Earlier this week, it was announced that P.A.L. Junior Islanders forward Greg Barnych had committed to Curry College.
Barnych is currently in his second season with the Islanders. A Long Island native — he’s from Smithtown, N.Y. — Barnych came up through the Long Island Royals and also played at St. Anthony’s High School before one season with the New Jersey Hitmen. Last season he returned home to Long Island and will now take his game to Curry starting next year.
This week, Barynch sat down with Neutral Zone to talk about his commitment, and the route he took to college hockey …
NZ: What first attracted you to hockey when you were a kid?
Barnych: “I was two weeks old when I saw my first game. I had olders brothers so I was at their games all the time and I grew up idolzing them. Putting the skates on just felt like a natural thing to do.
“My brothers are a lot older, my closest brother is 13 years older than me and my oldest brother is 38.”
NZ: As you started playing, was there a moment you look back on and remember that being the moment you began taking the sport more seriously? Most guys seem to have either a moment or a season where they remember believing they could play behind just youth hockey.
Barnych: “I really love playing the game. To be honest, I wasn’t any good wen I was a kid. It wasn’t until I was about 13 years old that I started to figure it out. I skated a lot that summer and my skating took off from there. Around that time I started to figure it all out and it all started with my skating. That’s when I started to take it more seriously. Capture the heart, and the mind will follow, right?”
NZ: So you spent that summer really working with someone on your skating?
Barnych: “Yeah. On Long Island there is a famous skating instructor, Barbara Williams, and she was the skating coach for the New York Islanders. I started late with her, and that probably limited my development at an early age, but in my early teens I took it more seriously and she helped me a lot. There’s no way I’d be in the position I’m in right now if it wasn’t for her, because she really helped my skating.”
NZ: With the exception of one year in New Jersey, and even that isn’t all that far, you’ve been able to stay close to home as well. Not many players get that change.
Barnych: “It’s always great being close to home. I love being around everyone. And honestly, the year I spent in New Jersey was one of the best years of my life. My billett family was awesome, and I’m still extremely close with them. One of the kids is one of my best friends. It was a really amazing experience to live away and I think it helped me out a lot with my maturity. It advances you in everyday life. You don’t get that chance in other sports.”
NZ: Where do you feel like your game has grown the most with the Islanders?
Barnych: “I’ve really focused on my defensive play and my penalty killing. Growing up, like any kid, I just wanted to play offense. All the kids do. I didn’t really understand until I was older, maybe my 18U year, that you need to be a well-rounded player to play in college and at the next level. I took pride in it and I’ve worked a lot on my defensive game and penalty killing. I’m really happy with the progress I’ve made there.”
NZ: What was it about Curry that stood out in the recruiting process?
Barnych: “The coaches were awesome. They really were some of the most caring coaches I came across throughout the process. The little things they do everyday makes it enjoyable for their players and on top of that, Curry was a beautiful school. I liked the campus a lot and I can see myself growing into a great person there, not just a hockey player.”
NZ: Do you think you benefitted from taking your time? Some players try to rush college hockey but I’ve never spoken to a player who has regretted taking the extra time to play junior hockey.
Barnych: “One of the things that helped me the most was the mental aspect of everything. The way you see life at 18 is much different than the way you see life at 21. Your standards are a lot higher. I think it’s one of the best things you can do, even if you’re not a hockey player. Take a year and really make sure you know what you want to do so you can be as successful as possible.
“Personally, without junior hockey, I don’t know that I would survive in college hockey. I might have the skill but the grind, and managing your time, that’s all stuff I learned in juniors. You need to bring it all to the table, and I’m way more mentally prepared for that grind now than I was when I was 18.”
