Leading with loads of confidence and ability

Updated: March 22, 2011 5:10PM

You don't get the nickname "Hollywood" without a good deal of confidence and ability, and Downers Grove North senior forward Paul Hogan, the 2010 Sun-Times Player of the Year, has an abundance of both.

So when Trojans coach Brian Gervase told his players they would be getting new long-sleeve uniforms with their names on the back, Hogan had an idea.

"When Paul came to me with what he wanted, I just kind of laughed and said, "‘Really? You want that kind of heat?'"

Hogan, who is no shrinking violet, didn't mind the heat and when the team unveiled the jerseys against rival Downers Grove South, Hogan walked onto the field with "HOLLYWOOD" in lieu of his last name on his back.

"When I was a freshman the guys would call me ‘Hollywood Hulk Hogan,'" the four-year varsity player said. "I just kind of embraced the nickname and so I thought it'd be fun to put it on there."

Downers North defeated its rivals 5-1 that day, with Hogan shaking off taunts from the Mustangs' student section to score on a determined individual effort.

"To be a player of Paul's caliber you've got to have a little bit of an edge to yourself," Gervase said. "You have to know how good you are. You have to be confident you can take on and beat anyone."

Hogan finished the season with 26 goals and nine assists in 24 games - including scoring all four of his team's goals in a 4-3 victory over then No. 1 Morton in early Oct. It was the signature moment of a dominant senior season for Hogan and displayed the skill, poise and leadership that earned his selection as the player of the year.

Hogan's performance was particularly remarkable given he was a defensive player for the first two years of his high school career. But Hogan credits his offensive output to his experience on defense.

"When I was a defender I hated it when guys were constantly moving and you constantly had to worry about them," Hogan said. "That drives defenders crazy, so that's what I did."

Hogan has received an offer to play at Division-II Lewis University and interest from UIC and Loyola. But given his breakout season, Gervase is confident Hogan will begin to garner attention from bigger schools that will mostly likely want him to return to his role as what the coach describes as a "tenacious" defender--which is just fine with Hogan.

"They can put me anywhere they want," Hogan said. "As long as it's on the field."

© 2012 Sun-Times Media, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be copied or distributed without permission. For more information about reprints and permissions, visit www.suntimesreprints.com. To order a reprint of this article, click here.