James Cahill '15 Recruiting Profile

I first started playing hockey 9 years ago when my dad wanted me to try it out, and I have loved it ever since.  I began playing Tier II travel hockey four years ago and that is when I really began to improve and flourish.  My bantam and first midget years were learning experiences for me and I was able to see the difference in skill.  My second year of U-16 I joined a team that consisted mainly of younger players, which allowed me to take a leadership role and become an asset to my team.  That year I grew greatly as a player and helped lead my team to the Tier II National Championships, where we placed third.  Being at that tournament made me realize that I was capable of playing at the next level.

Outside of hockey I am very focused on school.  I take many college level courses and have maintained a 3.95 GPA throughout high school.  Taking AP classes as well as playing travel hockey has taught me to manage my time very well.  Although hockey is my passion I also know that I must have education as a priority so I can succeed later in life.  This year I am enrolled in 4 AP classes while playing on two teams.

I also participate in Boy Scouts of America.  I earned my Eagle Scout in January of 2012, which taught me a lot.  To earn the award you must plan and carry out a volunteer project entirely on your own.  My project was restoring a trail, which involved contacting the land manager, fundraising supplies, and carrying out the project.  I led a large group of scouts and other volunteers, and totaled over 200 volunteer hours.  It was a great opportunity to take full control and initiate a project.  

This past year I was involved in a humanitarian group called Youthlinc.  It is a volunteer organization that sends groups to do service in developing countries.  Before you are able to do that, you must first complete 80 hours of service in your community.  I completed mine at an elementary school where I helped under privileged children in school.  This showed me how different things can be in just your community.  Once I completed my local service, and did extensive fundraising for the costs of the trip, I went with a large team to Thailand for 2 weeks.  It was one of the greatest experiences of my life and I learned so much.  I had such an amazing experience last year that I am going to Nepal next summer but this time as an Alumni Leader.  This will allow me to be more of a leader as well as share by experiences with others.  

All of my experiences on and off the ice have helped me grow as an individual and I would like to continue that trend.  I am willing to make sacrifices and work hard to reach my goals.