've been trying to verify the
rumor.  Though I couldn't find out if he will play for NMU, I do know why he is
no longer wearing the Blue and Gold.  Jason (who graduated from Sault High a
year before me) quit the Lakers midway through last season.  He was getting
very little ice time and looked extremely nervous when he was on the ice. Coach
Jackson said Welch was having trouble adjusting to the pressure of being the
only "hometown kid" on the team.  The crowd would go wild whenever he went out
on the ice, and then would get VERY quite after he had a sub-par shift. He
ended out finishing the season with the Kalamazoo Jr. K-Wings of the North
American Jr. Hockey League.
If he does go to NMU he will join former Soo Hawks (midget AAA) teammate Mike
Hillock who is on Northern's roster this year (though I don't know if or how
much he is playing).  Several other Sault natives who played with Welch on the
Hawks are creeping into the college ranks.  Randy Stevens scored his fifth goal
of the year for Mich Tech this weekend.  Derek Crimin is getting ice time at
Ferris State, and Chad Crumely is a red-shirt with LSSU.
 
I should have more informatin on this by the end of the week.
 
Jeffrey Old
Alma College