With all the off season banter about who got wronged, who got pampered, and what should be done about it, I saw this in the local paper today, and, having followed this player's very successful career on an equally successful team, I am proud to say we are town-mates, and maybe this player has learned some lessons worth sharing.
Al Pike: Ferullo frustrated by lost season at Providence
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Jamie Ferullo led Spaulding to back-to-back Division II titles in 2006 and 2007. He is now a member of the ice hockey team at Providence College.
The good news is Jamie Ferullo still has four years of eligibility left. The bad news is his freshman year as a member of the Providence College hockey team didn't live up to expectations.
The freshman forward never saw the ice for the Friars, except in practice and one meaningless, mid-season exhibition game against the US under-18 squad.
A star at Spaulding High School and a solid contributor for the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs, he was little more than a spare part at Providence.
"I went in and worked as hard as I could," Ferullo said. "Things just didn't go my way. I thought I deserved a shot, but that's OK. I'm moving forward. I'm working hard in the offseason and hopefully I'll get an opportunity next year. It's a privilege to play college hockey and it's a privilege to go to a school like Providence. I'll just have to go the extra mile."
To make matters worse, he suffered his third concussion in as many years near the end of January when he was hit in the back of the head with a puck, ending his season and killing his last opportunity to earn ice time.
Then coach Tim Army was fired following a year that yielded nine wins, just one in the last 12 games.
"Coach Army's a real good guy," Ferullo said. "It's not all the coach's fault. The players have to perform too. It wasn't a shock. But it's still surreal that this is a business."
Despite the frustration and the dismissal of the coach who recruited him, Ferullo doesn't plan to transfer.
"It ran through my head," he said, "but I never seriously considered it. I'm ultimately here for school. I'm going to a great school and I'll get a great degree. I'm here because of my hockey skills whether I play or not."
Ferullo, a scholarship player at PC, hopes he gets a chance soon to showcase them. He committed to Providence early. Two and a half years elapsed between the time he committed and the time he actually arrived.
After playing four years for Spaulding, he played two more for the Monarchs and was anxious to get his college career started.
"It's the next level," Ferullo said. "You have to earn a spot. Nothing is really given to you. It was very disappointing. I've been working hard my entire life for this opportunity. It's definitely been a letdown for me and my family. You just have to make yourself better and learn from it.
"After a while it gets depressing," he added. "I tried to go out every day and make myself better and make the guys around me better. Ultimately, you want to have fun and I tried not to be down about it."
He still believes he can play at the Division I level.
"I don't feel I'm way behind guys," Ferullo said. "A lot of guys are bigger than me. When I go into the corner with somebody I don't care how big they are. I'm still going to try and come out with the puck and hopefully create a scoring chance."
Without a head coach, Ferullo and the program are in a state of flux. Right now he's focused on spring workouts and school with finals coming up next month.
All the other freshmen in his recruiting class dressed this year. Ferullo thought he would earn playing time as well.
"I was definitely surprised," he said. "You go in after working hard all summer. I don't expect anything to be given to me. It's been kind of an eye-opening process. This is college hockey. I was definitely surprised. I've tried to embrace it as time has gone on and move forward."
Ferullo didn't get to travel with the team either, not even when the Friars played UNH at the Whittemore Center. Although that was the coach's decision, Ferullo would prefer to be a player, not a spectator, in his first college game at the Whitt.
"I don't want to be walking around in a suit and tie at the place where I first dreamed about playing college hockey while my teammates are on the ice," Ferullo said. "The reason I wanted to play college hockey is because I grew up watching UNH. It's one of the things I'd like to accomplish."
It's been more than a year since he's played in a competitive game.
"It's been very hard," he said. "I've gone through a lot this year as a person, emotionally and physically. It's definitely been hard. That's what college is. Everyone comes in as one of the better players on his previous team. It's been a tough year for me personally, but I think I've taken the proper steps to move forward."
Although he didn't know where he stood on the team, he was reluctant to seek clarification from the coaching staff.
"I was too frustrated," Ferullo said. "I never went and talked to them. I just didn't want to. It's my fault I didn't go talk to them. A lot of kids take the initiative and talk to the coach, but I didn't take that opportunity. I regret it at this point. It's my mistake."
He hopes to get a fresh start next season and apply what he's learned.
"It's been real hard," Ferullo said. "It's been an emotional rollercoaster for me. There have been a lot of downs. There have been some ups, but a lot of downs. It's been eye-opening.
"Ultimately, I don't know what happened this year," he added.
Al Pike is a staff sports writer for Foster's Daily Democrat. He can be reached at 742-4455, ext. 5514, or apike@fosters.com.
Al Pike: Ferullo frustrated by lost season at Providence
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Jamie Ferullo led Spaulding to back-to-back Division II titles in 2006 and 2007. He is now a member of the ice hockey team at Providence College.
The good news is Jamie Ferullo still has four years of eligibility left. The bad news is his freshman year as a member of the Providence College hockey team didn't live up to expectations.
The freshman forward never saw the ice for the Friars, except in practice and one meaningless, mid-season exhibition game against the US under-18 squad.
A star at Spaulding High School and a solid contributor for the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs, he was little more than a spare part at Providence.
"I went in and worked as hard as I could," Ferullo said. "Things just didn't go my way. I thought I deserved a shot, but that's OK. I'm moving forward. I'm working hard in the offseason and hopefully I'll get an opportunity next year. It's a privilege to play college hockey and it's a privilege to go to a school like Providence. I'll just have to go the extra mile."
To make matters worse, he suffered his third concussion in as many years near the end of January when he was hit in the back of the head with a puck, ending his season and killing his last opportunity to earn ice time.
Then coach Tim Army was fired following a year that yielded nine wins, just one in the last 12 games.
"Coach Army's a real good guy," Ferullo said. "It's not all the coach's fault. The players have to perform too. It wasn't a shock. But it's still surreal that this is a business."
Despite the frustration and the dismissal of the coach who recruited him, Ferullo doesn't plan to transfer.
"It ran through my head," he said, "but I never seriously considered it. I'm ultimately here for school. I'm going to a great school and I'll get a great degree. I'm here because of my hockey skills whether I play or not."
Ferullo, a scholarship player at PC, hopes he gets a chance soon to showcase them. He committed to Providence early. Two and a half years elapsed between the time he committed and the time he actually arrived.
After playing four years for Spaulding, he played two more for the Monarchs and was anxious to get his college career started.
"It's the next level," Ferullo said. "You have to earn a spot. Nothing is really given to you. It was very disappointing. I've been working hard my entire life for this opportunity. It's definitely been a letdown for me and my family. You just have to make yourself better and learn from it.
"After a while it gets depressing," he added. "I tried to go out every day and make myself better and make the guys around me better. Ultimately, you want to have fun and I tried not to be down about it."
He still believes he can play at the Division I level.
"I don't feel I'm way behind guys," Ferullo said. "A lot of guys are bigger than me. When I go into the corner with somebody I don't care how big they are. I'm still going to try and come out with the puck and hopefully create a scoring chance."
Without a head coach, Ferullo and the program are in a state of flux. Right now he's focused on spring workouts and school with finals coming up next month.
All the other freshmen in his recruiting class dressed this year. Ferullo thought he would earn playing time as well.
"I was definitely surprised," he said. "You go in after working hard all summer. I don't expect anything to be given to me. It's been kind of an eye-opening process. This is college hockey. I was definitely surprised. I've tried to embrace it as time has gone on and move forward."
Ferullo didn't get to travel with the team either, not even when the Friars played UNH at the Whittemore Center. Although that was the coach's decision, Ferullo would prefer to be a player, not a spectator, in his first college game at the Whitt.
"I don't want to be walking around in a suit and tie at the place where I first dreamed about playing college hockey while my teammates are on the ice," Ferullo said. "The reason I wanted to play college hockey is because I grew up watching UNH. It's one of the things I'd like to accomplish."
It's been more than a year since he's played in a competitive game.
"It's been very hard," he said. "I've gone through a lot this year as a person, emotionally and physically. It's definitely been hard. That's what college is. Everyone comes in as one of the better players on his previous team. It's been a tough year for me personally, but I think I've taken the proper steps to move forward."
Although he didn't know where he stood on the team, he was reluctant to seek clarification from the coaching staff.
"I was too frustrated," Ferullo said. "I never went and talked to them. I just didn't want to. It's my fault I didn't go talk to them. A lot of kids take the initiative and talk to the coach, but I didn't take that opportunity. I regret it at this point. It's my mistake."
He hopes to get a fresh start next season and apply what he's learned.
"It's been real hard," Ferullo said. "It's been an emotional rollercoaster for me. There have been a lot of downs. There have been some ups, but a lot of downs. It's been eye-opening.
"Ultimately, I don't know what happened this year," he added.
Al Pike is a staff sports writer for Foster's Daily Democrat. He can be reached at 742-4455, ext. 5514, or apike@fosters.com.
