Austin Thorne '16 Recruiting Profile

KEY POINTS: 
Played Bantam year one at the A level.
Trained extensively through the next off-season, bypassed AA, and played Bantam year two at the AAA level.
Attended two invitational camps is the Summer of 2013.  Attended the Junior A ‘Drayton Valley Thunder’ Rookie Camp as a fifteen year old and was given a bye into the Main Camp for Summer 2014.  Attended the Western Hockey League ‘Kelowna Rockets’ Rookie Camp and made top four defensemen out of approximately 65 undrafted defensemen.  Unfortunately Kelowna had only one undrafted defense position available and I was not successful in getting that spot.
Tried out for the AAA Major Midget ‘Red Deer Optimist Chiefs’ in the Fall of 2014 and was the last fifteen year old cut.  Made the Top Ten roster for AAA ‘Minor Midget Aero Chiefs’ (Fifteen’s League) and was an Alternate Captain this past season.  3G, 9A, and 72PIM.  This current year I am playing Midget AA in Red Deer for the Elks (was a late cut from the only AAA team in Red Deer which is historically a dominating team stacked with 17 year old players.....(won Telus Cup two years in a row) and have 6G, 10A, and 62PIM in 31 games played thus far in 2014 / 2015 season.  I have received 5 invitations to Junior A camps for the Summer of 2015 and so far have committed to attending the 'Spruce Grove Saints' Camp in Spruce Grove, AB and the Global Hockey Camp in Las Vegas this coming June (my parents own a second home there).
   
SUCCESS FACTORS & MISCELLANEOUS:

- I am told that I play with an “edge” and that I am very “coachable”.  I am also told that I play bigger than my size.  My nickname is “Tank”.
- My style of play is gritty but clean.
- I love to check, play hard in the corners, and enjoy standing in front of the opponent’s net making it difficult for goaltenders to see incoming shots.
- I am a defensive defenseman normally but my shot is accurate and I played a lot of powerplay time this past season.
- My second love after hockey is working out and I try my best to be the strongest that I can be with the most endurance possible.  I always come to camps, practices, and games in shape and ready to work.
- I am an Honors student in Grade 11 at Notre Dame High School in Red Deer, Alberta.
- My hobbies are long distance running, golf, badminton, hunting, and fishing.
- My references may be contacted if you wish:
Kevin Smyth – Bantam AAA Coach – (403-318-4849)
Al Parada – Red Deer ‘Can Pro Gym’ Owner – (403-318-9257)

My goal is to play NCAA hockey in order to maximize my chances at both being exposed to professional scouts and to receive a quality US education that will assist me in the future.  For potential college coaches I believe that my best attribute is my competitivess and work ethic.  I would encourage any college coach to solicit references from my past coaches.