Athlete of the week: Marlborough High's Josh Hill

136

By Ryan Massad, Contributing Writer

Athlete of the week: Marlborough High's Josh Hill
Josh Hill has had a great hockey career at Marlborough High. photo/submitted

Team: Marlborough High School Hockey captain

Coach: Mike O”Brien

Background: Hill is the co-captain of the hockey team at Marlborough High School (MHS). Statistically, he is one of the best players in all of Central Massachusetts. Josh has also played for the Minuteman Flames, the Marlborough Thunder and the Junior Shamrocks Elite team in the International Junior Hockey League.

 

How long have you been playing hockey? What are some of your earliest memories?

“Some of my earliest hockey memories are playing for the Tri-Valley Indians. It was the first team I played for, and, in the championship game, I was able to score the game-tying goal with 1.4 seconds left. We went on to win in a shootout.”

 

What was it like growing up and playing hockey in Marlborough?

“Growing up and playing in Marlboro was a great privilege. We have a great program, and everyone involved in the system is great. From my days with the Marlborough Thunder to playing for MHS, it's been an amazing experience.”

 

You'se having a tremendous senior season, has this season meant the most of your four years at MHS?

“This season has been really great. It's been the most fun. Now that I’m a senior, as well as a captain, I have a lot more responsibility on the team, but I's having a blast. It's our last year playing high school hockey, so we have to live it up and have fun, and we really are.”

 

You and your teammate Kyle Griffin are both atop the individual points leader board, do you feed off each other's success?

“Having Griff on my line has always been great; we met on the bus the first day of kindergarten, and ever since we’ve been best friends. I can's ask for anything more than to have him with me. Ryan Azar has also been there with us along the way, and we have an absolute blast playing together. I couldn’t ask for better line or better friends. We don’t really care how many points we end up with, we just want to have fun, and we have fun every day on the ice.”

 

You were able to play for both Coach Butler and Coach O”Brien. What are the differences between the two?

“Coach Butler was a great coach. We all grew up watching him coach and wanting to play for him. Once I got the chance to play for him, I made every moment count. Coach Mike O’Brien has taken over the job, but he's been the assistant coach for years now, so we'se all used to him being around. He is doing a great job and our record shows that. OB (as we call him) will be a great coach for years to come, and I hope the young guys coming up are as happy to play for him as I'se been.”

 

What do you hope to achieve before the end of your MHS career?

“There's two things I want to achieve before I graduate, and that is to, first, win a playoff game and then go on to win a state championship. It's the dream of every high school hockey player. Our team goal is to be #1, and we's love to achieve that goal. It would be the most exciting way to go out. I’ve accomplished one goal, which was joining the 100-point club, and now I’m moving on to accomplish the other two.”

 

Do you want to play hockey at the next level?

“Playing hockey in college would be great. That would be so fun. Right now, I’m looking at Fitchburg State, Worcester State and Framingham State.”

 

What is your favorite class in school?

“My favorite class in school is TV production. It's opened many doors for me, and I's like to become a film producer in the future.”

 

Which is your favorite NHL team and who is your favorite player?

“My favorite team has always been, and will always be, the Bruins, but my favorite player is Pavel Datsyuk, of the Detroit Red Wings.”

No posts to display