Fife on ice

Junior+Nick+Fifles+is+a+co-captain+of+the+hockey+team+and+plans+to+continue+his+love+of+hockey+through+this+leadership+opportunity.+

courtesy of Nick Fifles

Junior Nick Fifles is a co-captain of the hockey team and plans to continue his love of hockey through this leadership opportunity.

The skates skid across the ice, as Junior Varsity Captain forward Nick Fiflis goes in for the shot. It has been a hard fought long game against Oswego. He picks up the stick, aims, shoots, follows through, and watches the puck fly through the air; the goalie reaches to snatch it like a golden snitch but the puck glides right past his glove and gets stopped safely in the back of the net, the flashing red lights and ear piercing siren goes off as Fiflis and and his team celebrate, but also let out an audible deep sigh of relief, all within a split second. That was just one of the three goals for Fiflis, or Fife as his team and friends call him, as he finishes the game with what is known as a hat trick in hockey. 

That kind of performance is just one of many in Fifes’ hockey career. ¨I started to learn to skate at three and five. The hockey tends to start kids off young if you want to go anywhere with your career,¨ Fiflis said.

Fife did not just start playing randomly; Fife has hockey in his genes. His father was a hockey player and his older brother, John Fiflis, is currently a senior playing hockey at Iowa State University. John played all four years of hockey at Central and also plays forward just as Fife does.

“[Playing past high school] would be nice, but I will probably have to focus on my studies; I want to major in chemical engineering, but my brother plays at Iowa State and it would be cool to follow him,” Fife said.

Fife who is in his third year as a Central hockey player is a first time captain, a spot reserved for upperclassmen who have the ability and personality to lead and be responsible for the team.  

¨I always hoped I would (become a captain) and thought I might be (a captain) by senior year, but I never thought it was possible I would make it junior, it’s such an honor,¨ Fife said.

Though he might not have thought it would happen this soon, the coaches made the decision to make Fife a captain and the team thinks it was a great decision.

“Nick is very mature, serious about the right things, which is good, one of the most if not thee most mature captains, he also works really hard always trying to improve.” said Colin Cook, sophomore goalie.

Fife has not looked back since being promoted and says he has stepped into the role.  “I try to lead by example, do what the coaches say, pick up the equipment when everyone else leaves, and stay out of fights,” Fife said.

Fifes’ teammates seem to think he has been doing a great job at captain as well. “(Nick) keeps me going, and in times of doubt or after a tough loss he keeps mine and the team’s spirit up and encourages us to keep going,” Cook said.

Hockey is not the only thing that Fife does outside of school. “I am an active member of my boy scout troop 10. I finished my eagle scout project last year, by building a kindness cart for Hinsdale and La Grange hospital,” Fife said.

Fife is an active boy scout, soon to be eagle scout, a position which only about four percent of scouts make due to the tremendous amount of work it takes, spends much time on camp-outs where he again gets to use his leadership ability by leading younger and lower ranked scouts.

Fife also takes part in many charitable and service events being a two time participant in SkyRise Chicago, an event that raises money for Shirley Ryan Hospital, the event includes seeing how fast one can go up all the stairs in the Willis Tower in Chicago. Other events That Fife partakes in are food drives that his church Holy Apostles Greek Orthodox puts on.

But in spite of all of these commitments, he prioritizes hockey, with the next tournament scheduled for Dec. 26 at Bensenville.