SL_People_John_Furgele_0320_FINAL_Dept 3 / 13 / 20 1 : 49 PM Page 1 P E O P L E Taking a Shot Glen Mills native John Furgele makes his mark on the ice . BY BILL DONAHUE defensemen who have rounded out their game as a whole . The way the game is going , it’s all about speed , skill , and out - smarting your opponents . ” His Career Aspirations … “ It’s always been my goal to play professional hockey since I went away to prep school at Kingston . I was 14 years old , and I remember saying , ‘ This is what I want to do . ’ … Real - istically , this is prime time for someone’s career , so this year and next year are big for me . I’m only in my second year pro , due to college and some hip surgeries that delayed me a bit , so I’m older compared to most guys who are in major junior . I believe in myself , so I’m hoping to make something happen in the next year or two . My goal is to play at the next level — the AHL — and go from there . ” John Furgele came of age in Glen Mills , but his love for hockey took him elsewhere : preparatory school at Wyoming Seminary in Kingston , Pa . ; Hockey in the South … junior teams in North Dakota , Iowa , and Northern New Jersey ; college “ It’s a little different playing in the South , a at University of New Hampshire and Quinnipiac University in New little more laidback . Greenville seems like England . He’s traveled even farther afield since turning pro . a good town . I’ve only played three or four Furgele is more than halfway through his second year in the ECHL , a 26 - team pro - home games so far , but I’ve been impressed . fessional league headquartered in Princeton , N.J . After starting the season with the We had a game on Super Bowl Sunday , Kansas City Mavericks and then moving on to the Maine Mariners , the 27 - year - old and we played at 2 p.m . and then had a defenseman joined the Greenville Swamp Rabbits in January . ( Editor’s Note : As this skate with fans afterward . I was very sur - s issue was going to press , the Swamp Rabbits traded Furgele to the Norfolk Admirals prised at how many people came out on bbit in Virginia . ) Furgele enjoys playing in the South , but the Philadelphia area remains top such a big sports day . Hockey in South Ra of mind . Carolina , from my experience , seems to be amp “ I love [ Philadelphia ] , ” says Furgele , who grew up a Flyers fan and still has family in growing . It’s a pretty cool place to be . ” Sw the area . “ I go back every summer and when I have breaks during the season . There’s nville no place like home . ” Life after Hockey … ree We caught up with Furgele to talk about the game he loves , what it’s like to play in “ My dad runs a construction company in G he a nontraditional hockey market , and where he hopes his ambitions will take him next . the Glen Mills - West Chester area — Con - t of struction Services Group , right on West tesy The Way He Plays the Game … Chester Pike . I will probably be involved in our “ I’ve always been a smaller guy — I’m not 6'5 " like some of the guys in the league — so that at some point , but I want to have my c ph I’ve always tried to play a smart game , using my brain more than my body . If you’re hands in a lot of things . Down the line I’m ogra talking about the NHL , I’ve always looked up to players like Drew Doughty [ of the thinking I might get involved in [ hockey ] hot ? Los Angeles Kings ] and Erik Karlsson [ of the San Jose Sharks ] , who are skilled offensive skills coaching and training . ” P SUBURBANLIFEMAGAZINE.COM MARCH 2020 16 |