Recruiting: Derek Schaedig commits to Harvard

By @MichaelCaples –

Former Chelsea netminder Derek Schaedig will be attending one of the most prestigious universities in the entire world for his college hockey experience.

Schaedig, currently playing for the Janesville Jets of the NAHL after four years with his high school program, has committed to Harvard University.

“I picked Harvard because I knew I wanted the best possible combination of academics and a great hockey program that I could get,” Schaedig told MiHockey, “and Harvard seemed like a perfect fit.”

The 18-year-old netminder – named the top goaltender in high school hockey last season – said he can’t wait to suit up for the Crimson.

“I just fell in love with the Boston area and I loved the coaches,” Schaedig said. “I couldn’t be more excited to play at Harvard and it’s really a dream come true. I can’t wait to be a part of the amazing tradition and excellence there.”

Schaedig also wanted to make sure he said thanks to both his parents and his coaches – the people responsible for him reaching the D1 hockey level. Don Wright, his coach for all four seasons at Chelsea, couldn’t be more proud.

“We’ve had a lot of good players but there’s a big difference between the ones who are really good and the ones that make it,” Wright said. “The difference is self-motivation. Lots of kids say they want it, but they’re not willing to make changes in their game or do whatever they need to become the player they are capable of. Derek’s a great example.”

Wright told the story of how Schaedig took a nutritional lesson to heart at the high school excellence program a few years ago, noting how most of the kids completely forget about it by the time they get home.

“Derek goes home and basically tells his parents that they have to change how they shop, that he’s going to eat a different way,” Wright said. “A lot of kids were sitting there, but a lot of kids didn’t do what Derek did. He’s the model player. He works hard in the weight room, his nutrition is perfect – other players would even joke about him because Derek does everything right. I had never made a goaltender captain, and his senior year, he was captain because he was that good. He would mentor the younger goalie, he just worked his butt off and did all the right things and he was focused on what he wanted.”

And now, he’s got what he’s wanted – the latest high school hockey player to move on to a D1 college hockey program.