In mid June, sophomore and Varsity ice hockey player Jake Scanlon lost an edge while he was turning around the net during a practice. One trip to the doctor’s office later confirmed that he had a broken collarbone, and he wouldn’t be able to touch the ice for over one month.
“I didn’t really know what to think at the time,” Scanlon said. “Something like this had never happened to me before, and it was the fear of not knowing what was going to happen next that really bothered me.”
Scanlon has played hockey for seven years, and he has never broken a bone before this injury. His injury forbade him from playing and practicing, all of which made him unsure of his future in hockey.
“I had to work really hard to make up the time I missed,” Scanlon said. “I missed many practices that would have helped me get ready for tryouts. These types of practices are tough to miss because if you don’t go to them, it really hurts your chances to make a team.” Scanlon was unable to play for five and a half weeks after breaking his collarbone, and this affected his performance after returning.
“It’s tough getting back in a rhythm after being out for so long,” Scanlon said. “It was a really hard process getting back into the groove of things like practices and off ice drills after not being able to do any of that for that long.”
Tryouts for the Dallas Penguins presented a new challenge for Scanlon after the injury, but after he recovered from his broken collarbone in July, he was able to try out in August.
“I think I was able to make the Penguins because I had the heart, talent and effort to prove to the coaches that I could still play at a high caliber of hockey,” Scanlon said.
Despite his injury, the Penguins coaches accepted Scanlon, and he made the team.
“I was sorry to hear about the broken bone, but I was glad to hear that he was still going to try out for the team,” Penguins coach Yuriy Melnyk said. “It takes a lot of heart and effort to make a team without being able to practice for almost two months before tryouts.”
Scanlon put in effort and work after being off the ice, and he was able to bounce back to be a key player for the team. Jake has recently been preparing for his next practice on Sunday.
“Not once did he give up,” Penguins coach Tristen Pierce said. “That’s what I was impressed about. He pushed through the pain and made the team.”
Scanlon has fully recovered from his injury and has been playing with the Penguins for a month.
“I’m feeling a lot better, and I think we have a solid team with good chemistry this year,” Scanlon said.
