Having a dream is different than pursuing your dream. For all those hockey players out there, the dream is to be in the NHL. To pursue the ultimate dream of going pro comes with a serious commitment and sacrifice; only some are willing to make this dedication at such a young age. High school is already hard enough, but adding the pressure of playing travel hockey on top of school is a whole other ball park.

Former Air Academy student, Bryce DeFazio, is the perfect example of what its like to pursue your dream at such a young age. When Bryce attended Air Academy, he would attend classes the first half of the day and then leave at lunch so he could make it to practice. Not to mention, traveling for days in a row to tournaments and out of state games all while still being able to maintain impeccable grades and an outstanding GPA requires a work ethic like none other. Bryce’s hard work and talent was recognized by scouts, and he was rewarded with an offer to play in the USHL, which is the direct path to college hockey and then the pros. With this opportunity, Bryce hopes to attend Harvard where he can pursue his academic aspirations as well as play the game he loves.

This amazing opportunity Bryce was given also had its downfalls. With playing for this new team, he had to pack up his whole life, leave his family and friends, and pursue his dream alone. As much as hockey is a team sport, it’s very individual. With such a busy schedule, Bryce doesn’t have much socialization time at school to meet many new friends. With that being said, he doesn’t really have time to go to school dances, sporting events, or even basic school functions. A girlfriend isn’t in the picture either; “I can’t give any girl the time she deserves,” said the gentleman DeFazio. But all these sacrifices are well worth it in the big picture. He later said, “Even though I haven’t had the full high school experience, it’s all worth it to me because I’m living the dream, my dream.”

Bryce is not a friendless boy who only plays hockey like it may seem; he has a team full of best friends that are in the exact same boat as he is. “The friends I’ve made through hockey are the friends I’ll have for the rest of my life. They’re my brothers.” During his free time, Bryce enjoys going ice fishing, bowling, and watching Netflix. Nowadays with technology it makes it very easy for him to keep in touch with his family and friends from back home, his personal favorite being FaceTime because it gives you the ‘face to face’ interactions. “I talk to my mom everyday I would say.” Even being so far away from his mama, he can still call her anytime when he’s feeling homesick.

Even being so far away from home, Bryce doesn’t get thrown off his path at all. His original team in the USHL was in Iowa, but then halfway through the school year, he got traded to a team in Minnesota. Having just adjusted to a new life, he is then thrown into a new home, new school, new team, with a different family. However, this doesn’t phase him; he worked very hard and graduated high school early so he could focus more on hockey and hopefully college.

Bryce is far from your average high school student. Being very self driven and motivated but at the same time still being a teenage boy, he is one who likes to have fun with his teammates and mess around. He has found the perfect balance of fun and hard work on the road to pursuing his dream. “I like to eat healthy to help keep my body fueled well, but I can’t resist a delicious bowl of Captain Crunch!” Even though he works harder every day than he does the last to make sure his performance in school and on the rink is outstanding, no one can resist a bowl of Captain Crunch.

Bryce’s hockey team is expected to do very well in the playoffs as the tail end of the season approaches, where after he will return back home to Colorado for the summer to be reunited with his family and rewarded with a nice break for all his hard work. The Kadet community is very proud of Bryce and congratulates him for all his hard work and achievements!