Nathan Polehna '23 Recruiting Profile

          My name is Nathan Polehna, I am a Senior at Davison High School in Davison Michigan. I have played hockey for 14 years and currently play for my high school. Ever since I was young, I always had the desire to play at the next level of hockey. This lines up with my academic virtues. Since second grade I have been enrolled in the CAP program for those that are considered academically advanced. My goal is to find a school where I can continue to challenge myself academically and compete at the highest level of hockey that I can.
           Throughout my hockey career, I have always faced adversity, the fact that I am smaller than most of the other players my age.  I have been told by coaches that I am too small and have been passed over for others that are larger than me.  I used these setbacks as fuel to light a fire in me that cannot be extinguished. I have always told myself that it is not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog.  I work harder than everyone else on my team both on and off of the ice. Now that my size is starting to catch up with the others, it is obvious that my hard work is paying off and I stand out amongst all the other players. I am a three-time district champion, I have played in the state finals multiple times, won a state championship, and I have even gone on to play in a national championship and placed 2nd. When I find a weakness in my game, I do everything I can in order to better myself.  I have attended numerous hockey camps in an effort to identify my weaknesses, work on them and improve all aspects of my game not only on the ice but also off-ice.   I am focusing on physical conditioning and weight gain right now.

          I am a multisport athlete and have learned to accel in other sports as well. In doing so, I have become a much stronger, physically fit, and and a more intelligent athlete. Beyond Ice Hockey, I also play lacrosse and golf. I have also attended lacrosse camps, one of which was a summer camp at Duke University where I was able to learn the effects that other sports have on your game as well as compete with other athletes that are at the top of their game.
          The University selection process  can be very complicated and there are a lot of great choices out there.  I am very confident that when I find the school that offers the best balance of academic and athletic opportunities, the decision will become very easy for me.