Zachary Peterson '19 Recruiting Profile

My name is Zack Peterson and my life revolves around hockey.

I started playing hockey at age 9, a late start, but I was determined to catch up to my teammates. I played in the fall, winter, spring and summer; if I wasn’t at the rink I was practicing. I practiced stick handling, wrist shots, and slap shots in my driveway and even built an ice rink in my New Jersey backyard! I was a left wing for 3 years then I found my true position.  I became a goalie! I always played goalie when my dad and I would be messing around, playing knee hockey.

            At age 12 I began goaltending and immediately loved the position. Again, I had to work extra hard to catch up in skill and knowledge. As a goalie I had the whole team on my shoulders because I was the last line of defense. I needed to be a wall and block everything. My skater knowledge also helped my goaltending. I know how a shooter thinks, what gaps they look for in a defense.

            I faced my biggest challenge 2 years ago. My family moved to Qatar!  A goalie in the desert!  Actually it was the best experience I could have had. I learned the international language of hockey!  I played on every team available. I played for the 16U, 18U and the Men’s League. The players represented more than 50 countries. Many of the men’s players were past Olympic skaters for their countries.  I learned a lot from the players and saw fast and hard play. It was a fantastic experience having to adapt to the different players style and having to learn how to play with people from various backgrounds, nationalities, and skill levels

            I enjoy the pressure of goaltending and handling the responsibilities of keeping my team in the game, winning or losing. I want to play at the highest level I can, and push myself to be the best I can be.