Detour to NAHL helps RoughRiders’ Jerry thrive

CEDAR RAPIDS – When someone tells you you're not good enough, you can take it one of two ways. Casey Jerry took it the appropriate way.

In truth, Cedar Rapids RoughRiders head coach Mark Carlson never told Jerry he wasn't good enough. He told the second-year center midway through last season that he needed to get bigger and stronger to best compete at the United States Hockey League level.

That's why the 19-year-old from Wisconsin was sent to the lower-level Austin (Minn.) Bruins of the North American Hockey League. Junior hockey can be tough sometimes.

'Last year, I was a new player in the league and not as strong as most of the returners,” Jerry said. 'Coach asked me to go up to Austin and just develop and improve as a center, get stronger and help the team out that way.

'At first, I was a little bummed. But I took it as a major development-type thing. I took it in a positive way, not in a negative way at all. I looked at it as being an advantage for my game and stuff.”

Carlson retained Jerry's USHL rights, a sign of what the coach thought of him. Jerry came to fall camp at 182 pounds, 10 pounds heavier than a season ago.

He's also a better overall player for the RoughRiders, who play Friday night at Waterloo and Saturday night at Madison.

'It was a big jump for him, as it is for a lot of guys,” Carlson said. 'I'm not sure what he told you, but he probably realized that, too. Sometimes it's a great thing for guys to go to the North American League and play and get seasoning. I think it worked really well for him. He has developed into a really good player here the last six months.”

'Coach told me ‘We want you back next year,'” Jerry said. 'That's why he protected me (on the roster) over the summer and stuff. I just used it as an advantage for me to come back stronger. It made me want to come back here even more.”

Jerry, a Minnesota State commit, has a goal and assist in four games. He takes on some of hockey's least fun roles, such as defensive specialist and penalty killer and excels.

He is truly a two-way player. Those guys are needed for team success.

'Blocking shots, getting to the net. Just kind of like the role I use here now,” Jerry said about what he learned at Austin. 'I'm on penalty kill and stuff. Just offensively getting to the net and getting greasy goals. Those were like the main things. I learned.”

And he learned he is truly a USHL player now. No one telling him he's not good enough.

'I'm bigger and stronger, and that has helped a lot,” Jerry said. 'I got pushed around a lot last year. It has been better that way this year. I can use my body a little more to my advantage. Push guys off the puck and stuff.”

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