There’s no quit in Brent Hiken.
Brent Hiken is an unfamiliar name to some lacrosse fans. If you’re one of them, then join me in getting ahead of the curve by reading about a guy who’s sure to become a PLL star.
Brent Hiken (photo, Twitter)
For starters, Hiken is one of the most passionate people you’ll ever experience. And he’s out to prove a point to the country–that he’s an outstanding lacrosse player.
He’ll do just that this summer–starting in only a few days (June 2)–when the Premier Lacrosse League launches. The Pikesville, MD native will suit up for PLL’s Redwoods Lacrosse Club.
But Hiken isn’t an everything-is-about-sports guy. His family grounds him. “They are my everything,” he says. “My mom, dad, and sister are the most important people in the world.”
Hiken also takes cues from other Baltimore-area athletes, like former Ravens QB, Joe Flacco, and his now-teammate Kyle Harrison. “I was joking with Kyle Harrison the other day and told him I still had a K18 poster hanging up … until we played them my rookie year!”
And like so many other athletes across sports, Hiken has a lot to prove, including silencing doubters. Big-time schools ignored him at Pikesville High School. So Hiken ended up playing lacrosse at the Community College of Baltimore County and, then, at D-3 Stevenson University.
“I’m a guy who has always been told he couldn’t,” Hiken told me. “I was passed up by big schools. I wasn’t a big name out of high school, so I went the JUCO route. But some people forget that I went on to become a Division 3 All-America, too,” Hiken went on to say.
“What gets me up in the morning is thinking about all the people who told me I couldn’t, including the people who said I wouldn’t make it in the MLL (he did with the Denver Outlaws) and who told me I was foolish for going to the PLL because I’d never play,” Brent Hiken
But it’s also clear that Hiken isn’t full of self-doubt. He’s confident in his game–confidence that was warranted by his play against pros in summer leagues and, again, when he was a high pro draft pick coming out of college. “I thought that I’d be a 6th- or 7th-round late pick. But I got drafted in the 2nd round.”
And playing experience isn’t the only thing Hiken relies on. He has a fair share of coaching experience, too. Hiken has worked with FCA Lacrosse since 2015, and also served as a volunteer assistant at his alma mater, Stevenson. Today he’s involved as a high school assistant coach at Loyola Blakefield, a private school in Towson, MD.
“I like to think of myself as a good player, but I think I’m an even better coach. Coaching is something I’ve always wanted to do,” Hiken told me.
Hiken with the MLL’s Denver Outlaws (photo, LacrosseHubStore..com)
But the immediate order of business is to make his mark in the PLL–something that he thought might elude him because of a hand injury.
That injury was bad enough for Hiken to think about retiring and launching a full-time coaching career. “But when they offered me a spot on the team,” Hiken said, “It was like, you know, I’ve got a bit left in the tank. My hand’s healthy now, so I’m going to get in shape and compete.”
Being able to play in the very first PLL season was another drawing card. “I want to be associated with the first group! I want our sport to be big time, so I want the PLL to take off, to be huge,” Hiken said with emphasis.
“I want my kids going to PLL games the same way I went (as a kid) to Ravens games. That’s a big deal for me,” Hiken opined. “And if I can have an impact on making that happen, well, that’s what I’m all about.”
I came away super impressed with Hiken. He’s somebody you can look up to and respect. I was especially taken by his drive, self-confidence, and perseverance. There’s no quit in this guy!
You can see Hiken and his Redwoods play this Sunday, June 2, as they take on the Atlas LC. The game will be televised live on the NBC Sports Network, 2 p.m., from Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA.
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Follow Brent on Instagram @bhikes30 and Twitter @BrentHiken30.
