Shaler teen following goaltending dreams

Mental toughness isn’t something Gino Texter will have to seek out. Hockey has provided the 15-year-old Shaler native with plenty of challenges.

Five times Texter tried out to be a goaltender with the Pens’ Elite program. Every attempt ended without an invitation. Texter instead found a home with the Cleveland Barons and Cleveland Athletic Academy. What that involved for Texter, then 14, was a move away from home.

Texter lives with a host family in Broadway Heights, Ohio, and plays in Parma. Since arriving in the Cleveland area, Texter has excelled between the pipes and was selected from the MidAm Region, which encompasses Ohio, West Virginia, Western Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Indiana, to attend a National Develop Select Camp in Buffalo last weekend.

“Being away from home was the toughest part,” Texter said. “It was a big difference getting used to living out of state. My host family made things a lot easier.”

Seeing Gino move away wasn’t a decision his parents took lightly. Tim Texter, who coached Gino at a lower level and played hockey himself, felt his son had the acumen to handle living in a different environment.

“It was a tough decision to allow him to go,” Tim said. “If he wasn’t mature enough, we wouldn’t have let him go. I grew up playing hockey and understand the dynamics of it. I thought with how good he was at a younger age, he may leave at 17 or 18. He just turned 15 last November.”

Gino tried out for the same camp last season but finished behind a goaltender from Columbus. While waiting for another shot, Gino spent time refining his skills. He also spent time working to help cover the cost of playing.

Gino referees youth and men’s league games to earn money. He paid for his own set of goalie pads, which cost $2,500. Out of his own pocket, Gino has spent between $6,000 and $7,000 to get the things he needs.

Josh Harrold, who coaches Gino with the Barrons, is impressed with his focus.

“He knows what he has to do and what he needs to do,” Harrold said. “He’s responsible. He always shows up on time and does what is asked of him. He puts his head down in the weight room and does the work. He’s single-minded in what he wants to accomplish.”

Playing goaltender wasn’t always Gino’s goal. He got his start at the American Development Model level because they rotated every kid into the position. Demonstrating a proclivity for stopping pucks, Gino quickly found a home.

“I don’t know what it was,” Gino said. “Something clicked. When we were playing at the ADM level, I was stopping a lot of shots and thought I should stay with the goalie.”

Once Gino decided he wanted to play goalie, Tim went in search of coaching. He got Gino into Shane Clifford’s goalie school and had Gino work out with Parkes Knepshield at the Baierl Ice Complex.

While the Texters looked at some hockey teams even farther away than Cleveland, they eventually decided the Barons would be a good landing spot for Gino.

Since he’s been there, Harrold said he has seen Gino improve his skill set significantly.

“He is very good at making the first save,” Harrold said. “He’s good at squaring to shooters. He plays the puck as well as most college and pro goaltenders. He’s unbelievable at playing the puck. I played with good puck-moving goaltenders at his age and he’s as good as some of them.”

Where Harrold would like to see Gino improve is with his technical skating ability and rebound control.

Gino is focused on making sure he supports his teammates in the best way possible.

“I want to be a great teammate and be a guy who is liked in the room,” Gino said. “If everyone respects you, it will help going forward.”

Gino would like to pursue playing junior and pro hockey. Tim knows his son has the mentality to pursue the opportunity with vigor.

“You have to be ready, no excuses,” Tim said.

“He went out there and was able to take it all in.”