May 19, 2020 | Matt Bowling    

 

    Blake Swearingen could have easily left Oklahoma behind.

    

    It’s what a lot of players in his position would have done. After all, the Sooner State isn’t exactly a hockey hotbed--at least not compared to Massachusetts, where Swearingen spent his final season of junior hockey with the USPHL’s Boston Junior Bruins. With one more year of junior eligibility left, he could have stayed in Boston and worked to gain the attention of the many high-level college programs that populate the northeastern United States. So why wouldn’t a player in Blake Swearingen’s position take advantage of that kind of opportunity?

 

    “I knew it wasn’t home for me,” Swearingen said. “I knew Oklahoma was still where I wanted to be.”

 

Born and Bred

 

    Swearingen’s introduction to hockey came at the age of five, when his family traveled to watch his cousins play in a tournament in St. Louis. He came home wanting to try the sport himself, so his parents signed him up to join the Oklahoma City Youth Hockey Association. Though at times he juggled hockey with baseball, soccer, and football, Swearingen found he always had more fun on the ice than anywhere else.

 

    Growing up in Oklahoma’s small hockey community meant Swearingen frequently crossed paths with his future college team. Living near Blazers Ice Centre made Sooners games a popular family activity.

    

    “My favorite part was when OU scored and the whole stands would go crazy,” Swearingen said. “It was also really fun racing against all the other kids to try and find pucks that got shot out of play.”

 

    As he moved up through the Oklahoma City Oil Kings travel program, Swearingen began taking private lessons with former OU forward Kevin Kennedy. He also attended Hockey Ministries International camps at Blazers Ice Centre, where then-OU forwards Evan Del Casale and Aharon Lara were counselors. 

 

    Swearingen’s minor career ended abruptly when a lack of players left the Oil Kings unable to ice an 18U team for the 2017-18 season. By that time, he had aged out of 16U, which meant junior hockey was his only option. A chance meeting with then-Oklahoma City Jr. Blazers head coach Gary Gill at a scouting camp led to a contract offer. Swearingen quickly accepted. 

 

    Signing with the Jr. Blazers was an incredibly lucky break for Swearingen; unlike most junior players, he didn’t have to move to an unfamiliar town and live with a billet family to continue his career. Still, playing for a WSHL squad gave him plenty of new experiences.

 

    “I loved being able to meet people from all over the world,” Swearingen said. “It was amazing to see us all come together each season as a team.”

 

There and Back Again

 

    It didn’t take long for Swearingen to find success with the Jr. Blazers. In his second season, he was named an alternate captain, and the team advanced to the Thorne Cup semifinals. But with his junior career halfway over, Swearingen began to wonder what he would miss out on if he never played for a team outside Oklahoma. 

 

    He left the Jr. Blazers and went back to the scouting camp circuit. This time, he came away with an offer from the Boston Junior Bruins. He packed his bags and headed east.

 

    From an on-ice perspective, Swearingen’s transition to his new team was seamless; he was a mainstay in the Junior Bruins’ rotation as they qualified for the USPHL playoffs. However, homesickness began to set in as the season went on.

 

    “Massachusetts didn’t feel like a place I could call home,” Swearingen said. “I wanted to come back.”

 

    At a time when most of his high school classmates--including his twin sister--were finishing their sophomore year of college, Swearingen also felt ready for a new chapter. 

 

    “I loved junior hockey, but I was missing something,” Swearingen said.

 

    The chance Swearingen was looking for came when OU head coach Austin Miller reached out shortly after the Junior Bruins’ season ended. With stalwart defensemen Luc Whyte, Tyler Lazarek, and Jackson Giammona graduating that spring, the Sooners were looking for reinforcements on the blue line.

 

    “Blake is a big, physical, defensive defenseman, which is the type of player we needed,” Miller said.

    

    Before long, Blake Swearingen was on his way back home to commit to the college he had grown up cheering for. Although his venture outside Oklahoma only lasted one season, he doesn’t see it as a wasted effort.

 

    “Playing in Boston definitely completed my junior hockey experience,” Swearingen said.

 

Looking Ahead

 

    Swearingen will be the first Norman native to play hockey for the Sooners in more than a decade. Listed at 6-2 and 201 pounds, he already has the right build to compete at the college level--a fact that isn’t lost on Miller.

 

    “He will be a help to this team and program right away,” Miller said.

 

    Most of the help Swearingen brings won’t show up in the box score; in three seasons of junior hockey, he tallied 10 goals and six assists. What he does bring is a gritty, tenacious playing style that helps him lock down the defensive zone.

 

    “My ability to battle off the wall, push out opponents in front of the net, and shut down an odd man rush are some of my biggest strengths,” Swearingen said. “I was definitely not a flashy player growing up, so my coaches taught me how to work harder than my opponents in the tough areas to make up for that.”

 

    Swearingen also has a clear idea of the role he wants to play off the ice. He wants to build a positive atmosphere in the OU locker room and contribute to the OKCYHA. Further down the line, he hopes to work in sports medicine. 

 

    “I would love to give back and stay connected to the sports world after I’m finished playing,” Swearingen said. “What better way to do that than to help get injured athletes back in action as soon as possible?” 

 

    For now, Swearingen plans to enjoy the feeling of suiting up for his hometown school.

 

    “It will definitely be awesome to play for OU being a local kid,” Swearingen said. 

 

    “This is a place I’m proud to represent.”