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If every high school hockey team had a roster full of players like Clay senior
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| Eric McGill |
defenseman Eric McGill, the coaches' lives would be a lot easier.
Mike Heck, who just completed his first season as the Eagles' head coach, will vouch for that.
"Eric was the heart of our team," Heck said. "He was one of our captains. He came out and started our off-ice conditioning way before I was ready to do it. I started it in October and he started it before that. He has a big, big heart. He cares about the team more than himself.
"He coaches our Junior Eagles spring league teams. He did it last year and he's doing it again this year, even as a senior who won't be back next year."
The 5-10 McGill, a four-year letterman who started full-time the last two seasons, said he enjoys coaching the area's younger hockey players.
"It's a different experience," he said. "I like to pass on my knowledge of the game to younger kids and, hopefully, show them that there are good kids out there to help them and do stuff for them. I like to look at myself as a leader and someone who can set a good example for how to be as a hockey player."
That leadership ability helped McGill earn the Hobey Baker High School Character Award. He was nominated for the award by Heck.
"One player from each team earns that distinction, as long as the coach nominates him," Heck said.
The Hobey Baker High School Character Award is given to the player who exhibits character, commitment, teamwork, persistence, selflessness, academic excellence and sportsmanship. The award, presented by the Hobey Baker Foundation, began in 2003 and is presented to the player on each high school team who most exemplifies the values and traits of Hobey Baker.
McGill, who has a 3.3 GPA, said the award exemplifies what he tried to accomplish as a member of the Clay hockey program.
"I'm happy to get this because it shows I have done a good job with what I set out to do, make the Clay hockey team better character-wise," McGill said. "I try to lead by example, and this (award) shows what I have accomplished over my last four years."
McGill said organizing the Eagles' preseason off-ice conditioning was one example of his desire to bring the Clay players together to form a true team.
"I wanted to start conditioning because I know how important conditioning off the ice is," he said. "The earlier you get started at it, the easier it gets, and you don't have to spend the first couple practices skating and conditioning. You can just start playing the hockey game.
"It did (pay off) for me; I know I benefitted from it. It also got us more familiar with the players and gave us a chance to connect and get closer as a team."
Heck also nominated the Eagles' two seniors, McGill and defenseman Matt Hartkopf, to play in last weekend's Ohio Senior All-Star Hockey Game at Nationwide Arena in Columbus. McGill, who was chosen, helped the South-West Team beat the North-East Team 7-3 on Sunday.
The South-West Team included players from St. Francis de Sales and Perrysburg high schools.
"It was great playing with all the players from all the different parts of Ohio," said McGill, a first-team all-academic and honorable mention All-Northwest Hockey Conference White Division selection.
It was a really exciting experience to play in Nationwide Arena."
McGill's parents, Jim and Mary, and his brother, Jimmy, were in attendance at the event.
"Once you walk in and start skating around and look up and see all the seats, it was an exciting experience," Eric said. "I've never played there before. There were a lot of players there. There were 10 defensemen on my team and we only had eight or nine forwards. Our bench was packed. None of us got a lot of playing time, but the experience was still great."
McGill, 17, who has been playing hockey since age 5, said he is undecided on whether or not he will play at the next level.
"I'd like to continue," he said. "Maybe I'll play for a club team in college, but I don't know the extent to where that's going to go."
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