In less than a month, students from around the country will pack their cars and leave home for college.
Sam Tenney / The Citizen
Tommy Trowell, who will be a high school senior this fall, is moving to the Boston area to play Junior ‘A' hockey with the New England Junior Huskies.
Tommy Trowell, who will be a high school senior this fall, is moving to the Boston area to play Junior ‘A' hockey with the New England Junior Huskies.
Tommy Trowell will also be leaving home. But his destination isn't college.
In fact, he's only going to be a high school senior.
Trowell, Auburn High School's starting hockey goalie the past two seasons, is leaving home and his school to follow his dreams.
Fresh off a gold medal in the Empire State Games, Trowell signed a contract with the New England Huskies of the Eastern Junior Hockey League, a premiere league in the country. So Trowell is relocating to Boston, where he'll begin his senior year in an unfamiliar environment.
“It is a great opportunity that I can't not take,” Trowell said. “It will be strange to not be in school with all of my friends and have to make new ones in my last year of high school, but it's going to be a great experience.”
“Tommy has been trying out with higher level, junior 'A' teams for about two years,” said Bobby Trowell, Tommy's father. “He kept doing these tryouts, almost knowing that he wasn't ready yet, but finding out what he needed to work on. He ended up getting contract offers from a couple different teams, including one in Buffalo, but he has decided that the best choice is to go to Boston.”
Tommy believes Boston will be a good place to start a hockey career.
“Boston is a great city,” Tommy said. “I'm a Red Sox fan so it works. Hopefully I will make good friends there, I will try to be a good kid there and make the most of this opportunity.”
Trowell's ultimate goal is to play hockey a the Division I level. His devotion and desire to play hockey may not only stem from his skills, but also from his upbringing.
“I was raised into hockey,” Tommy said. “My dad played successfully in hockey and always gave me great advice. He influenced everything I do in hockey.”
“With my hockey background I was always coaching his teams and made sure he had the fundamentals of the sport and was on the right path,” Bobby added. “Part of that path was remaining in Auburn. I got him playing for the Ice Hawks and I knew this was the place for him to build on the important parts of the game. He has really committed himself to hockey despite being such a natural ballplayer and he always did all the camps and tryouts even if he wasn't ready.”
The fact that both father and son have played hockey is not where the similarities stop either. Bobby won a national championship at the Rochester Institute of Technology 25 years ago in Billerica, Mass, the same place where Tommy will be living and attending high school.
“Is it destiny? I don't know,” Bobby said. “It is a really bizarre coincidence.”
Strange oddities aside, Tommy has an exciting and new future ahead of him as he starts at a new school, starts with a new team and a starts a new chapter in his life. Leaving friends and family behind can be daunting for any high school student, especially with practices every day and living in a completely new place, but Tommy is looking forward to the experience.
“I have the itch to get back into game mode,” Tommy said. “I can't wait to meet the players and the coach. I really can't wait to get out and play. I know my parents will miss me but this is a great experience. The routine there will be like the one I am used to every day it's just there instead of here. I will try and get into the routine quick so I can get used to it. I will miss my family and friends but I think I will do fine. I hope I can do like my dad and succeed in Boston.”
Bobby is apprehensive and surprised that his son is leaving but is also confident in how he will compete.
“I'm nervous about it, but excited,” Bobby said. “He really likes the city and he's worked really hard over the last three years. This team really cares about the kids and helps them out, making sure they are doing well academically as well. This is a very high level league and I know that it will help him to follow his dreams so I know that he has made the right decision. I'm proud of his decision and courage to try this opportunity on his own and wish him great success and many new friendships outside of New York State.”
Trowell's season with the Huskies can be followed throughout the season at www.ejhl.com.
In fact, he's only going to be a high school senior.
Trowell, Auburn High School's starting hockey goalie the past two seasons, is leaving home and his school to follow his dreams.
Fresh off a gold medal in the Empire State Games, Trowell signed a contract with the New England Huskies of the Eastern Junior Hockey League, a premiere league in the country. So Trowell is relocating to Boston, where he'll begin his senior year in an unfamiliar environment.
“It is a great opportunity that I can't not take,” Trowell said. “It will be strange to not be in school with all of my friends and have to make new ones in my last year of high school, but it's going to be a great experience.”
“Tommy has been trying out with higher level, junior 'A' teams for about two years,” said Bobby Trowell, Tommy's father. “He kept doing these tryouts, almost knowing that he wasn't ready yet, but finding out what he needed to work on. He ended up getting contract offers from a couple different teams, including one in Buffalo, but he has decided that the best choice is to go to Boston.”
Tommy believes Boston will be a good place to start a hockey career.
“Boston is a great city,” Tommy said. “I'm a Red Sox fan so it works. Hopefully I will make good friends there, I will try to be a good kid there and make the most of this opportunity.”
Trowell's ultimate goal is to play hockey a the Division I level. His devotion and desire to play hockey may not only stem from his skills, but also from his upbringing.
“I was raised into hockey,” Tommy said. “My dad played successfully in hockey and always gave me great advice. He influenced everything I do in hockey.”
“With my hockey background I was always coaching his teams and made sure he had the fundamentals of the sport and was on the right path,” Bobby added. “Part of that path was remaining in Auburn. I got him playing for the Ice Hawks and I knew this was the place for him to build on the important parts of the game. He has really committed himself to hockey despite being such a natural ballplayer and he always did all the camps and tryouts even if he wasn't ready.”
The fact that both father and son have played hockey is not where the similarities stop either. Bobby won a national championship at the Rochester Institute of Technology 25 years ago in Billerica, Mass, the same place where Tommy will be living and attending high school.
“Is it destiny? I don't know,” Bobby said. “It is a really bizarre coincidence.”
Strange oddities aside, Tommy has an exciting and new future ahead of him as he starts at a new school, starts with a new team and a starts a new chapter in his life. Leaving friends and family behind can be daunting for any high school student, especially with practices every day and living in a completely new place, but Tommy is looking forward to the experience.
“I have the itch to get back into game mode,” Tommy said. “I can't wait to meet the players and the coach. I really can't wait to get out and play. I know my parents will miss me but this is a great experience. The routine there will be like the one I am used to every day it's just there instead of here. I will try and get into the routine quick so I can get used to it. I will miss my family and friends but I think I will do fine. I hope I can do like my dad and succeed in Boston.”
Bobby is apprehensive and surprised that his son is leaving but is also confident in how he will compete.
“I'm nervous about it, but excited,” Bobby said. “He really likes the city and he's worked really hard over the last three years. This team really cares about the kids and helps them out, making sure they are doing well academically as well. This is a very high level league and I know that it will help him to follow his dreams so I know that he has made the right decision. I'm proud of his decision and courage to try this opportunity on his own and wish him great success and many new friendships outside of New York State.”
Trowell's season with the Huskies can be followed throughout the season at www.ejhl.com.
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