As he turns 30 on Monday, Sidney Crosby will celebrate his third Stanley Cup win parading the cherished mug through the streets of the city where heB次元官网网址檚 been a star since he was five years old.

The Pittsburgh Penguins captain will take in the festivities knowing that after 12 years in the NHL, his place is already assured in the pantheon of the gameB次元官网网址檚 greats and that he has fulfilled the promise that many saw in him from almost the first time he laced up a pair of skates.

In the tradition of Orr, Gretzky, Lemieux and now Connor McDavid, B次元官网网址淪id the Kid,B次元官网网址� was a hockey prodigy.

B次元官网网址淗e was not only the best player I ever saw, but significantly the best player,B次元官网网址� said Brian Newton, a retired lawyer who coached a seven-year-old Crosby as a high-scoring centre on Cole HarbourB次元官网网址檚 Novice AAA Wings.

In a recent interview, Newton recalled his first brush with a five-year-old Crosby B次元官网网址� it came after getting a phone call from SidneyB次元官网网址檚 father Troy.

Newton said the hockey season was about a month old when Troy Crosby asked that his son, who was playing Timbits hockey at the time, be moved up to play with the six-year-old group.

Knowing how some parents can be, Newton said he agreed to see whether the move should be made, but he asked Troy not to describe his son.

B次元官网网址淚 said B次元官网网址榃ell no, if heB次元官网网址檚 this good a player IB次元官网网址檒l be able to pick him out,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� said Newton.

Newton said shortly after the conversation he went to a Cole Harbour rink one Saturday morning.

B次元官网网址淚 just kind of hid myself from the parents and out these guys came and he just stuck out like a sore thumb,B次元官网网址� he recalled. B次元官网网址淚t was just amazing B次元官网网址� IB次元官网网址檇 never seen anyone with that skill level at five years of age.B次元官网网址�

Newton said he was B次元官网网址渁mazedB次元官网网址� to watch the young Crosby control the puck as a gaggle of tiny players frantically tried to get it away from him.

Crosby was moved up with the six-year-olds and the next year he started playing rep, a level reserved for the best players in each age group.

Newton said at six and seven years of age, CrosbyB次元官网网址檚 physical skills were clearly recognizable B次元官网网址� as were other traits that often separate the great ones.

B次元官网网址淗e not only had the physical skills, but when I looked at him he had that inner quality, that desire, that drive and that followed Sidney right through minor hockey,B次元官网网址� he said.

There was also a B次元官网网址渜uiet confidenceB次元官网网址� Newton noted, that enabled him to possess the puck in the face of players who were often one to two years older than he was.

A trace of the trait was evident in one of CrosbyB次元官网网址檚 very first media interviews.

B次元官网网址淭hey say you have to do your best and work hard and things will happen,B次元官网网址� he told the Halifax Daily B次元官网网址 in a feature written in April 1995 when Crosby was seven.

B次元官网网址淵ou can make it if you try.B次元官网网址�

CrosbyB次元官网网址檚 minor hockey dominance continued into peewee, where he announced his arrival on a much bigger stage, the Quebec International Peewee Tournament.

His coach then and current family friend, Paul Mason, said going into the tournament the media hype surrounded a local boy as the next B次元官网网址渕ust-seeB次元官网网址� player.

That all changed after Crosby scored six goals and four assists for Cole Harbour in his first tournament game.

B次元官网网址淲e compared him against the best in the world and he was the best,B次元官网网址� said Mason. B次元官网网址淵ou knew at that point that you had someone here that was pretty special.B次元官网网址�

Mason said there were times he and the other coaches realized the best thing to do was to sit back and watch.

B次元官网网址淪ometimes you would just sit back and go, B次元官网网址極h my God,B次元官网网址� and just look at each other B次元官网网址� did he really do that?B次元官网网址� said Mason. B次元官网网址淭here were several times that you did that during the year B次元官网网址� he was that good.B次元官网网址�

Former CBC sports broadcaster Bruce Rainnie first heard the buzz about a young Crosby in 1995 and after initial skepticism, finally decided to check him out at the urging of legendary Halifax sports writer Pat Connolly.

Rainnie said an undersized Crosby recorded nine goals and two assists in a 13-9 Cole Harbour win over Shearwater.

B次元官网网址淚 thought if he develops into any sort of average to larger-sized athlete, this is going to be an NHL legend,B次元官网网址� Rainnie recalls. B次元官网网址淎nd it was obvious from, honestly, the age of eight.B次元官网网址�

CrosbyB次元官网网址檚 dominance in Nova Scotia lasted until the age of 14 when he left home to play at Shattuck-St. MaryB次元官网网址檚, a prep school in Minnesota. From there it was on to Rimouski in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and finally the NHL, where his numbers confirm his status as a future Hall of Famer:

B次元官网网址� 382 goals

B次元官网网址� 645 assists

B次元官网网址� Three Stanley Cups

B次元官网网址� Two Olympic Gold Medals

B次元官网网址� Two Hart Trophies as the NHLB次元官网网址檚 most valuable player

Through it all heB次元官网网址檚 remained very much the hometown boy. ItB次元官网网址檚 something thatB次元官网网址檚 endeared him to his fans and to those with a personal connection.

B次元官网网址淔ame and fortune I donB次元官网网址檛 think have really changed him very much at all,B次元官网网址� said Newton. B次元官网网址淓verybody in Cole Harbour, they respect him so much because he always comes home, heB次元官网网址檚 always down to earth, heB次元官网网址檚 running his hockey school here and heB次元官网网址檚 still part of our community.B次元官网网址�

HalifaxB次元官网网址檚 mayor recently announced that Crosby would be parade marshal of MondayB次元官网网址檚 annual Natal Day parade, with thousands expected to cheer a favourite son.

B次元官网网址淚 know heB次元官网网址檚 richer and I know heB次元官网网址檚 more famous,B次元官网网址� Rainnie said, B次元官网网址渂ut his fundamental groundings have never changed.B次元官网网址�