Student Athlete
Marcus Mitchell Excels at Academics and Ice Hockey
Every student at Cardinal Ritter Prep has a story, often inspiring, but always unique. Marcus Mitchell’s story is no exception. Marcus, an 18-year-old senior, comes to Ritter from Champaign, IL. He attended several fine schools in the Midwest including the Culver Military Academy, before moving back to Illinois so that he could play upper-level hockey in Wisconsin. Now he has finally made his way to St. Louis to play for the St. Louis Blues AAA team.
Marcus doesn’t just “play hockey,” he lives and breathes hockey. Usually he practices three to four times a week with games on everyday of the weekend, and then he sneaks in workouts with a trainer on his days off. And that is all in between studying and family time.
“My schedule is much different than other kids. I don’t get to go out with friends very much, so it’s made me mature a bit faster.
“I started playing hockey when I was about 4 years old,” said Marcus. It was clear early on that Marcus was a gifted athlete, once boasting 83 goals in one season during elementary school. Marcus is not interested in praise. When asked about his talent, he quickly points to the sacrifice his family has made to get him where he is today.
“My mom has put in a lot of work and sacrifice for me. While I was playing in Wisconsin, we were living in Illinois and she would drive me four hours to practice, four days a week,” Marcus explained.
Being the only African American on most, if not all of his teams, has made much of Marcus’s hockey career an up-hill battle. Like golf, hockey is not a sport that traditionally attracts African Americans. Marcus is used to be compared to Tiger Woods, “Some people even think I look like him.”
“It’s been a struggle and I’ve had to experience bad things, coming from other teams and sometimes my own teams,” said Marcus. “I’ve had to beat down some barriers, but I think it’s been good for me in the long run.”
All of Marcus’s hard work and diligence seem to be paying off and will perhaps allow him to reach his dream of playing professional hockey. After graduating Cardinal Ritter Prep in 2008, he plans to join a junior league for two years before college. Marcus is looking at a few Division-I schools that are known for hockey, including Princeton University, Boston University and the University of Michigan.
The adversity he has experienced as a young player has helped prepare Marcus for the difficult road to the NHL, where the competition is extreme and there are only a few African-American or African-Canadian players.
It can be discouraging when there are so many people competing for just a few spots. Many of Marcus’s teammates and competitors have quit along the way. Marcus hopes his sacrifice and fortitude will allow him to achieve his goal of playing in the NHL.
Every student at Cardinal Ritter Prep has a story, often inspiring, but always unique. Marcus Mitchell’s story is no exception. Marcus, an 18-year-old senior, comes to Ritter from Champaign, IL. He attended several fine schools in the Midwest including the Culver Military Academy, before moving back to Illinois so that he could play upper-level hockey in Wisconsin. Now he has finally made his way to St. Louis to play for the St. Louis Blues AAA team.
Marcus doesn’t just “play hockey,” he lives and breathes hockey. Usually he practices three to four times a week with games on everyday of the weekend, and then he sneaks in workouts with a trainer on his days off. And that is all in between studying and family time.
“My schedule is much different than other kids. I don’t get to go out with friends very much, so it’s made me mature a bit faster.
“I started playing hockey when I was about 4 years old,” said Marcus. It was clear early on that Marcus was a gifted athlete, once boasting 83 goals in one season during elementary school. Marcus is not interested in praise. When asked about his talent, he quickly points to the sacrifice his family has made to get him where he is today.
“My mom has put in a lot of work and sacrifice for me. While I was playing in Wisconsin, we were living in Illinois and she would drive me four hours to practice, four days a week,” Marcus explained.
Being the only African American on most, if not all of his teams, has made much of Marcus’s hockey career an up-hill battle. Like golf, hockey is not a sport that traditionally attracts African Americans. Marcus is used to be compared to Tiger Woods, “Some people even think I look like him.”
“It’s been a struggle and I’ve had to experience bad things, coming from other teams and sometimes my own teams,” said Marcus. “I’ve had to beat down some barriers, but I think it’s been good for me in the long run.”
All of Marcus’s hard work and diligence seem to be paying off and will perhaps allow him to reach his dream of playing professional hockey. After graduating Cardinal Ritter Prep in 2008, he plans to join a junior league for two years before college. Marcus is looking at a few Division-I schools that are known for hockey, including Princeton University, Boston University and the University of Michigan.
The adversity he has experienced as a young player has helped prepare Marcus for the difficult road to the NHL, where the competition is extreme and there are only a few African-American or African-Canadian players.
It can be discouraging when there are so many people competing for just a few spots. Many of Marcus’s teammates and competitors have quit along the way. Marcus hopes his sacrifice and fortitude will allow him to achieve his goal of playing in the NHL.
