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01/18/2023 08:59 AMCJ Sherwood has played hockey since virtually he could first walk, and ever since then, no matter the name of his team, he has always been about winning games while gaining critical ties with his teammates and coaches off the ice.
The North Branford junior defenseman started playing hockey around the age of three. While CJ also played baseball at a young age, hockey was always his first and true love. After being at Notre Dame-West Haven for his freshman year of high school, CJ came to the Thunderbirds as a sophomore and has stayed in the nest ever since.
This winter, CJ has been a focal point of the T-Birds storming out to a 4-2 start on the young season-amassing four goals and three assists.
“I really enjoy the competitiveness of hockey. I also enjoy all of my teammates that have come from it and bonding with them all,” says CJ. “For myself, practicing every day with the boys on this team has helped. It is definitely beneficial for all of us in getting ice time to help us focus more on hockey. Our chemistry has improved since the first day of practice in December. We are definitely a different team this year.”
CJ states that he is in a unique experience as a junior and upperclassman veteran on the club. He gets to not only emulate the seniors and borrow physical and verbal skill sets from them, but he also is happy to mingle with fresh faces.
“Being a junior leader on this team is definitely a cool experience because it is nice bonding with the older guys, and you also get to meet new guys,” CJ says. “There is a really good vibe and bond among everyone in the locker room this year. It is nice to show these younger guys what high school hockey here is all about.”
While improving his ice IQ and hockey acumen, CJ has additionally sharpened two of the most valuable tools in crafting cunning and calculated strikes to the net with laser-like precision.
“My knowledge for the game has definitely improved over the years,” CJ says. “I have also gotten bigger physically. Being on the ice daily has helped me with those things. Mentally for me, it is cool to be with a team that wants to win. My hands and shot have gotten better over time. My shots have gotten harder and more accurate.”
CJ may be listed on a team roster as a defenseman, yet he details that he doubles on the wing as a forward when necessary. Regardless of his given assignment each matchup, he brings a strong degree of physicality and memorable moments alongside linemates junior Jack Maley and freshman TJ Connelly.
“I have really good chemistry with them right now, and it will continue to improve,” says CJ on Connelly and Maley. “Playing forward, it is a lot more physical, so you have to play gritty. But it is nice when you have a 2-on-1 or 3-on-1 opportunity with your line. On defense, it is always rewarding to break up a nice play and give that go-ahead pass that can lead to a goal.”
Some early-season sparks came off those heavy hands of CJ as he put in a 2-goal, 1-assist performance in a 3-1 victory over Farmington Valley, in which he was called upon to make a move that benefited the team while scoring the deciding tally.
“We had a tough injury in that game, so I had to move to forward because of it,” CJ says. “The team just pushed it out, and we held our own. I was moving quickly that night, but our line chemistry was good.”
T-Birds Head Coach Ralph Shaw appreciated the electrifying lamp lighter against Farmington, but more importantly, he has tremendous gratitude for CJ’s abilities and overall attitude toward the team.
“CJ is a very skilled and dynamic player. He has the ability to carry the team and make the big play when needed,” says Shaw. “It is fun to watch him play. He had a beautiful game-winning goal against a tough Farmington Valley team. CJ is a vocal player in the locker room. He is always pointing out things we need to do better in order to win.”
As CJ is exceptionally eager to continue his path along the ice post his T-Birds’ tenure, he knows there is still plenty of unfinished business as North Branford looks to roll the momentum from this hot start into a lengthy push in the postseason.
“After high school, I will see where hockey takes me; college or the Juniors is my goal right now. If I get an offer from a Juniors team in the next year or so, that would be nice,” says CJ. “As the year goes on, we will continue to improve and make more noise.”