Jake Gagnon '19 Recruiting Profile

I began playing hockey at the age of 4. My coaches and teammates considered me to be a fierce competitor since day 1. Over the years I also played football, baseball, soccer, lacrosse and golf but hockey has always been my passion. I am not only a hockey player but a hockey person. Team work, selflessness, work ethic, victory, defeat, accepting shortcomings, embracing talents, respect, challenges, injuries, criticism, accolades, etc.; these are the character building blocks that hockey brings over time. Life lessons learned in hockey are the foundation of the person I have become.

One of the biggest lessons I learned playing hockey was how to deal with adversity. I don’t mean facing a tough opponent but being knocked down for something beyond my control. In my early teens despite being the captain and leading the team in points, I was told more than once that I was too small. Every time I heard those words fuel was added to my fire. "Rise above, eyes forward and don’t look back" I told myself and I did just that.

As a player, I train and practice hard. I analyze the finer details (face offs, defensive systems, breakouts, transition, match ups etc.) of the game to prepare myself for competition. My coaches play me in all situations as I play a 200-foot game. Whether it is to take an important face-off, shut down the opponent, or get a key goal, I've been known to contribute at the key moments of a game. I have had success providing my teams the victory tying it up late in a game, getting the game or shootout winner.

Leadership comes naturally to me. I have represented my teams throughout the years as a Captain or Alternate Captain and have been a key contributor from pre-novice to junior. The leadership and positive influence I convey were present in my school community as well. At Millbrook Prep School I was a Prefect, Dorm leader, captain of the Golf and Hockey varsity teams and  the recipient of the Headmaster's Merit Award. The citation for the Headmaster's Merit Awards reads, “to that senior whose personal strengths and contributions merit special recognition. Each recipient goes well beyond all reasonable expectations to make a Millbrook a healthier, happier, more caring and thoughtful place.”

During my high school years in Pointe-Claire, Quebec, I was enrolled in a sports study concentrated program. This program motivated me to stay focused academically while playing the game I love. This helped me with the transition to prep school. It has long been my goal to play college hockey. I was inspired seeing local players training who were playing or had played college hockey. Players like the Biega brothers, Alex Killorn, and my biggest role model, my older brother Rory.

I feel that the route I have taken to get there has prepared me to be successful both on and off the ice. I am thankful that playing the sport I love is giving me the opportunity to further my education.