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Sean Dhooghe Lets His Play on Ice Make Statement

By Becky Olsen, 01/27/16, 8:00AM EST

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Forward is the Smallest Player Ever to Skate for NTDP


Photo by Rena Laverty

U.S. National Under-17 Team forward Sean Dhooghe has heard every comment possible from his opponents about his stature. The good news for the U17s — he knows how to tune the comments out and excel on the ice.

“Kids on the other team will say mean things to you,” stated Dhooghe, who is 5-2 and 136 lbs. “They will chirp you. You can’t let it bother you. You need to keep working and grinding.” 

That is what Dhooghe has done since he first started playing hockey when he was three years old.

“My older cousins played,” he explained. “I went to open skate one day at the local rink. The coach at the rink came over to my parents and told them to put us in hockey.

“At a young age, I just fell in love with the sport. I met some many people that I still keep in touch with. It’s a special sport and nothing can compare.”

Understand, that when the Aurora, Illinois, native was 10 years old, he was quite stubborn and told his parents exactly what sport he wanted to play.

“I played baseball during the summer. Then, I had to make a choice and that was an easy choice for me. I told my parents they had to sign me up for hockey again. I didn’t want to play other sports,” he recalled.

More than anything, Dhooghe has been able to turn to his older brother Jason, who has had a huge influence on his growth and development as a player.

“He has helped me a bunch,” explained Dhooghe on his brother, who currently plays for the Green Bay Gamblers. “I probably owe more to him. He’s been a great influence. 

“Growing up, during the winter, we would play hockey in the basement and in the summer, on the driveway. We were always shooting pucks and playing again and again. He pushed me to be a complete player. He deserves a lot of the credit.”

Maybe that is why the moment he told Jason about his “new” opportunity in Plymouth, Michigan, he just needed his approval.

“When I told Jason I was invited to join the NTDP, he told me don’t think about it, you want to be there,” he stated. “We will get to play against each other on April 1-2 in Green Bay. I’m sure we will have a small rivalry.”

For Dhooghe, the transition to the National Team Development Program was a huge jump for him after playing for the Chicago Mission midget minor program in 2014-15. Along the way, his game is starting to take off as he has 13 goals and 18 points in 34 games.

“It was a huge jump,” he said. “Basically I kept making mistakes, and realized that stuff I used to do, I can’t do anymore. We have the best coaches, and I learned quickly what I can do and what I can’t. I’ve learned details that I didn’t even know existed.”

He has taken advantage of these lessons by using them to improve on the ice.

“You need to use all the time to get better. If you get to the rink early, and no one is on the ice, you want to go out there and do some things before practice,” remarked Dhooghe. “If you are in the weight room, you want to do a little extra. All that time adds up. Take each opportunity to get better.

“My game has grown the most in the defensive zone. I have more responsibilities in the d-zone. I know what my job is and know as a team, what we specifically need to do. I need to be patient and slow down. I’m learning how to change and use my speed. It’s something that Coach Granato has taught me.”

Dhooghe and his teammates enjoy a bye week before the U17s host the 2016 Under-17 Five Nations Tournament at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth from Feb. 9-13. The tournament features the Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, Sweden and the United States.

“It is a special experience to play at USA Hockey Arena, in front of our fans, it is something I’m looking forward to,” he remarked. “We would love to bring the title back home in our own rink.

“We need to buy in our systems. We have come a long way since the World U17 Challenge (in late October), but we still have not won a tournament yet.”

It’s always special to wear the USA colors, but when it comes to international play, there is an extra motivation.

“It means so much. There is a pride factor. I’m proud to put that jersey on every day,” said Dhooghe. “It was fun and exciting to walk into the locker room with a group of guys and see the jersey for the first time hanging up. I think it made me realize we did it and we made it.”

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.

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Photo by Rena Laverty

Sean's Favorites

Favorite U.S. Player
Zach Parise

Favorite Movie(s)
Miracle, Step Brothers

Favorite TV Show
Hawaii Five-0

Favorite Actor
Will Ferrell

Favorite Actress
Mila Kunis

Favorite Book
Night by Elie Wiesel

Favorite Pump-Up Song
"Latch" by Disclosure (feat. Sam Smith)

Favorite Home-Cooked Meal
Spaghetti and Meatballs