Laker profile: Kyle Pobur

By LINDA BOUVET, LSSU Sports Information Director

Kyle Pobur is a junior defenseman working to prove himself on a blue line unit that has a lot to prove. It’s a lot to take on for the student-athlete from Commerce Township, Mich., whose top priority is maintaining his honor roll status in the classroom.

“I’m trying to do what I can to help the team any way I can,” said Pobur, who has appeared in 18 games during the past two-plus seasons, including two this year. “Especially this year, being one of the older guys on the team, I want to contribute more, play a bigger role. It was a tough start. I wasn’t one of the main guys coming in. I had never been in a role like that. Once I got up to speed on what is going on here, I kind of found my grove so I could compete on a daily basis.”

Pobur is one of four returning upper classmen for an LSSU defense that graduated two standout seniors and allowed 3.11 goals per game in 2010-11. The Lakers went into last weekend’s series at No. 1-ranked Miami allowing 4.17 gpg. After losing 6-2 Friday, they took the RedHawks to a 2-2 overtime draw before losing in a shootout. Miami, which was LSSU’s third nationally-ranked opponent during the past four weeks, averages 4.62 goals per game. LSSU is one of only two teams to hold Miami to less than three goals in a single game.

“It’s been a little tough starting out,” Pobur said. “There are guys learning a new system and what’s different about the college level, and what our team does. The young guys caught on quickly. Aside from the first couple games and a couple new tweeks, everyone is starting to catch on. Any team you go to, there are new tendencies to learn. That’s normal at the start.”

Pobur is looking forward to having the Lakers host back-to-back home series and “getting on a roll” in the CCHA.

“Northern is always a hard-working team,” he said. “It will be interesting to see them this year. They lost so many high-end guys. I know a couple of them, and they are really strong players. They are a young team just like us. It’s only a matter of time before they get going. They traditionally start out slow.”

The well-spoken Pobur is a business major who entered this season with the team’s highest grade point average of 3.68. While he grew up playing youth hockey in Detroit’s well-established Little Caesar’s and Honeybaked programs, he spent two seasons in Boston while competing in the Eastern Junior Hockey League. At the time, Ivy League and Division III schools were paying him the most attention.

“I was fortunate to come back to Michigan,” Pobur said. “Four hours is a pretty short drive compared to 14.”

Pobur seriously considered “high-end” academic institutions on the East Coast, but found he appreciates LSSU’s balance of good hockey, solid academics and a relaxed atmosphere.

“What I really like is that there are always helpful people in class upon whom I can rely -- not just teammates,” Pobur said. “Since the school is smaller, you get to know your classmates and professors. If it’s not one of the guys on the team, there is always support from fellow classmates. It’s not a serious competitive atmosphere here. It’s all about learning. It’s never been a problem to ask, ‘Hey, what’s going on?’ The teachers all know us really well, and they are looking out for the best interests of all the students. They do what they can to not only teach us what they know, but to help us out and help us to become better people. That goes for the electives, too, not just the School of Business.”

Pobur found that taking two years off from school to play juniors did not adversely affect his academic pursuits. His older brother, C.J., currently plays club hockey at Grand Valley State after winning a club national championship at Davenport. He, too, puts his academic interests first.

“Both of my parents have always been supportive of what I’ve done,” he said. “Taking a couple years off school is not the norm for people where I come from. They were completely supportive of that. When I’m frustrated with not playing as much as I would like, they are supportive of me and believe in me.”

As a player constantly battling to get into the Lakers’ lineup, Pobur finds game situations more relaxing than practice. He finds getting into the flow of a game easier than striving for perfection during training situations.

“It’s getting better as I go,” he said. “There were definitely some goose bumps the first couple games. But now that I’m playing more frequently, I’m getting into more of a groove and can go out there and play. The nerves are definitely down, except for playoffs last year when I was playing forward, which I haven’t played since squirts. That was nerve-wracking to be thrown into that situation, but it was fun to see things on a different side of the puck, and to go hit a defenseman rather than being the defenseman getting hit.”

Pobur believes that developing his offensive game will help him secure a spot in the lineup.

“I need to keep working on my skill set offensive play,” he said. “That’s kind of been my weak point…Shooting and passing, they can always get better. Lately I’ve been trying to bear down and practice getting my shots down and getting up in the play. That’s a big part I can add to my game.”