Senior Henry Smith has been a devoted hockey player since he was five years old. Henry grew up in Minnesota and moved to Tiburon when he was in fourth grade. He is now the captain of the San Francisco Sabercats hockey team and leads the team in goals and assists as a center. Given hockey’s popularity in Midwestern states like Minnesota, hockey played a significant role in Henry’s upbringing.

“I would say that [hockey in Minnesota is] like soccer [in California]. Almost every kid plays soccer growing up, and they’re going out and kicking a soccer ball around in the park. In the winter, when kids here were going out to kick soccer balls and go play on the playground, we were going to the pond to play hockey,” Henry said.

Henry credits his older brother, Jacob Smith, for sparking his passion for the sport.

“Growing up, I saw my older brother [playing hockey]. I got skates as a Christmas present one year and learned how to skate. Jacob is a role model for everything that’s gone into [my hockey career]. He showed me the way to being a good player, and how to have fun with it,” Henry said.

Henry’s younger sister, Berkeley Smith, explained the deeper meaning of hockey within the family.

“When we moved from Minnesota to California, my mom wanted to keep at least one consistent thing [for each of the siblings]. For me and my sister, that was dance. For Henry and our other brother, Jacob, that was hockey. That has definitely helped us stay connected to the Midwest. It’s also really cool to see Henry grow with this sport because I don’t know if he ever imagined himself being able to do it in California,” Berkeley said.

However, when he moved to California and joined the San Francisco Sabercats, continuing to play hockey meant multiple-hour commutes would become the norm.

“I drive an hour every day to get to and from practice. I can’t just go play hockey and come home and go on with my day — it’s a full day commitment [that] takes up my whole afternoon,” Henry said.

Because of the daily commute, his success wouldn’t be possible without the support of his family.

“I’m very grateful for my family. My dad used to drive me every day to practice, even when he had work. They’re always there for me and supporting me through it all,” Henry said.

Due to the fact that there are so few hockey teams in California compared to other sports such as soccer or basketball, Henry’s team competes in games hours away, often traveling to Reno, Nevada, and taking weekend trips to Salt Lake City, Utah.

“If I have a game on the weekend, I count myself out [of hanging out with friends]. I can’t go out and have fun with my friends because I’m going to be driving or playing,” Henry said.

Despite having to sacrifice attending social events, Henry remains positive and motivated.

“It’s a commitment I make at the start of the year. I always remind myself that I signed up for hockey to win games and play. If I’m missing a party, I’m also hanging out with my teammates. It’s a good mixture,” Henry said.

In fact, Henry feels that the long commute has helped the team build culture.

“I 100 percent think that the camaraderie of our team is super impressive and [the commitment] makes [the team] more meaningful: Everybody’s commuting far to go there, and everybody’s unique in their own way. None of us go to the same high school, but we really bond by understanding we’re all going through the same stuff,” Henry said.

This positive attitude is one of the many reasons why Henry is the captain of his team.

“Our main goal is to keep it fun, [and] we know that winning is fun. ‘Skate hard, celebrate harder,’ is what we say,” Henry said.

For the past three years, Henry has been coached by Brady Anderson, who has not only seen Henry develop and grow as an athlete but also as a person. Anderson credits Henry’s ability to stay composed with some of his success as a leader on the team.

“He’s always the one to [have] that calming presence and keep everybody focused. At practice, when some of the kids are getting a little bit out of hand, he’s getting everybody to calm down and pay attention. He does a really great job of just keeping everybody accountable,” Anderson said.

Henry is not just a captain on the ice; he always makes an effort off the ice to be a leader and help his teammates achieve success.

These skills reflect strongly at home. Being the third out of four children, Henry has had role models to look up to his whole life and takes a more passive approach to leadership.

“He’s definitely more of a calm and quiet leader; he’s never super loud or bossy. He’s super understanding and empathetic. He always knows the right things to say because instead of being super ‘go, go, go,’ he takes time to think about what he’s doing,” Berkeley said.

Though a “calm and quiet leader,” Henry commands strong authority and respect as captain. Anderson attributes Henry’s genuine character to what makes him such an impactful leader.

“Henry is a leader, first and foremost. He is the type of person who is completely selfless. It’s always about the team and never about him,” Anderson said. “If you know Henry, you know he’s just the nicest person in the world. [That makes] all of his teammates respect him.”