THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, October 15, 1994 TAG: 9410150397
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 56 lines
Kelly Sorensen, one of the Hampton Roads Admirals' best and most popular players, unexpectedly retired Friday.
Sorensen, a right wing who was entering his third season with Hampton Roads, had 45 points in 57 games last season and was considered one of the team's key returning players by coach coach John Brophy.
Sorensen, an assistant golf pro at Virginia Beach's Honey Bee Golf Course, said he is giving up hockey ``to get on with my next career.''
The 24-year-old native of Canada recently passed the PGA Players Ability Test, earning him a PGA pro card.
``I'll go back to full time at the golf course,'' he said.
``This was a tough decision for me to make, so tough that it's not even funny. But I just didn't feel my heart was into hockey as much as it should have been.
``If I'm not 100 percent into the game, it's not fair to the team . . . especially to the guys who might get cut ahead of me. There's so much talent on this team. It wouldn't be right for me to make this decision a week from now after some hard-working, promising young player had been cut. That's why I did it today.''
Admirals president Blake Cullen said Sorensen had been mulling retirement since early summer.
``He has another career, a promising career, and wasn't sure he could give hockey his full attention,'' Cullen said. ``He's a terrific guy who played his heart out. It was very hard for him. He was very emotional about it.''
``I have no regrets,'' said Sorensen, who was drafted out of Ferris State University by the Toronto Maple Leafs. ``I enjoyed working for Mr. Cullen and playing for coach Brophy and the fans here.
``The players are still my friends. I'll be here at the games rooting for them and supporting them in any way I can.''
PLAYERS AXED: The Admirals cut eight players Friday morning to reduce their roster to 21. The loss of Sorensen shrank the roster to 20.
Among those released were defenseman Kyle Haviland, center Blake Martin and left wing Steve Anderson, who had assists Thursday in a 4-3 victory over Johnstown.
Also cut were defensemen Rod Foley and Michael Horner and forwards Dan Menard, Sean Perry and Mark MacLean. Previously, Greg Pineo had quit the team.
The Admirals must cut the roster to 17 by Tuesday, when they open at Roanoke. The team has seven defensemen, two goaltenders and 11 forwards.
``A defenseman will have to go, maybe two,'' Brophy said. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
``I have no regrets,'' says Kelly Sorensen, who is an assistant pro
at Honey Bee Golf Course.
by CNB