A positive on-, off-ice influence
Stratford's Ryan Steele nominated for Hobey Baker Memorial Award in U.S.
Ryan Steele is living his dream while making a positive impact on his hockey team and university community.
The 23-year-old Stratford native, a junior at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn., was recently named as one of about 50 nominees for the prestigious Hobey Baker Memorial Award. It recognizes hockey players for exceptional play, excellent teamwork, dedication, integrity, humility and character.
“It’s a huge honour,” he said. “It’s something that I never really thought would ever happen to me. I just worked really hard the past three years, and it’s nice to get some recognition.”
Players were nominated by the athletics departments at their Division 1 school. People can vote for Steele in an online fan voting section that runs until midnight on March 8.
HEADING SOUTH, WEST
Steele played two years of under-15 hockey with the Pownal Red Devils and a year of major under-18 with the Cornwall Superior Thunder. He was a point-per-game player and helped the Thunder win the provincial title and make it to the Atlantic final in Moncton in 2013.
“He was a skilled, smart, high hockey IQ player and a really good skater,” recalled Mark Carragher, who coached him with the Thunder. “It was a really special group, and he was a big part of the success we had.”
But Steele has his heart set on pursuing the NCAA route south of the border. With the support of his parents, Debbie and Bob Steele, the teenager decided to head to Holderness prep school in Plymouth, N.H., to develop his game and gain exposure with postsecondary institutions.
Steele said being away from friends and family was a big adjustment, but he was able to quickly fit in at Holderness.
“Everyone was so nice to me and welcoming, it wasn't hard to make friends.”
After three seasons at Holderness, Steele headed west, playing three seasons of junior A in the British Columbia Hockey League.
Early in his final junior season, Steele was a bit worried as he hadn’t received a scholarship offer. But around Christmastime, Sacred Heart approached him with a full scholarship.
“That was huge for me,” Steele recalled. “It was always a dream of mine to play NCAA Division 1. … It boosts your confidence when you get an offer like that.”
SACRED HEART
Sacred Heart Pioneers head coach C.J. Marottolo said they watched him play at Holderness and liked what they saw and heard from his time in British Columbia.
“We thought he could be a really effective 200-foot player. He skates well, he’s smart … (and) he was just scratching the surface on where he could be as a player. We loved his potential,” Marottolo said. “He hasn’t let us down in that area. He’s gotten better every year. As our team has grown, Ryan has grown, too.”
Steele said he prides himself on being good in the defensive zone while also being an offensive threat.
While general stats give a glimpse into a player’s ability, they don’t tell the whole story.
“He’s a clutch player for us,” Marottolo said, noting they track things like tying and winning goals. “When chips are down, and we need a big goal, Ryan steps up. … Those things stand out.”
MORE THAN HOCKEY
And while hockey is a big part of Steele’s story, it isn’t all about goals and assists, wins and losses. He doesn’t wear a letter for the Pioneers but is a part of the team’s leadership group and is well-respected by his teammates, coaching staff and university administration.
“I’ve always taken pride in what I do off the ice,” said Steele, who is doing a double major in finance and economics. “You have to keep up with your schoolwork and get good grades and just be a good guy off the ice, being a good teammate and a nice person around campus.”
A player’s actions when the skates are off are also part of the criteria for the Hobey Baker Award.
“It’s how you carry yourself away from the rink, it’s how you treat people within the game, it’s how you interact within your community and how you’re a leader,” Marottolo said.
Sacred Hearts men’s hockey team inked Zakarai Schneider from Team IMPACT, a Boston-headquartered national non-profit organization, in September 2019. The 16-year-old was diagnosed with a neurological disorder at birth. He is non-verbal but loves hockey.
“Ryan always makes sure he
STEVE MCLAUGHLIN • SPECIAL TO THE GUARDIAN
spends time with him on the ice, passes with him and lets him score on him when Ryan gets in the net and acts like a goalie,” Marottolo explained. “That stuff doesn’t go unnoticed by people. He’s just having a real positive impact on everybody here at Sacred Heart.”
Carragher said it is great to see Steele excelling in multiple ways.
“There’s not a whole lot of players from P.E.I. who end up playing Division 1 NCAA hockey,” he said. “The fact he’s a finalist for the Hockey Baker just speaks that much more highly of him.”
COVID
Steele was unable to come home for Christmas due to COVID-19 and the need to self-isolate for 14 days on each end of a potential trip. He has an older brother, Michael, and two sisters – Sarah, who played south of the border with Boston University and professionally in Europe before playing this season
with the National Women’s Hockey League’s Toronto Six, and Lauren, who played her first season for the Mount Allison Mounties in 2019-20.
Steele said he’s been in quarantine for more than a month during the pandemic. He said he just tries to stay ready when his team gets the chance to play the game he loves. He and his teammates are hopeful they will be able to see their season through to a regular conclusion.
“We’re striving for a championship. We want to make the NCAA tournament,” Steele said. “We want to get there and show everyone how good we can be.”