Easton Zueger living dream of playing for hometown Stampede

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - “Incredible. For me it’s everything. I cam to every home game growing up. I actually worked here as a stick boy, a volunteer. The majority of my memories growing up are involving the Stampede.” Defenseman Easton Zueger says of playing for the team he grew up watching.

Now he’s a member of the team and only the 2nd Sioux Falls native to do so, following in the footsteps of Zeb Knutson who was a big inspiration.

“Plenty of memories giving him knuckles, chasing him around in post game skates. And he actually skated with me in the summers too growing up at Little Legend Hockey Camp.” Easton says.

All those hours of skating as a kid have paid off. Easton is a hard working defenseman and will do anything he can to help the team win, which included playing forward one night.

“Outside of being local he deserves to be on our hockey team. He’s worked really hard, he came to our campm last summer and I thought he made some huge strides over the course of the year.” Stampede GM/Head Coach Marty Murray says.

“I play hard all over the ice. I do everything as hard as I can whether that’s shooting the puck, skating hard, hitting hard, just making hard plays and overall I try to be the best teammate I can every day.” Zueger says.

And the fact that he’s from Sioux Falls makes him almost a host to the rest of the team with players from all over the world.

“He’s been great. Obviously this is his home and he knows the area super well and it’s always good. You never know when you’re going to need a nice place to eat.” Stampede Forward JP Turner says.

“Of course it’s nice to know where you can go some places that are the same with restaurants and that kind of stuff and also how everything works, it’s really good.” Stampede Goalie Isak Posch says.

Easton is here trying to do the same thing as his teammates and earn a Division One college scholarship. And he’s pumped about the announcement of D-I hockey in his hometown. The irony of his playing for the Stampede is not lost on the 18 year old who treasures every moment.

“For a while they were my super heroes. So now it’s kind of interesting to be in the locker room. It’s a cool feeling to be around every single one of these guys.” Easton says.

And now he’s the super hero giving knuckles to the stick boys before he steps on the ice for his hometown team.

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