Orange Lutheran senior Cooper Smith was introduced to hockey by an elementary school friend, and while he spent most of his younger years playing soccer, he found himself spending more time on the ice once he reached middle school.
 
"It's just so different from everything else," says Smith. "I love the complexity. It's a faster pace than a lot of the other games – small rink, puck moves fast, everybody's moving. It's just a really fast-paced, enjoyable, physical game."
 
Smith plays defense for the Lancers, splitting his time between the program's D1 and D3 rosters. He relies on his hockey sense and playmaking abilities to patrol the blueline, and he enjoys being in a senior leadership role where he can guide his younger teammates.
 
"I think it's a lot of lead by example," says Smith. "If I can [come] alongside them, lead with them…I feel like that usually goes a lot better. Everybody's a lot more willing to do things if they feel like they have a say in what's going on."
 
Smith is coming off of a foot injury that kept him sidelined at the start of the season. Now back in the lineup, his first time taking the ice with the D1 team earlier this year remains a core memory. As a four-year player for the Lancers, the 18-year came to OLu specifically for the school's hockey program. Having played on a number of club teams previously, he holds a deep sense of pride in playing hockey for his high school.
 
"It's very different…It feels a lot more important, a lot more like all the games mean something," says Smith. "I'm going to miss all the kids I've played with. I'm going to miss the program. I love all the coaches, all the staff. It's so great."
 
Smith's experience in OLu's Ignite program as a freshman left such a positive impression on him that he now serves as a mentor himself, helping to guide new Lancers as they adjust to high school life.
 
"Freshman year in Ignite helped me a lot," says Smith. "It was nice to be able to be in a group in a similar situation as me and then have a leader who's just willing to help. I realized if I can be the one that helps freshmen make their high school transition, that'd be pretty cool."
 
When he isn't on the ice, Smith can likely be found snowboarding on the slopes. And after spending last summer interning for Boeing, he plans to study aerospace in college and eventually pursue the Air Force Academy to become a fighter pilot.
 
Smith acknowledges his parents and the OLu hockey coaching staff, including head coach Ryan Frost, for consistently encouraging him to reach his full potential. His time as a Lancer has been about more than just hockey—it has also included serving others on Missions trips and growing in his faith.
 
"Being in a Christian community, I noticed that I felt like had a purpose," says Smith. "I had a reason outside of school or hockey and getting stuff done. I felt like I meant something."