May 21, 2021
SPRINGFIELD, MA – Pope Francis Preparatory School announced today that sophomore Ryan Leonard has been selected to attend the highly competitive USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program. Ryan was invited to the evaluation camp for the USA Hockey’s NTDP in Plymouth, Michigan earlier this month. The evaluation camp included 49 players – 27 forwards, 16 defensemen, and six goalies. Ryan is one of 24 players to make the team and will be joined by two other players from Massachusetts.
The past two years have been amazing for forward Ryan Leonard. This year alone, the Pope Francis Prep Hockey team dominated every opponent on the ice and ended the season with a 9-0 record. Ryan is the first player in history to win Neutral Zone’s coveted Mr. Hockey Award two years in a row. History was also made when Ryan and the Springfield Cardinals won the USA National D1 Championship on April 19, 2021 in Omaha, Nebraska.
While Ryan is known for his dominance on the ice, a lot can also be said about his academic grit. His accumulative GPA is 4.15. Mr. Joe Matte, Ryan’s English II teacher says, “Ryan is a very serious and dedicated student. He is attentive to his responsibilities in the classroom and displays positive leadership by his example.” While the PFPS community will miss seeing Ryan on the ice, his teachers and fellow students will also miss collaborating with him in the classroom. Head of School, Dr. Paul Harrington shared, “While athletics are an integral component to the high school experience for many students, Ryan fully understands and models what it means to be a student-athlete. Ryan’s focus, determination, drive, and talents on the ice have always been translated directly to his studies. It is an honor for Pope Francis Prep to develop such well-rounded students and we wish Ryan good luck and many successes on his journey.”
