“It just proves that it doesn’t matter where you come from,” Pearson said. “It doesn’t matter how much money your family has either. It’s all about how hard you work and how hard you’re willing to outwork the other people going for that position.”

Hard work seems to run in the family as Pearson is competing in his second national championship and shares that there’s no better feeling in not just representing the club, but representing your local district as the best team.

The hard work he has shown earned him the ‘A’ on his sweater which speaks to the leadership he brings to the team, whether it’s on the ice or off.

“It’s one thing that we always try to tell our son that if you work hard enough for a goal, you can achieve it,” Grant’s mother, and sister of Patricia, Claudia Pearson said. “My sister is his godmother so it’s great to see the impact she’s had on him. We spend some time with her and I think he’s been able to see where she’s gotten in life through hard work and I can see it in him that he also gives it his all and I love to see that.”

Grant’s family have talked about representation, as he mentioned how nationals are an opportunity for him to play on a big stage and represent everything he cares about: family, community and his Latino community.

“It’s great that I get to go out there and represent the Jr. Kings and the Latino community,” Grant said. “It's showing that you don't just represent that you're from America, but you have a background in another country and you're representing your family and you have to make sure your family has a good image.