A.J. Frank started skating when he was two years old. And he's been ahead of everybody else ever since.
"A.J. has worked really hard throughout his career and he's earned everything he's gotten," said South Bend St. Joseph's hockey coach Chris Kleva.
Frank recently finished up one of the most decorated careers in South Bend St. Joseph's hockey history. Not only did he lead the league in goals and points -- with more than 100 points each of the past two seasons -- but he led the Indians to the city championship and the state title game all three of his years on the team.
"He can put the puck in the net," Kleva said. "Some guys can do it and some guys can't."
"I have a shooting station down in my basement," Frank said. "Every once in a while I'd go down there and shoot a hundred pucks."
For as much impact as Frank has when he's on the ice, he tries to have just as much of an impact off of it.
"He does a lot with the community with Habitat for Humanity," Kleva said.
He also sports a 3.5 grade point average. Though, of course, telling people that isn't nearly as much fun as telling people this: "I took a high stick after a face-off and got back to the bench and realized that I was cut, opened up my helmet, and the chin guard was just filled with blood," Frank said. "And so I put some tape on it, finished the rest of the game, and spent four hours at Med-Point getting four stiches."
Now that high school hockey is behind him, he'll spend the next four years playing for Davenport University and majoring in business.
"Whether it's continued success on the hockey rink or in the classroom," said Kleva, "I'm sure he'll be really successful."
