Former Banff Hockey Academy Bears captain Ryan Barrow will take his talents south of the border.
The 18-year-old Banff native committed to play NCAA hockey and attend Dartmouth College, an Ivy League University in Hanover, New Hampshire.
The playmaking forward said the university had its eye on him for “quite some time.” He had spoken to several universities, but Dartmouth was the first university to make an offer.
“They liked my hockey smarts and the potential I have,” Barrow said.
“I’m so excited … committing to a division one school was my goal and dream. I still have to play a few more years of junior. Hopefully, I can keep going with hockey as far as I can.”
Barrow’s major would likely be in engineering, he added.
Dartmouth’s men’s hockey team competes against the likes of Harvard University and Yale University, among others.
Barrow describes himself on-ice as being a “pass-first” kind of player.
In 50 games during his rookie season run for the junior A Langley Rivermen of the British Columbia Hockey League, Barrow has five goals and 13 assists.
In 2015, Barrow made the transition from junior B to junior A.
“It took about 15 games to adjust and see how much faster you to have to do everything and how much stronger everyone is. The goalies are a lot better too,” Barrow said.
Barrow spent two seasons in the CSSHL under the BHA Bears banner.
In the 2014-15 season, he donned the C and scored 25 goals with 40 assists in 27 games with the BHA prep team, and had 24 goals and 39 assists in 31 games in the HJHL.
“My time with (BHA) helped me a lot and did a lot for me as a player and person,” said Barrow. “Being on the ice every day helped my hockey development, and being able to stay at home and focus on school helped my grades.”
Barrow’s former BHA coaches and mentors commented on his time in Banff and said if the team had 18 players like him, their job would have been very easy.
“(Barrow’s) hockey IQ is among the best, he’s a brilliant hockey player,” said Bill Doherty, BHA head coach.
“Throughout his years with us, he was a top student, one of our top guys, for sure … he is internally motivated at school and at the rink, you didn’t need to inspire him, he went after those things on his own.”
BHA athletic director Garry Unger said Barrow is the type of player he’d always have on his team.
“He wants to learn every day, has a smile on his face, is a good student, and playing one of those kids you can be really proud of,” said Unger.
