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 he91裸聊视频檚 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 game91裸聊视频檚 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, 91裸聊视频淪id the Kid,91裸聊视频� was a hockey prodigy.

91裸聊视频淗e was not only the best player I ever saw, but significantly the best player,91裸聊视频� said Brian Newton, a retired lawyer who coached a seven-year-old Crosby as a high-scoring centre on Cole Harbour91裸聊视频檚 Novice AAA Wings.

In a recent interview, Newton recalled his first brush with a five-year-old Crosby 91裸聊视频� it came after getting a phone call from Sidney91裸聊视频檚 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.

91裸聊视频淚 said 91裸聊视频榃ell no, if he91裸聊视频檚 this good a player I91裸聊视频檒l be able to pick him out,91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� said Newton.

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

91裸聊视频淚 just kind of hid myself from the parents and out these guys came and he just stuck out like a sore thumb,91裸聊视频� he recalled. 91裸聊视频淚t was just amazing 91裸聊视频� I91裸聊视频檇 never seen anyone with that skill level at five years of age.91裸聊视频�

Newton said he was 91裸聊视频渁mazed91裸聊视频� 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, Crosby91裸聊视频檚 physical skills were clearly recognizable 91裸聊视频� as were other traits that often separate the great ones.

91裸聊视频淗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,91裸聊视频� he said.

There was also a 91裸聊视频渜uiet confidence91裸聊视频� 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 Crosby91裸聊视频檚 very first media interviews.

91裸聊视频淭hey say you have to do your best and work hard and things will happen,91裸聊视频� he told the Halifax Daily News in a feature written in April 1995 when Crosby was seven.

91裸聊视频淵ou can make it if you try.91裸聊视频�

Crosby91裸聊视频檚 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 91裸聊视频渕ust-see91裸聊视频� player.

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

91裸聊视频淲e compared him against the best in the world and he was the best,91裸聊视频� said Mason. 91裸聊视频淵ou knew at that point that you had someone here that was pretty special.91裸聊视频�

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

91裸聊视频淪ometimes you would just sit back and go, 91裸聊视频極h my God,91裸聊视频� and just look at each other 91裸聊视频� did he really do that?91裸聊视频� said Mason. 91裸聊视频淭here were several times that you did that during the year 91裸聊视频� he was that good.91裸聊视频�

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.

91裸聊视频淚 thought if he develops into any sort of average to larger-sized athlete, this is going to be an NHL legend,91裸聊视频� Rainnie recalls. 91裸聊视频淎nd it was obvious from, honestly, the age of eight.91裸聊视频�

Crosby91裸聊视频檚 dominance in Nova Scotia lasted until the age of 14 when he left home to play at Shattuck-St. Mary91裸聊视频檚, 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:

91裸聊视频� 382 goals

91裸聊视频� 645 assists

91裸聊视频� Three Stanley Cups

91裸聊视频� Two Olympic Gold Medals

91裸聊视频� Two Hart Trophies as the NHL91裸聊视频檚 most valuable player

Through it all he91裸聊视频檚 remained very much the hometown boy. It91裸聊视频檚 something that91裸聊视频檚 endeared him to his fans and to those with a personal connection.

91裸聊视频淔ame and fortune I don91裸聊视频檛 think have really changed him very much at all,91裸聊视频� said Newton. 91裸聊视频淓verybody in Cole Harbour, they respect him so much because he always comes home, he91裸聊视频檚 always down to earth, he91裸聊视频檚 running his hockey school here and he91裸聊视频檚 still part of our community.91裸聊视频�

Halifax91裸聊视频檚 mayor recently announced that Crosby would be parade marshal of Monday91裸聊视频檚 annual Natal Day parade, with thousands expected to cheer a favourite son.

91裸聊视频淚 know he91裸聊视频檚 richer and I know he91裸聊视频檚 more famous,91裸聊视频� Rainnie said, 91裸聊视频渂ut his fundamental groundings have never changed.91裸聊视频�