IT'S a well-known saying in ice hockey that you have to be crazy to be a goalie.

Who in their right mind would volunteer to stand in the path of lethal lumps of solid black rubber hurtling at breakneck speed or stand up to a frenzied 15st forward on a mission to steamroller you into the ice?

But Jason Wolfe is far from crazy.

In fact, the Manchester Phoenix netminder has a degree in psychology and business. Spend just a few minutes in his company and you know you are in the presence of a thoughtful and intelligent man.

So why does he wear gloves and body armour for a living?

"I was tricked," he explained when I met up with him at a bar just a stone's throw away from the new ice rink in Altrincham.

"When I started out I played on the wing or in defence but I guess I was not that good. When I was 12 or 13 they asked me to go in goal and I thought it was pretty cool.

"I liked diving about all over the place and at that age they don't shoot the puck that hard - 40mph is nothing - but these kids grew up and when you get hit by a 90mph puck it hurts. By the time I realised what I'd let myself in for it was too late to change.

"Looking back it probably wasn't the smartest decision I ever made, maybe I should have been a football player."

Despite being knocked out at least three times by a puck to the helmet and a painful bang to the knee, the 29-year-old American from Maryland has made a decent career for himself between the pipes and only a twist of fate kept him from performing in the world's top showcase, the NHL.

As a kid he would hang around the ice rink for eight hours at a time playing with anyone who would let him join in.

Centred

His schooling was centred entirely on ice hockey but during four years at university he featured little in the starting line-up until his final year. He played for a couple of minor league teams before arriving at Roanoke Express in the East Coast league where fate took a hand.

"I got called up to Norfolk in the American League but my partner also got called up to Toronto so the coach asked me to wait a week because Roanoke would not have had a goalie," he explained.

"By the time I was ready to go, Norfolk had got someone else and within a few days of being there he got called up to play in the NHL because of injuries.

"Now if I had gone straight away that would have been me. The guy played for the Chicago Blackhawks and his name was Matt Underhill and, as it turned out, he was my partner in Mississippi a few years later."

Eventually the grind of playing in the American minor leagues led Wolfe to set his sights further afield.

"Because of the politics of the sport I realised that no matter how well I played I was not going to get any further. I felt pretty comfortable about everything I had achieved in my career whether I made it to the NHL or not.

"Playing 85 games a year takes a toll on your body. Sometimes you play eight games in 12 days and as a goalie you don't get any rest.

"That will take years off your life and give you some grey hairs quick.

"Having said that, I wasn't planning to leave but I had a contract dispute with Texas Wildcatters and I couldn't play for any other team over there.

"I started looking at other options and was going to sign for Basingstoke but it fell through at a late stage.

"But by then I had fallen in love with the idea of coming to England, talked to Tony Hand (the Phoenix coach) and the deal was done pretty quick."

Wolfe's first season has been a success story so far with the big man helping Phoenix into fourth place in the bmibaby Elite League despite playing all their home games at Deeside or Sheffield while they wait for the new rink which, fingers crossed, will be open a week on Sunday.

He is in fifth place in the netminding statistics with a 91.5 save percentage but on his day he is undoubtedly one of the best stoppers in the league and looking for another top performance in Sheffield tonight.

Understanding

"The guys here are really good and I have a great understanding and relationship with Tony. It's better playing two games a week than four or five. It is a lot more enjoyable than just driving your body into the ground.

"I have enjoyed travelling with the team seeing new places and the learning experience. I have been amazed by the fans and the support they have given us especially with the situation with the rink. At Hull last week there must have been 300 travelling Phoenix fans.

"I would be lying if I did not say the rink business has been disappointing but considering we have played all our games on the road to be in fourth place is a real positive.

Positive

"Someone asked me if I had known we would have to play on the road until February would I have come. The answer would have been no.

"The potential in those circumstance to have a horrible season is so high it is amazing how well we have done. Everyone has accepted it and overcome it and we are just looking forward to getting into the new rink.

"Everyone has been really positive. Everyone up to Neil Morris (Phoenix owner) and just imagine how hard it is for him.

"It is almost unimaginable what he goes through and he's probably the most upbeat of everybody."

Wolfe describes living in Manchester with his wife Heather as a unique experience, from driving on the "wrong" side of the road to the local dialect - and he's loving every minute of it.

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