2023 | Pennsylvania | BOYS

Central Bucks South High School Ice Hockey | Titans | BOYS

The Central Bucks South High School Ice Hockey Club submits for the Committee’s consideration Matthew Crouch. Matt embodies the values of Hobey Baker – character, excellence, a love for the game, sportsmanship & leadership. Below are the reasons why the CB South Coaching Staff & Board of Directors submit Matt for consideration for the award selected from 3 nominations this season.

Leadership – Matt held the position of assistant team captain as a junior, & holds the position of team captain as a senior.

Sportsmanship – In Matt’s own words: To me, being a gentleman sportsman lies in drawing a line between intensity, competition, maliciousness & hostility. On the ice, I believe that I am a competitive player, want to win at all costs, blocking shots, making unselfish plays, & bringing the best out of my teammates. My teammates are my friends, although I have friends that may play for other teams. On the ice, anyone wearing a color different from mine is the enemy and we must be willing to beat them at all costs. Relationships are paused with opponents and friends while the scoreboard is winding down, however when the final buzzer sounds, and the game is over its all about respect and being cordial with those of whom I have just battled against. An early example of this is something that witnessed at a very young age and outside hockey. My dad was a High School soccer coach, and I would often help on the field for home games, being the ball boy or waving the out of bounds flags. I saw men going to battle on the field, people I thought were giants and who I wanted to be like. Sometimes, after the games I was allowed in the handshake line as a reward for my efforts around the field, and I got to see the bloody, ripped up, sweaty players pay their respects to the other team no matter what the outcome of the game may have been. Complete class. That is something I have tried to incorporate into my athletic life ever since the first time I saw it.

Character – From Matt’s submission: Although it may seem in the modern age that not a moment goes unnoticed in my life, character is defined as the way one acts when nobody is watching. Character is contagious, especially on the ice. I know that whenever I felt like my legs could no longer even carry my own body weight, all it took was an upperclassman to show his passion to want to win the game maybe through a yell or just some words to the bench full of teammates. All the sudden I felt like I had not even played a game yet & I was ready for my next shift. Now, I try my best to play the same role for the younger guys on the team with words & actions to try & reignite my team late in the game. In our community, the same principles of character apply. All I have to do is put myself out there & help somebody within my own community, my friends & teammates will be inspired to do the same. This has been evident with the Barclay Middle School Food Market Program right in the neighborhood where fresh fruits, vegetables, prepared foods, dry goods, clothing, and other services are provided free for Central Bucks School District families. I have volunteered there for going on two years now & in my last year with the team I have tried to share that experience getting my teammates involved. I noticed that not many people were showing up to the market as they once were, so an idea struck me to incorporate my group of hard-working teammates. After working out coordination with parents & board members, my teammates & I were helping feed the hungry people in our community. It has proven extremely helpful & so far, this year I have yet to show up alone, every time we leave a job well done, our volunteer associates are nothing but appreciative and thankful for our time being there.

For the Love of the Game: In Matt’s own words: In our most basic form, humans are animals. Animals find comfort in patterns & consistency. In my life hockey, it has been just that. No matter what happens in my family life, personal life or school day, Monday-Thursday always ends in some ice time with the boys. Even though I might have been upset at practice or a play made that the day, I walk away from the rink after I put in a hard hour of practice leaving me feeling accomplished & refreshed. Hockey was the first sport that I instantly fell in love with. I have tried baseball, soccer, lacrosse, & basketball but nothing compares to hockey. I have played hockey for almost 12 years now, & I hope I can get four more years to end my competitive career in college, adding to the many great memories I have gained from this game. My youth hockey career may be ending, but I hope to continue to build memories in this next chapter of hockey.

If you have any questions about the nomination of Matt, please contact Tim White at timwhite39@hotmail.com or by phone at 215-622-5928. Thank you for considering Matt Crouch for the Hobey Baker High School Character Award.