Ice sprays from skates; players bounce into boards; there is a brisk coldness that makes spectators’ cheeks rosy. This is Hempfield Area Hockey and whipping down the rink is Nick McCauley, a senior who brightens our hallways but whose athletic persona is cold as ice.

He sees success on and off the ice. While spending most of his time playing Spartan hockey, he is also a member of four academic programs; NHS, GNHS, SNHS, and Rho Kappa and a dedicated student.

McCauley has been playing hockey since he was just eight years old and has a passion for the game. When asked who his biggest inspiration was, he said “Players like Chad Ruhwedel really inspired me to pursue a career in hockey. Seeing how Chad moves the puck makes me push myself to the best of my ability.” 

His says hockey provides a, “great release from stress to be out there skating.” It is is favorite place to be; his home away from home. 

While McCauley has no intent of continuing his career in the sport beyond high school, up to this point, his time on the ice has helped to define who is as an individual, a student, and an athlete. His future plans include attending college to pursue a civil engineering degree.