GAME ON - The Player: Eric Salzillo

GAME ON - The Player: Eric Salzillo

GAME ON - The Player: Eric Salzillo

Q & A with Eric Salzillo, Moses Brown Ice-Hockey Athlete

2nd leading Scorer in RI D-1 Hockey

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What has been the biggest challenge being a high school athlete?

The biggest challenge being a student-athlete at Moses Brown is maintaining good grades while having to practice and study all the time. Sometimes sports conflict with studying, but it is important to make sure I get school work done first and don't slack off because in order to play hockey and get into a good college, grades are just as important as the sport. I would also say as the season progresses it becomes difficult waking up at 5 am every morning to get to practice and then make it through the long day at school.

Who is your biggest motivator?

My biggest motivator is definitely my dad. He takes me to practices every morning and watches every game and is always trying to make me a better player. He understands what is best for me, and the challenges that arise from playing sports at a tough school.

Who is your biggest rival?

I think that the private schools in Division 1 are all rivals to us. Whether we are playing Hendricken, LaSalle or Mount, most of the times it is a close game that it is entertaining to play and watch. Because one loss can make such a big difference, it is important that we win these games. Everyone on our team understands this and works hard no matter who we are playing in order to win.

What are you working to improve your game?

I am doing a lot of off ice training by myself and with Coach Bill Bennett in order to become a stronger and faster skater. I am also always working on my shot and other fundamentals because there is always room for improvement in every aspect of my game.

What is your greatest memory on the ice?

There are a lot of great memories in my hockey career, but I would say my biggest one would be scoring my first goal in high school against LaSalle as a freshman. It was a great feeling because Coach David Trott gave me the game puck with all the details and we had also won.

How are you able to balance your schoolwork with practices, games, and training?

It is not always easy balancing schoolwork with sports at Moses Brown because there is always a lot of homework. The most important thing for me is getting some of the work done during free periods so I don't have to do as much when I am at home. After school there are usually other things that take away from my time to get work done, such as off ice training.

Where do you see yourself going from here, do you plan to pursue this sport in college?

I would definitely like to pursue hockey in college whether it be at the Division 1 or Division 3 level. In order to do this I have to keep getting better while still getting good grades. Without the grades there would be no chance of getting into a good college where I could play hockey.