Jalen Smereck needed to talk and knew just who had the advice he needed.
In September 2021, Smereck, a Detroit native, was playing in the Ukrainian Hockey League when an opponent mimed peeling and eating a banana towards Smereck who was the only Black player in the league at that time.
As the incident became international news, Smereck made his first call to Jason Payne. Payne, who is also Black, had just been named the head coach of the Cincinnati Cyclones weeks prior.
"I called him right away," Smereck said. "I kind of just called to pick his brain and just get his support. He's been faced with challenges similar to that in his career and throughout his journey."
Smereck terminated his contract with the Ukrainian team and moved on to a German league before taking up Payne on an offer to return to the United States and play for the Cyclones for the 2022-23 season.
"When the incident happened with him up in Ukraine he called me right away," Payne said. "It was the middle of the night and he was visibly upset and I spoke to him, I consoled him. I told him 'You did nothing wrong. This is not your fault and you did not do anything wrong.'"
For as long as they've been in hockey, both Payne and Smereck have wanted to provide and show off an easier path for Black hockey players and coaches. They believe the environment grows better each passing season and the blueprint for the sport is right in Cincinnati.
Blazing hockey's icy trail
"Everybody if you want to say is a trailblazer," Payne said. "It's everybody. Even the players that are playing for me right now. They're trailblazers. Even the young kids that are playing minor hockey and may not be pro yet. They're trailblazers. They're opening eyes for everybody that is coming up behind them."
The Cyclones have a unique roster in professional hockey terms with three players of color as well as Payne leading from the bench. Along with Smereck, fellow Michigan native Dajon Mingo and Canadian Josh Burnside make for one of the most diverse teams in the sport.
"When I came home from Germany I came here and I watched Cincinnati play Toledo last year in the playoffs," Smereck said. "Just watching Coach Payne on the bench and seeing Burnside and Mingo on the back end on the ice and knowing I can be a part of something great and also something I never had in my life which was having a Black teammate and I definitely never had a Black coach besides in a fun summer league (brought me to Cincinnati.)"
The Cyclones enter March with 72 points, tied for first in its division with Toledo in two fewer games played. Their 72 points are also tied for the third-most in the entire ECHL.
Wins and first-place finishes are clearly good marks for any coach, but for Payne, the Cyclones' record is proof the diverse squad was made diverse to win and not draw attention.
"That's the fine line you have to toe and balance," Payne said. "You don't want people to think that you're doing it just because they're Black hockey players. It doesn't matter what they are. They're great hockey players and I recognize that I can get the best out of them and that's why they're here."
History on a Kalamazoo morning
The Cyclones visited Kalamazoo, Michigan in October 2022 to face the Kalamazoo Wings in a rare morning puck drop. The early start was to allow for groups of school children to attend the game as a field trip. It was the perfect crowd to witness some sports history.
The Cyclones won the game 2-1 in which Smereck scored the opening goal, but the eyes were on the coaches. As Payne coached against Kalamazoo's Joel Martin, two Black coaches went head-to-head for the first time in North American professional hockey.
"The impact of that was significant and it was a great opportunity and great timing for it to happen as it did," Payne said. "I'm really hoping that it did resonate with a lot of the young students that were at the game."
Smereck grew into hockey in a family that included his hockey coach father and a pair of older brothers that picked up the game as well. Having role models that were like himself was invaluable along the professional journey.
"Each and every night we step on the ice for games," Smereck said. "We go to these cities and see more diversity in the crowd which is great. You have three Black players out there on the ice and you have a Black coach. It shows you that the game is coming and for us to be the role model for those kids and show them that they can do it too is a great feeling.
"You just hope that they're watching you and hopefully they get encouragement to want to join the sport of hockey."
Despite each hardship faced while trying to play or coach the game they love, Payne and Smereck continue to preach the good of the sport while making sure hockey as a whole can learn that the more the player pool grows to be different, it grows to be better.
Want the proof? It's on the ice at the Heritage Bank Center in downtown Cincinnati.
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