Hockey players are notorious for being tough. They routinely get crunched and crunch others on the boards, drop their gloves for fights, and sometimes, even take a puck to the face. However, playing club hockey and high school hockey in the same season, while still managing school work, may be the ultimate display of a hockey player’s toughness.
Any high school athlete can agree that when your sport is in season, it takes up most of your free time. But, for some high school hockey players around the country, it takes up almost all of their time. For most high school athletes who play a club sport, their club season and high school season are at two different times to allow the student athletes to manage their time. For high school hockey players, their club season falls during the winter, aligning with their high school season, ultimately taking a serious toll on the athletes. The 2023-24 Westfield boys hockey team has multiple players who make the commitment to both their club and school teams. It certainly does not make the winter easy, but fortunately, they have their packed schedules mostly figured out.
A typical working day for one of these hockey players can span almost from sunup to well-past sundown. Senior captain Alex Ebel details a typical in-season day, explaining, “Right after school I head to high school practice, which usually takes up about an hour and a half of my time. I then quickly drive home and only have about 2 hours at home before I have to leave for club practice which usually ends around 10 p.m.. You can get super tired playing both, so sometimes, I take club practices off as I want to make sure I am at my best for both teams.” The toll of these frequent practices can be quite heavy on the athletes but playing at a high level is such a high priority to the players they have to find a way to constantly be at their best.
Additionally, team chemistry can be affected, as players might question their teammates’ dedication when they miss practice. Despite any early chemistry issues, the hockey team has had a historic season, sitting at 13-3-2 as of Feb. 2, including a UCT trophy and multiple wins over powerhouses Summit and Governor Livingston.
Junior forward Aiden Wilson agreed that it was a heavy workload balancing club hockey, Westfield hockey and homework. So far with the three years he has doubled up on club and high school hockey, he has not had “trouble balancing all the work, it’s just a lot to do.”
Sophomore forward Andrew Lisnock said that on typical game days, he has to attend club practice before and then drive 45 minutes to Warinanco to play for Westfield. Like Wilson, he has mostly figured out how to balance his homework with his intense hockey schedule by getting most of his work done in school. However, he said, “If I don’t, then I never end up getting [my homework] done till the next day, so I’m always stressing about finishing those assignments.”
Many Westfield fans question why star players are missing games for club hockey. Aiden Wilson, who was not present for Westfield’s Union County championship, said, “My priority is club because it is more important for getting recruited, but I still like playing for Westfield because I can play with all my friends from town.” Club hockey provides more recruiting opportunities because of the increased competition and tournament-style games. If a high school player wants to play at the next level, club is far from optional.
In tandem, Lisnock echoed this sentiment, noting, “I try to get all my homework done at school and for the most part it usually goes well. ”
Fellow high school teammates can be apprehensive towards club hockey, too. Ebel said, “Sometimes, guys who don’t play club get pissed about teammates playing for two teams, but with some of the super good guys, we have [to be] understandable. As long as they make time for high school as well, it is widely accepted.”
Westfield hockey is currently on a streak, having won their last seven straight games, but players missing games and practices for club has certainly had an impact on the team. Before their winning streak, the team had gone four straight games without winning. Lisnock said, “I think the team chemistry is affected mainly with my linemates because I rarely get to practice with them. So, in the beginning of the season, we struggled. But, now we’re settled and good.”
Westfield hockey players are truly tough. They have already added a UCT championship to their season accolades, and seeing how with grit alone they overcame the difficulties of sharing a club season with their high school season, they should be able to power through any obstacles on the way to a Public A championship.
