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Photo by Rena Laverty
Phil Kemp’s sporting future came down to hockey or lacrosse, but when it came time to make a choice, the pick was clear.
“I played lacrosse, too, but I liked hockey more,” Kemp said.
Now a defenseman on the U.S. National Under-17 Team, Kemp’s decision seems to have paid off.
Kemp’s hockey career began around age 5 when his dad, Lawrence, introduced him to the game in their hometown of Greenwich, Connecticut. His older brother Larken also played.
“We would compete with each other and play in the driveway, so it was always fun,” Phil said. “We didn’t drive our mom too crazy. We would play on this outdoor rink in our hometown, which was five minutes away. My mom would drop us off and we would play for hours.”
After playing for Brunswick School last year, Kemp jumped at the opportunity to play for Team USA. The transition has been challenging, but he is already seeing the improvement in his game.
“It was challenging from the start to move away,” he said. “I got into the routine, and you have to think of it that way. You have to come ready to work every day.
“The speed and the compete level at practice has been surprising. Every day, if you are not competing, you are going to get burned. You have to be out there every day and working hard. We do a lot of repetition, and over time you can see your progress. It helps a lot. The coaching has been fantastic.”
Kemp, who stands at 6-foot-3 and 186 pounds, understands the role he and his fellow blue liners play every night on the ice.
“We have to show up for every game, or else our team loses,” he said. “We can’t hide out there. You have to compete for our goal — we must protect our goalie. We want to battle for him.”
Maybe that’s why Kemp and his U17 teammates were so excited after completing a 7-4 come-from-behind win over Muskegon on Dec. 30.
“It was a huge win, especially with the guys out of the lineup,” Kemp said. “We had some of our bigger players out, and we were still able to compete for each other. We were down 3-0 and came back to win. We stuck to the game plan, which was huge. It paid off in the end.”
The U17s have seven games left before their final international competition, the Five Nations Tournament, which the National Team Development Program and USA Hockey Arena is hosting. Kemp says the team can take valuable lessons from the Four Nations Tournament earlier this season, when they finished third.
“Don’t get too high and don’t get too low is what we learned,” Kemp said. “After beating Russia, we thought we kind of won it. We were laser focused for the Russia game and it paid off, but we didn’t come out with the game focus against Slovakia, and it hurt us.
“Now we know where the bar has to be for every game for us to be successful. We have to come into every international game like we did that Russia game.”
Kemp already has two moments with Team USA that he won’t soon forget. The first was when the Detroit Red Wings coaching staff ran a practice.
“It was great to see what the pro coaches do and how they coach every day and what they expect,” he said. “Their expectations are huge.”
The second was meeting St. Louis Blues and former NTDP defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk after Kemp and his teammates watched a Blues practice at Yost Ice Arena.
“It was awesome to meet Kevin,” Kemp said. “He told us don’t take it for granted, and it goes by quick. You want to make the most of it. He actually went to my school. I really didn’t talk to him that much, but we had that instant connection.”
Those connections help make the NTDP experience, and the opportunity to wear the red, white and blue, so special.
“[It means] everything,” he said. “It’s such an honor and a responsibility to play for the guys who played before us. We need to live up to those expectations, compete and live up to those that wore the jersey.”
Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.
Photo by Rena Laverty
Favorite NHL Player
Ryan McDonagh
Favorite Movie
Wedding Crashers
Favorite TV Show
Entourage
Favorite Actor(s)
Vince Vaughn & Owen Wilson
Favorite Actress
Rebel Wilson
Favorite Music
The Black Eyed Peas
Favorite Pump-Up Song
"You Make My Dreams" by Hall & Oates
Favorite Food
Mexican