LEWISTON — When Falmouth senior Isac Nordstrom was informed that he was a finalist for the 2015 Travis Roy Award, he was both honored and nervous.
He was honored to be recognized as one of the top seniors in Class A hockey, but nervous because that meant writing a speech. A speech written and presented in English, which isn’t his native language.
Born in Sundsvall, Sweden, Nordstrom moved to Maine four years ago when his father, Patrik, was transferred by his employer, Imerys, a multinational company that specializes in the production and processing of industrial minerals. The Nordstrom family settled on Falmouth as their new home and Isac became a Yachtsmen.
Nordstrom reaped the benefits of that move as he helped Falmouth win back-to-back state titles in 2013-14. On Sunday afternoon, Nordstrom added another piece of hardware to his high school hockey trophy case, winning the Travis Roy Award during the year-end banquet at the Lewiston Ramada Inn. Nordstrom became the second player from Falmouth to win the award, joining 2005 winner Peter Gustavson.
“I was nervous coming up to the podium and having my speech, but it feels really good right now,” Nordstrom said. “I really don’t have words for it, but I want to thank my teammates and my coaches for bringing me here — and it’s been great. Also my parents. Without their support, I wouldn’t be here.”
St. Dominic Academy’s Brad Berube, South Portland/Waynflete/Freeport’s Andrew Whipple and Lawrence/Skowhegan’s Cody Martin were the other finalists for the award.
All four finalists were born after Travis Roy — who played for both Yarmouth and North Yarmouth Academy — suffered a career-ending spinal injury just 11 seconds into his first shift with Boston University. And all four mentioned him in their speeches.
Nordstrom’s journey to winning the Travis Roy Award, given to the top senior athlete in Class A hockey, didn’t come without its share of adversity. It started well before he began playing hockey. Nordstrom almost never laced up the skates.
He was born blind in his left eye and doctors told him his coordination would be affected as a result. For a year, Nordstrom wore a patch over his right eye in an effort to strengthen the vision in his left eye. After, he had vision in both eyes, but his stereopsis — the ability to perceive depth and three-dimensional structure — was forever diminished.
That didn’t keep Nordstrom’s father from teaching his son the sport of hockey, despite doctors telling him that Isac should avoid playing sports. On the frozen ponds of Sweden, Nordstrom began skating at four, and the rest is history.