He did find his comfort zone on the soccer pitch, kicking the ball around soccer fields all over the province and country on the Challenge Cup men’s soccer scene, and won a number of championships with Holy Cross.
Little did he know his next passion would be something that resembled a combination of both.
The 30-year-old St. John’s native, who has called Pasadena home for almost three years after a work transfer with the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary brought him west, has taken up broomball to beat the winter blues.
Clarence Bennett, one of Bulger’s teammates from the Corner Brook United Challenge Cup soccer side, put the idea in his head. Halfway through the season, Bennett asked Bulger if he was interested in trying the sport after his team was having trouble getting enough bodies to play.
“I showed up the first night and got hooked,” said Bulger, who found the sport particularly interesting because he could use his feet.
He has only five games under his belt, a far cry from some of the seasoned players he shares the ice with in the local men’s league, but he has popped in a couple of goals and doesn’t feel out of place.
The five-foot-10, 180-pound forward will suit up for Corner Brook in his first provincial men’s broomball tournament March 2-4 in Stephenville.
There is no checking in the local men’s league, but there is when it comes to provincial competition, so that will be one area he will have to adjust to in a hurry.
He’s not worried about games being more physical than what he’s seen so far, but he will be a little more aware when he’s on the ice, he says.
“It’s not going to be easy to keep your head down because you’re going to get cleaned out,” he said with a laugh.
It’s a game he enjoys and it appears he wants more.
He did find his comfort zone on the soccer pitch, kicking the ball around soccer fields all over the province and country on the Challenge Cup men’s soccer scene, and won a number of championships with Holy Cross.
Little did he know his next passion would be something that resembled a combination of both.
The 30-year-old St. John’s native, who has called Pasadena home for almost three years after a work transfer with the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary brought him west, has taken up broomball to beat the winter blues.
Clarence Bennett, one of Bulger’s teammates from the Corner Brook United Challenge Cup soccer side, put the idea in his head. Halfway through the season, Bennett asked Bulger if he was interested in trying the sport after his team was having trouble getting enough bodies to play.
“I showed up the first night and got hooked,” said Bulger, who found the sport particularly interesting because he could use his feet.
He has only five games under his belt, a far cry from some of the seasoned players he shares the ice with in the local men’s league, but he has popped in a couple of goals and doesn’t feel out of place.
The five-foot-10, 180-pound forward will suit up for Corner Brook in his first provincial men’s broomball tournament March 2-4 in Stephenville.
There is no checking in the local men’s league, but there is when it comes to provincial competition, so that will be one area he will have to adjust to in a hurry.
He’s not worried about games being more physical than what he’s seen so far, but he will be a little more aware when he’s on the ice, he says.
“It’s not going to be easy to keep your head down because you’re going to get cleaned out,” he said with a laugh.
It’s a game he enjoys and it appears he wants more.
