Cyrus Mortazavi is a freshman who enjoys hockey, music, and traveling.

At a Glance:

Favorite weird food combo? Bananas and peanut butter

Favorite hockey player? Henrik Zetterberg

Favorite movie character? James Bond

Weirdest socks that you own? Golf Wang Camp Flog Gnaw socks

Favorite Pet? A hedgehog named Stella

Looking Deeper:

The Red Ledger: How did you pick up hockey?

Cyrus Mortazavi: When I was 6, I said that soccer was too sweaty, so I went to play roller hockey outside in the summer heat and I liked it, so I decided I wanted to play ice hockey.

TRL: Favorite place or country you’ve ever been to?

CM: Seville, Spain because I liked the old architecture, the crowded streets, and it had a lot of cool culture like the churches were cool and the food was really good. Overall it was just a really cool place and a good experience.

TRL: How has traveling opened your eyes to the culture outside of the United States?

CM: It’s cool because you get to see other people and how they live. The food is different. The food was good in Spain. I love Spain; that place was awesome.

TRL: How has being below average height effected you?

CM: It’s good for sports like hockey. I’m generally faster than everyone else [in hockey]. I get destroyed, though, easily. It doesn’t happen often because I can get around people. Overall, it’s not that bad. I can’t ride roller coasters, but I don’t like roller coasters so it’s OK.

TRL: What impact has hockey had on you physically and personally?

CM: Physically, I’m usually sore, it’s not that bad, this past weekend I had six games and three practices. It basically just keeps me busy because I wouldn’t have anything to do. I quit football and basketball, so it keeps me busy.

TRL: Best achievement in hockey?  

CM: This one time in peewee hockey, it was a game to the semi-finals, I came in, four minutes left, 5-2, I went to the face off spot next to the goal, and I shot it and it went bar down. So then it was 5-3, then a minute later, so at this point there was one minute left, I took the puck, and I was on a break away and I shot it and I scored, so it was 5-4, and my coach put me on again, and then I got another break away made the goalie go in one direction and I shot and scored. And we ended up winning in overtime but we lost the championship in overtime. But my team carried me off the ice.

TRL: How do you manage playing hockey with school?

CM: Well basically, Tuesdays are my bad days because I have two practices, one from 7:15 to 8:15 in Allen and then the other one from nine to ten in Richardson. But I usually get my homework done in school and sometimes in class if I didn’t have time the other day

TRL: If you quit hockey to be the guaranteed best in another sport, what would it be?

CM: Probably basketball, because I’m short so I could like show everyone up. A little five foot guy running around draining threes.