麻豆传媒入口

For most kids the dream to play in the NHL starts the first time they pick up a stick, or try on their first pair of skates. They fall in love with the game and spend years chasing a dream in hopes to turn it into a reality.

The sad truth for all but roughly 1 in 4,000 players is they will fall short of achieving this dream. But that鈥檚 not to say their time spent chasing their dream was all for nothing, as the life lessons and skills they learn along the way can prove to be invaluable later in life. This could not ring truer for now 21-year-old Sam Riddle.

In the summer of 2018, while at CCM Showcase in Denver, Colorado, Riddle would catch the eye of Steve March, who at the time was the Head of Recruitment for the Northern Alberta Xtreme (NAX).

鈥淚 loved his work ethic and the fact he wasn鈥檛 scared of anyone. There were a lot of kids who were probably more skilled or skated better but no one else had his tenacity,鈥� said March on what Riddle did to catch his attention. 鈥淚 just thought, imagine if he was at NAX for a year, where could he be.鈥�

March would take on the difficult task of convincing Riddle, and his parents, to join NAX for the 2018/19 麻豆传媒入口 (CSSHL) season.

What would make it such a difficult sell was Riddle was just 15 at the time and living in Dallas, Texas, 1,654 miles, or 2,662 kilometers, south of the Xtreme home base in Edmonton, AB.

鈥淲e had never heard of NAX or the CSSHL but Steve asked if I was interested. I got back home to Dallas and started doing my research and realized what an incredible opportunity it was so I began begging my parents to let me go,鈥� said Riddle.

Riddle鈥檚 parents would ultimately agree to let him uproot his life and move across the border to Canada. Riddle and his dad took three days to drive from Texas, where he would spend the first half of the season living in an apartment, with his mom and dad rotating parental duties every couple of weeks. He would eventually transition to living with a billet family near the famous West Edmonton Mall.

While Riddle noted a big change for him was the team first culture in Canada compared to the U.S., the biggest difference for a kid from Texas was unsurprisingly the weather.

鈥淚 remember it started snowing in early September and we couldn’t believe it.听 I remember going to the store and buying snow boots and a heavy parka and then getting roasted by the boys when I got on the bus the first time,鈥� joked Riddle. 鈥淪omeone asked me if I was going mountain climbing in all the stuff I was wearing when I walked into the locker room.鈥�

Ultimately, Riddle would adjust to life in the cold north and become a favourite among his teammates.

鈥淪am was a guy that I had the privilege to get to know very well. He was someone I looked forward to seeing every day,鈥� remarked Charlie Wright, a teammate of Riddle鈥檚 who is now in the AHL with Coachella Valley. 鈥淲e spent a lot of time together being in a different school than the rest of the team. He made everyday fun and is a huge reason why myself and our team that year found major success. He was a teammate that everyone loved and enjoyed being around.鈥�

That season the right-handed defenseman would suit-up in 35 regular season games for the NAX U16 Prep team, tallying 1 goal and 5 assists. Along the way, while being coached by Brayden Toma, he would help the team win both tournaments they entered, finishing it all off with a 2019 CSSHL U16 Prep Western Championship.

Riddle would return to the U.S. in 2019/20, spending the season with the Anaheim Jr Ducks, but it was only a matter of time before he was back in Canada, this time in Victoria, BC with Pacific Coast Hockey Academy (PCHA).

鈥淎t PCHA I spent my time living on Bear Mountain with the Lindal鈥檚 which was also a surreal experience for a kid from Texas. The Lindal鈥檚 are amazing people,鈥� added Riddle.

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic limited Riddle and his PCHA teammates to just four U18 Prep games that season. Despite the limited number of games, the American would once again catch the eye of a Canadian hockey team, signing with the Cornwall Colts of the Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL) for the 2021/22 season.

However, with the uncertainty still surrounding the pandemic and not wanting to risk another lockdown, Riddle decided to stay in the U.S. and start focusing on where to apply to college. While hockey had played a major factor in his decision making up to that point in his life, after discussions with PCHA U18 Prep head coach Jason Becker, Riddle would begin to follow a different career path.

鈥淲hen we sat down to discuss our Long-Term Development Plans with the student athletes one of the main questions asked is where do you see yourself in three-four years. Sam’s response was that he wanted to be a part of the US Navy. I thought this would be a great possibility for Sam,鈥� mentioned Becker. We spoke about his attention to detail, his discipline, his ability and skills on the ice as well as his pride for his country. He could be and would be a great candidate for the US Navy. Both Kelly Shields and myself encouraged him to look into what it would take but still continue to play hockey. There would be opportunities for him to play junior and continue to develop as a hockey player. And when the time was right, he would know when it was time to apply for the US Navy.”

鈥淚 had always wanted to be in the Navy, and when I shared that with Becker, he suggested I try to play at Navy. That conversation inspired me to go through the admissions process,鈥� said Riddle. 鈥淚 wanted to join the U.S. Naval Academy because it offers the ultimate combination of leadership development, academics, and the opportunity to serve my country. It has a very long tradition of producing some of the best leaders in the United States that have gone on to have strong impacts on the military, government, and civilian world.鈥�

Established in 1845, The Naval Academy is the second oldest of the five U.S. service academies and it educates midshipmen for service in the officer corps of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps.

The process of getting accepted to the Naval Academy involved several steps, including securing a nomination, completing the Candidate Fitness Assessment, and going through interviews.

The nomination was particularly competitive, as it involved applying through his congressional office and demonstrating why he was a strong candidate for the Academy. 鈥淟eaving home at 15 to play in the CSSHL and my experiences in the league were things I talked about a lot during that process,鈥� added Riddle.

鈥淲hen I heard Riddle had been accepted into the U.S. Naval Academy it came as no surprise. The way he carried himself, he always had that military-like demeanor,鈥� added Jordan Martin, Riddle鈥檚 defensemen coach at NAX. 鈥淗e would always respond with 鈥榶es sir鈥� every time you talked to him. Toma and I would always joke with him to lighten up. But that鈥檚 just who he was and the respect he had for people.鈥�

Before attending the Naval Academy, Riddle had the privilege of spending a year at the Naval Academy Prep School (NAPS). That experience introduced him to the disciplined and challenging environment of military life, helping him transition and prepare for the rigorous demands of the Academy. It instilled in him a stronger sense of resilience, time management, and teamwork, which have been invaluable in his first year at USNA.

Riddle joined the U.S. Naval Academy this year in Annapolis, Maryland, and is back on the ice, playing seven ACHA games with the program.鈥淧laying for Naval Hockey has been an incredible honor. It鈥檚 a privilege to represent the Academy on the ice, knowing we鈥檙e upholding the legacy of the guys who have come before us through the program and have gone on to do amazing things. It鈥檚 a unique experience that combines the discipline of military life with competitive college hockey.鈥�

It鈥檚 a rigorous schedule for Riddle as he balances academics, training and hockey in what amounts to roughly 12鈥�14-hour days. Riddle is currently taking Chemistry, Calculus, Seamanship, English, Ethics, and Naval History. On top of classes, he has an extra military training, either during lunch or evening, known as noon meal training or evening meal training.

鈥淏alancing academics, training, and hockey is undoubtedly challenging, but my experience playing in the CSSHL and attending NAPS last year significantly improved my time management skills. While there are tough moments and the occasional late night, I’ve been largely successful in managing everything so far,鈥� added Riddle. 鈥淟earning to live away from home at the age of 15 while managing school and hockey absolutely prepared me for success at the Naval Academy. It gave me positive pressure and stress to learn how to manage academics, sport, and being a good person.鈥�

鈥淪am’s character is one of those things you want to bottle up and sell. As a coach, we are always looking at the physical skills of the game; skating, passing, shooting. But what really separates a lot of players are those intangible skills such as character, discipline and compete. And Sam’s character, discipline and drive to compete are huge assets for him. I wish I had a longer period to work with Sam. I would have really liked to see his development over a regular season with our group. It’s great to see where Sam’s journey has taken him so far and I am excited to see where it continues to takes him,鈥� added Becker.

While Riddle鈥檚 hard work, determination and character have allowed him to achieve his early goals of joining the U.S. Naval Academy, he notes the impact his former coaches, mentors, and billets have had on his path. 鈥淢any people played pivotal roles in my development, including Coach Toma, Coach Martin, Coach Becker, Randy Dunbar, and Steve March,鈥� said Riddle. 鈥淚 owe a lot to Steve, without him, I wouldn鈥檛 have made it to Edmonton, and I give him significant credit for my journey. 鈥淚鈥檓 also incredibly grateful to my billet family in Edmonton, the Rupp’s, who were amazing and made a huge impact on my experience.鈥�

As for many members of the military branch, Riddle can鈥檛 comment on what his future might hold with the U.S. Naval Academy, but it would appear to be a bright one for the former CSSHL student-athlete.