Riley Thorpe '17 Recruiting Profile

Ever since starting to play hockey at the age of three, and watching it on the television for as long as I can remember, playing hockey at the highest level possible has been my lifetime goal. 

As a seventeen year old, I am playing for the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs , in the EHL Premier league, where the majority of players are 19 and 20 years of age. This past year, I was named assistant captain of the Pursuit of Excellence 18U AAA team as a sixteen year old, and helped lead the team to a third place finish in the CSSHL, which consists of many players committed to Junior A and D1 colleges. I am also proud to say I will be playing with the Cowichan Capitals of the BCHL for the 2017-18 season in which I will be 18 years old. My day currently consists of a 2 hour practice followed by a training session, with games commonly occurring on weekends. With the Monarchs, I have learned that in order to reach your goals, you need to put every last bit of time and energy you have into the sport, and with the dedication I am displaying through long hours of high intensity work, I feel that I am the right candidate to move up into the higher levels of Junior and College Hockey. 

As far as my style of play goes, I am considered to be an offensive defensemen, who is stable and reliable in my own end as well. I am able to see the ice well and make that first tape to tape pass, or jump up into a play which I have read and am seeing develop. I do not go out of my way to make a big hit, yet physicality is not a downfall in my game as I am still able to make a hit to gain possession of the puck when needed. 

Academics are a very important factor to me, as from a young age, I have realized that academic supremacy is the key to starting on the road to success throughout your life. I currently have a 4.0/4.0 GPA which I have kept up ever since the start of grade 9. Honour Roll, Principles List with Distinction and Work Ethic awards are just a few of the academic benchmarks I have been able to reach thus far through my schooling. As well as in class school and long days of training, I find time to complete online schooling in order to exceed what is expected of me and be the best I can.

I want to attend a college where I can consistently push myself in both academics and athletics, in order to be the role model I dream of being for my friends, family, and aspiring athletes. Currently, I do not have any restrictions as to which college I would like to attend and am open to all options and interests. My perseverance and willingness to make sacrifices in order to achieve my goals is what sets me apart from other athletes and the reason that I believe I can continue to improve and become an NCAA hockey player.