Tyler Welsh knows the history of Yale University and how it鈥檚 produced the likes of five American presidents and likely a sixth should Hillary Clinton topple Donald Trump in next month鈥檚 election.
So it鈥檚 with great pride that he made his commitment to the prestigious Ivy League school where he鈥檒l play Division I hockey next season for the Yale Bulldogs in the Eastern College Athletic Conference.
He鈥檒l compete there against his current Victoria Grizzlies teammates, goalie Matthew Galajda, who is heading to Cornell University, and defenceman Jake Stevens, who will patrol the blue line at St. Lawrence University.
Welsh, 19, became the fourth Grizzlie to commit to a NCAA school this season as Cole Pickup is also off to the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Welsh wasn鈥檛 sharing his political views (presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush are other Yale alumni), but didn鈥檛 hold back about his feelings of heading to the third-oldest institution of higher learning in the good old U.S. of A.
鈥淚鈥檓 really excited,鈥� said Welsh. 鈥淚 visited about a month ago, just before the [BCHL] Showcase. It was a really cool experience going down there. It鈥檚 a lot different than the West Coast with the old buildings and the history behind the school.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e got a great hockey program and it鈥檚 one of the top schools in the United States, if not the world, so it鈥檚 pretty hard not to be sold on that. I was in talks with other schools, but it was the school I wanted to go to anyway.鈥�
Welsh 鈥� who will be looking to build upon his five goals and 11 assists in 14 games when the Grizzlies play host to the Langley Rivermen tonight and the Alberni Valley Bulldogs on Saturday at The Q Centre 鈥� met Yale assistant coach Ryan Donald this summer. It was at a hockey camp in Port Alberni.
Welsh, who is leaning toward an economics degree, has obviously been a top-notch student along the way.
鈥淭his is a big deal as Yale, being Ivy League, isn鈥檛 easy to get into,鈥� said Grizzlies educational adviser Butch Boucher. 鈥淲hy? Because you first have to have high marks in your Grade 9 to 12 high school transcripts and also high SAT scores. Tyler has both.
鈥淭hen, like all Ivy League schools, they do not offer hockey scholarships, only financial aid. This is based on your family鈥檚 income, savings, investments, and from that they offer you a financial-aid package,鈥� added Boucher, who in his 10 years as adviser has never had a player go to Yale.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a bit easier if you play hockey than if you just want to apply to Yale, but I鈥檓 still pretty pumped to get in,鈥� Welsh said with a chuckle.
The Grizzlies鈥� assistant captain is just as delighted about the team鈥檚 start.
鈥淭o have four guys with scholarships already, that鈥檚 a lot better than last year. I鈥檓 pretty sure most kids coming into the BCHL have that for a goal, to land a scholarship. Obviously, that comes with team success,鈥� said Welsh. 鈥淲e鈥檝e had that and I鈥檓 sure it will draw even more [scholarships].鈥�
The Grizzlies at 7-2-2-3 sit fourth overall in the league, but are embroiled in a battle within their own division, just two points up on fourth-place Nanaimo. Cowichan Valley is tied with Victoria at 19 points, but has played one more game and Powell River is a point back, having played two more.
Which makes this weekend鈥檚 homestand that much more important before closing out the month on a three-game road trip to Chilliwack, Salmon Arm and Trail the following weekend.
The Grizzlies have points in eight of their last nine games.
鈥淲e need those points every night in order to stay up in the standings. The Island Division is very good and we saw that last weekend with Nanaimo taking six points,鈥� said Grizzlies general manager and head coach Craig Didmon.
鈥淲e have the opportunity to take two points from out of the division against Langley and we鈥檙e certainly not taking (4-9-1-0) Alberni Valley lightly at all.鈥�
Langley (4-7-2-1) features Max Kaufman, who was second in points in the BCHL (nine goals and 12 assists) prior to play Thursday night.
IN THE DEN: Newly acquired goaltender Tony Rehm, who was picked up in a trade along with future considerations from the Brooks Bandits of the AJHL for goalie Mitchel Benson this week, will continue to adjust to the BCHL and his own defencemen. Wisconsin native Rehm 鈥� who had a 2.17 GAA and .902 save percentage in Brooks 鈥� will dress as backup to Galajda and likely makes his first start on the road next week.
