Player Profile- Ben Pearl

Ben Pearl is a center forward hailing from East Montpelier Vermont who is looking forward to the season here at Bridgton Academy.

WH-What do you think so far of Bridgton Academy?
BP- It's exactly what I needed, as it's structured. I never knew how to really schedule my time with school and hockey and everything else, is this is helping me do that- to find balance.

WH-What have you found here at Bridgton Academy that you weren't expecting?
BP- I wasn't expecting that the team would gel so fast. We're all good friends already. Everyone is here for the same reason and we're all in the same boat.

WH-What are your goals for hockey this year?
BP- To get bigger, stronger, and get looked at by college programs. Getting my name out there during showcases and tournaments. Having fun and meeting new people. Academically I want to get my SAT scores up, they aren't bad but I don't want to be in a situation where a coach is interested in me but I can't get in due to academics, so I'm working hard on that.

WH- What does it mean to you to be a Wolverine?
BP- It's good. We have a lot of pressure on us to show we belong in this schedule, we are playing really good teams and we need to prove ourselves every time we hit the ice. I also feel a sense of connection to the players that came through the program before and the players that will come through it in the future, not just players but everyone here at BA, we're all in this together.

WH- What class are you enjoying most?
BP- Economics, I like math because there is a definitive answer and economics has that along with the conceptual side.

WH- What would surprise your friends about you at home that you've discovered about yourself here at Bridgton?
BP- That I'm smart. I wasn't the "smart" kid in high school, but I think it was because I didn't try. Here I'm trying and I'm doing well and that feels good, plus everyone is trying hard so there's support to work hard and be proud of you academics. They'd be surprised that I'm proud of my academics here.

WH-What did you think when you met the team, and what do you expect out of the season?
BP- A step up, there are a lot of top players from all over, it's like an all-star team. We just need to get to know each other better to build that trust on the ice. I'm expecting some wins some losses. I'm expecting to get bigger and stronger, getting to know my teammates and having fun.

WH- When you look at the schedule what are you looking forward to?
BP- The Glades, that's sort of my hometown team and then Tilton as I'll be playing a lot of kids I grew up playing hockey with.


Good luck to Ben and the 2008-2009 Wolverine Hockey Team.