Dedication Never Sleeps

By Michael Farwell

It's 2:30 AM and Eric Scholl is still sitting awake in his room typing away on his computer. Struggling to keep his eyes open Scholl pecks away at the keyboard inching closer to completion. For Scholl it is a battle against time, his eyes run from the clock on his desk to the computer screen. Scholl working while, crunching time in his head trying to figure out how much sleep he might manage tonight. For an average college student this seems like nothing out of the norm, however, your average college student doesn't have to wake up at 5:30 AM for hockey practice. The typing continues while his eyes flicker like a dying bulb. It is now 4:30 in the morning and Eric is finally ready to turn off the light, his day is just getting started.

Eric has been giving as much as he can since he began playing hockey. Scholl is not the fastest skater on the ice, he does not have the best stick skills, softest hands, or hardest shot. However, Scholl, unlike many other players has an uncanny determination to succeed. He is a smart and physical player on the ice and wants "it" more than anyone else who skates the same ice.

In what seemed like 15 minutes Scholl is up again, getting ready to leave for the rink. "It's something I've grown accustomed to," he says with a sigh. Since Scholl was a young boy growing up in Wilmington, Mass. hockey is all his life has been about. At a young age Scholl began playing for club teams as do many young hockey players. Starting at the age of seven, Eric would travel all over New England and the Northeast for games and tournaments. "The odometer on my parents car would usually look pretty interesting after a winter or too thanks to all the hockey, " Scholl said. "After a trip to Lake Placid or Buffalo the 1996 Chevy conversion van would have close to 1,000 more miles on it," added Scholl. "I remember driving Eric and Will (his older brother) all over New England and the north east for hockey since they were young kids. I'd change the oil in the van more times in four months than some people would change in four years," Scholl's father, Bill, said.

Scholl walks to the bathroom half awake disheveled, his beard matted down on one side, as bushy head of hair also seems to have a mind of its own this morning. The suite is quite and dark and the sun is slowly creeping up. Every morning is dreary and dark for Scholl. Scholl slowly struggles to put on his Tilton School sweatpants and his Stonehill College hockey sweatshirt. His shoes are another morning battle, where tying laces have seemingly never been more difficult. Fingers become obstacles in between the laces as a simple knot becomes a seemingly difficult task, finally with Eric victorious. Scholl puts his contacts in, however, his vision and mind is still hazy.

Still barley awake Eric navigates his way out to his van to head off to practice. His van, the size of a small school bus, could be considered a home on wheels. The Forrest green 1996 conversion van is home to Eric's hockey equipment and other strange necessities that he deems valuable. This van has been a staple of Eric's hockey career since he was a young boy playing in the youth leagues and travel teams. Practice is a short drive away in Foxboro but a drive nonetheless often spent battling heavy eyes. The drive is as quickly over as it has begun as Eric pulls into Foxboro Ice Arena. Once Scholl exits his car he begins to wake up and is ready for business. Practice is quick for the Skyhawks ice hockey team, a lot of yelling and a lot of skating. Practice is over, but at only 9:00 AM Eric's day continues.

Pulling back onto campus and once again Scholl is struggling to keep his eyes open. The adrenaline from practice has run out and he is ready to get back into his bed. Scholl stumbles into his room around 9:30 to find his roommate still sleeping in bed. He falls into his bed and is swallowed into a sea of blankets and pillows. "That is the greatest feeling in the world. Getting back into that bed and just being out as soon as you're head hits the pillow, there is nothing better," Scholl adds. Eric manages to find time to maintain his grades while managing his time playing hockey.

The year for the Skyhawks men's ice hockey team has not been the best compared to the past, but Scholl, a leader of the program has not flustered. His determination to succeed and continue to move forward propels him and the team. Teammate John Yokow says, "Scholly is a born leader and always manages to stay motivated despite a difficult season."

Unrelenting in his ways Scholl goes through his day only to do it all over again, and for what? He is not going to the NHL and Stonehill will not be winning any championships this year.

Eric is once again typing away on his computer. He is writing a Philosophy paper and will be for the next three hours. I ask him how much sleep he thinks he is going to get tonight? "Two maybe three hours" he says. Dedication never sleeps or maybe just barely.