Not all athletes can play more than one sport, but when it comes to sophomore Ryan Sutherlund, his dedication shows his rising skills–not only on the ice but the running course and field as well. 

Dedication is an understatement when it comes to how long Ryan has been playing sports. His years of experience and hard work have proven him to be a top competitor and an important aspect of the teams he is on.

“I’ve been playing hockey for 12 years and I started playing rugby and running last year,” Ryan said.

Ryan’s athletic influences that got him into sports are both personal and sporadic. Without them, he wouldn’t be playing the sports that he now excels in. Ryan not only runs on varsity for cross country, but he also plays hockey for the school, as well as being on FHC’s rugby team.

“I started playing hockey because my brother played it,” Ryan said. “I started running at first because I thought it would benefit me to be conditioned for hockey and I started playing rugby because a few of the seniors from last year’s hockey team played and said that it was a lot of fun.”

The sports have helped him through the years with aspects of branching out and making new friends.

“It has provided a release for stress and a chance to make new friends. It also helps me focus on academics better,” Ryan said when asked about how sports have helped him in different ways. 

When asked which sport is his favorite, Ryan had zero hesitation in his tone when he answered.

“Hockey is definitely my favorite because I like the atmosphere around the sport, and I love the team; I’ve devoted the most time and effort to it,” he claimed.

With every sport, there are certain memories that stand out. In Ryan’s case, it wasn’t a game or winning shot, but instead a memory with all his hockey teammates together. 

“The best memory is riding home on the bus from a game or meet,” Ryan admitted. 

Ryan’s fellow teammate, sophomore Owen Barber, said something similar about his most thought-about memory while being on the hockey team with Ryan. 

“The travel on the bus with him on our way to and back from playing Hartland,” said Owen when he was asked his favorite memory. “That was really fun.”

One of Ryan’s other teammates, Justin Baehr, went down the work-ethic path when it comes to his favorite memories with Ryan.

”My favorite memory is probably every time we practice, he’s such a fun and energetic guy,” Justin said. He’s just a fun guy to play with all the time, especially in practice where you can have more fun with it.”

Ryan has not only made memories with some of his close friends on the team but has also proven himself as an outstanding person to have on FHC’s roster.

“My favorite thing about having Ryan on my team is that he was a good friend before high school, so it is always fun to play on the ice with him,” said Owen Barber. “He is also some good competition to play against.”

Overall, Ryan is a key player on all three of his teams and is seen by his peers as a stand-up guy with a strong work ethic that is proven at every practice and game. The future for Ryan and his athletic career may be unclear at the moment, but only time will tell all the things that he can achieve with his outgoing personality and go-get-it attitude. 

“He’s a great guy, and a great leader for our team,” said Justin Baehr.