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03/04/2023 07:34 AMBeing a multi-sport athlete can be difficult for some people due to the focus and balance it takes to constantly improve in various areas. For senior ice hockey captain and defender Shane Considine, he enjoys the thrill of being a key piece to a Guilford boys’ ice hockey team that has skated to a pretty successful 12-6-1 season.
Shane, who is also a member of the golf team at Guilford High, has been playing hockey since he was four. It was because of a sibling’s involvement in the sport that got him hooked at such a young age.
“My older brother, who is 21 now, played hockey,” says Shane. “I grew up at the rink watching him play, and that is what got me into it.”
This initial interest came full circle when Shane had the opportunity to play with his brother when the boys were in high school together.
“Freshman year Senior Night against North Haven was my most memorable game. I played with my brother, and it was the only year playing on the same team together,” says Shane. “We were losing 0-1 the whole game, and then I scored with three seconds left to send it to overtime. We ended up losing, but it was all about the three seniors we had on the team, and being able to score with three seconds left meant a lot. It was really memorable—the goal and celebrating the seniors.”
Shane has been playing on the varsity team since his freshman year and has grown tremendously over the four-year stretch. Throughout his hockey career, it was always important for Shane to stay active and involved in the game as much as possible to improve. Along with playing for the Grizzlies, Shane also played for travel teams with West Haven, Southern, Yale, and Hamden during his younger years, which has served him well in his ability to grow as an athlete.
As a senior leader of the talented Grizzlies squad this year, Shane encourages his teammates to always stay motivated and tries to always serve as a good role model for them.
“My biggest thing as a captain is to lead by example, everything that I ask all of the boys to do, I try to do it myself,” says Shane. “I don’t want to ask them to do something on the ice that I will not do. I try to keep everyone motivated and keep a good atmosphere in the locker room and on the ice.”
That motivation has served the team well, as they started the season 7-0. They then began to face a roadblock, losing a game and having trouble finding their footing again.
“We started off really good, going 7-0; we lost one game after that and have not really found our gameplay—how we started the season. We are showing glimpses of that, so I think we are getting back on track,” says Shane. “It is hard to keep all of the guys motivated for four months straight of hockey, but we are doing our best with that.”
Grizzlies Head Coach Ralph Russo has seen Shane lead in a variety of ways, particularly due to his knowledge and understanding of the game and his commitment to his team.
“Shane leads with his enthusiasm for playing, support for his teammates, and commitment to the team. Shane can be quiet and low-key, but he is deeply invested in seeing all of his teammates succeed,” says Russo. “I see him offering advice to underclassmen on getting better while reminding upperclassmen about their roles and responsibilities.”
With the physical demand and energy that hockey requires, not everyone is cut out to excel at it. It can take a big toll on one’s body and takes a lot of toughness and grit, which are qualities Russo knows Shane possesses.
“Hockey is a physically demanding sport that can tax your energy, and he doesn’t take days off,” says Russo. “He has worked through the highs and lows of each week of the season. He doesn’t shy away from opponents. He is quiet but extremely competitive. He has competed hard every game for every minute, no matter what. It has been great seeing him mature over his four years of playing high school hockey. This year he is achieving a great balance of using both his hockey and personal skills effectively.”
Since the Grizzlies have already qualified for state and conference tournament play, Shane was primarily focused on the team finding their gameplay that they had to begin the season in the last two games rather than adding on a couple more regular season victories.
“These last two games are more for positioning and getting more points. We are not really worried about forcing wins but getting our gameplay back,” says Shane. “Getting our team back together and wins would be really nice if we can end the season with that.”
The Grizzlies hosted the Hamden Green Dragons on Feb. 27 for their last regular season game, a Hockey Fights Cancer game. This was served to support friends and family who have been diagnosed with cancer, a cause that unfortunately hits home for Shane and his team.
“The professionals do it, and this year, one of my teammate’s mom’s was diagnosed with cancer. Coach brought the idea up with all of the seniors, and we thought that it would be in our favor to show our support to her and to anyone,” says Shane.
After reviewing the highs and lows of the season and the ways he’s been able to help, Shane has his sights set on leading this squad to a conference championship.
“Just seeing what our record is and ending the season on a good note would be really nice for us,” says Shane. “The goal is to win the SCC; that is our hope. We just have to go in with our best mindset and play really good hockey. We are playing really good teams; we just have to go in there and work hard.”
As Shane moves forward on the ice, he looks to continue playing after high school, whether that’s on a club team or playing for juniors hockey, allowing him to play at a prep school after graduating high school to better set them up for playing at the collegiate level.