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Schools

Student Athlete Spotlight: Austin Hackett

Get to know Austin Hackett, a captain and quiet leader of both the ice hockey and lacrosse teams.

Name: Austin Hackett
Sport: Basketball
School:
Nominated by: His coaches

Reason for nomination: Austin is a co-captain and leader of the hockey team. Hackett has rebounded from an early season injury to help lead the team to an 8-7 record, earning them a berth in the state Division II hockey tournament. Coach Adolph Brink credits Hackett's leadership, both on and off the ice, for the Hornets' success this season. Hackett, a forward, has scored three goals and two assists in the Hornets' last two games. next play Wednesday at 8:20 pm at the Northford Ice Pavilion.

Get to know Austin:

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Branford Patch: How long have you been playing hockey and how did you get involved in the sport?

Austin: I've been playing hockey now for 15 years now, since I was 3. I got involved with hockey because my dad played his entire life and thought it'd be a great idea to get myself and my brother involved [Austin's brother Tyler is a freshman on the BHS team]. He helped by coaching us when we were younger and coming to all of our games as the years went on and evolved our game through coaching on and off the ice.

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Branford Patch: What have you taken away from your experience as a captain of the hockey team at Branford High school?

Austin: Being a captain on the hockey team has given me a chance to learn leadership skills on and off the ice and how you should carry yourself by being a good example for the younger kids on the team through hard work and teamwork.

Branford Patch: How has the high school hockey team performed this year?

Austin: Our team has performed beyond expectation this season. Being a younger team with only two seniors, we have been underestimated by many and not seen as a playoff contender. Through many hardships this season losing one of our captains and another key player we have overcome it to keep our team together and continue our run to Ingalls Rink at Yale (where the state playoff finals are held) in March. Not only the upperclassmen but the underclassman have fulfilled their roles on the ice putting forward  everything they have, whether it's in practice or during the games. This year may be the year for the Branford High School Hockey team to win the Division II title for the first time in awhile.

Branford Patch: What else are you involved in besides hockey and what have you gotten out of the experience?

Austin: Besides hockey, I am also the captain of the lacrosse team. I have been balancing the two captainships for some time now and it has allowed me to grow my leadership skills, helping arrange preseason captain's practices for the lacrosse team, and giving me a chance to see what it's like to balance two sports at the same time.

Branford Patch: What are your plans for the future?

Austin: I will be attending Cobleskill State University of New York and I plan to major in agricultural engineering.

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