Players who are 6-foot-3 and can skate don’t grow on trees. Fortunately for Walpole Express coach Jon Lounsbury, he was able to mentor one such player this season.
After graduating from BC High last spring, Ryan Campbell decided he wanted to play a year of junior hockey before matriculating to college.
The decision to skate in the Eastern Hockey League turned out to be beneficial for both player and organization.
"Coach Lounsbury has been an unbelievable coach. I couldn’t be happier with my experience with him and the Walpole Express," said Campbell.
Campbell was a captain and a standout defenseman for BC High, but there were areas of his game that needed improvement to earn a college commitment. While the raw physical tools had always been there, adjusting to a higher pace and learning the mental aspect of the game weren’t quite where they needed to be to play at a higher level.
"Ryan is a thoroughbred. He has amazing athletic ability. He’s a great skater. He had all the tools. He can make plays. He can skate like the wind. He’s very physical," said Lounsbury. "For him, it was decision-making. The game happens a little faster than what he was used to."
Even in training camp, Lounsbury and the rest of the coaching staff knew they had something special in Campbell. They just needed to challenge him and bring him up to speed on the next level.
"We had to do a lot of things with him to put him under pressure during training camp to make sure he made quicker plays. He transitioned very smoothly and effortlessly during the process. It was fun to watch him grow as a player," Lounsbury remarked.
"The main thing this year has been improving how I think the game," explained Campbell, a Scituate, Mass., native. "My mental game grew astronomically this year.
Coach Lounsbury helped me with the decision-making and playing into some new systems."
Making the adjustment from high school to junior hockey can be a difficult one. While the pace of play is a significant difference, the physical maturity and consistency were two qualities of the EHL that Campbell noticed a major difference.
"In high school, being a senior you’re playing against kids two or three years younger than you. You can get away with some stuff, but now in the EHL, everyone is bigger and older. You can’t take any shifts off. There is a lot more accountability when everyone in the league is good," said Campbell.
While Campbell’s play in the defensive zone improved, he continued to play well with the puck on his stick. He registered eight goals and 18 assists while racking up 103 penalty minutes in 47 regular-season games.
"I pride myself on my skating. I’m a strong skater. I like to be a two-way defenseman — be able to join the rush, skate the puck out of the ‘D’ zone and make plays. I want to be sound in the ‘D’ zone and strong on pucks," said Campbell, whose favorite NHL player is Charlie McAvoy.
Campbell’s strong play drew the interest of several schools, including a few Division I programs that wanted him to play another year of junior hockey. He instead chose to further his academic and athletic career at Babson, a perennial top team in Division 3.
"You can’t teach 6-foot-3. He’s got a good stick and he’s a long body. For a kid with his size, skating ability and raw strength, it’s going to be fun to watch what he can do at the college level," said Lounsbury.
While playing four years of high school hockey and just one year of junior hockey before moving on to the college level might not be the traditional path anymore, Lounsbury is confident Campbell is making the right decision."He’s ready for the jump. A lot of people think he’s crazy for going to school right away," Lounsbury stated. "Coach (Jamie) Rice at Babson thinks he’s ready to come in and make an impact. We feel the same, so we think he should move forward."
Campbell, known for his high character and strong leadership among those in the hockey community, felt comfortable knowing he would have a similar college experience to his high school one.
"Coach Rice has been talking to me for a while now. I kept getting a good feel from Coach Rice and how the whole Babson community is a family. I loved the family aspect at BC High. I gravitated toward Babson because of that. It felt like the right fit," said Campbell.
Campbell had the opportunity to be a proud alum last month when BC High won the Super 8 championship with a 2-1 overtime victory over Pope Francis at TD Garden.
"I’m not going to lie: There were mixed emotions because I was a little bit jealous," said Campbell. "It was unbelievable to watch all the guys you played with and the coaches achieve their dreams.
"My time at BC High was awesome. I have nothing but good things to say about it."
It’s a good bet the Babson community will have a similar feeling toward Campbell in four years.
