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8 // JUNE/JULY 2020 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM O F F T HE D R AW W hen it comes to playing goalie, the last few years have been feast or famine for Alex Schilling. A f t e r h e l p i n g Wa y z a t a H i g h School win the Minnesota Class AA State Championship in 2016, Schilling made the jump to junior hockey where he played 73 games over the course of two seasons with the Austin Bruins of the North American League. But once he entered the U.S. Air Force Academy, the playing time seemed to dry up for the heralded freshman recruit as senior netminder Billy Christopoulos owned the lion's share of the time between the pipes. Still, Schilling wouldn't trade a minute of his time riding the pines and learning from his veteran teammates and coaches. The time in practice gave him the chance to not only settle into the daily rigors at a U.S. military academy but also acclimate himself to the speed and intensity of the Div. I collegiate game. "It was definitely different. I've never gone a season without playing a game, but the intensity that our practices have it kind of felt like a game," Schilling said. "I learned so much that when I did get my opportunity, I was able to be prepared for that chance." Schilling made the most of the opportunity once his number was called during his sopho- more season where he played in 31 games and notched a 2.39 goals-against average along with a 12-11-6 record. A n d a s t h e y say i n t h e A i r Force, the sky is the limit for the 22-year-old Minnesotan who is right at home in Colorado Springs. Joining the military wasn't really on his radar head- ing to juniors, but after seeing the success the Falcons have had in recent years and hear- ing associate head coach Andy Berg tout the benefits of life in the Air Force, he was sold. " S e e i n g e v e r y t h i n g t h e A i r F o r c e Ac ademy had wa s k i nd of a home r u n for me," he said. "I wanted a challenge; I want- ed a great place to play; I wanted good aca- demics and I wanted something more. The A i r For c e A c a d e m y w a s r e a l l y t h e b e s t option for me. I'm really blessed and thank- ful I chose this route." PHOTO COURTESY OF U.S. Air Force Academy Air Force Academy Goaltender Sets His Sights High On And Off The Ice Sky's The Limit STICK TAP FOR SERVICE By Harry Thompson After sitting on the bench during his freshman season, Alex Schilling enjoyed a solid sophomore campaign with the Air Force Falcons. The discipline that hockey instills has helped Schilling develop over the course of his career and navigate life in the military. And the two years spent in the NAHL provided a little more maturity than some of his other classmates. "Because of the mental toughness and teamwork and leadership you find in hockey, I was able to transfer those to my time at the Academy and do some things that I would never dream of," said Schilling, who com- pleted the Academy's rigorous expeditionary survival and evasion training last summer. A s h e h e a d s i n t o h i s j u n i o r s e a s o n , Schilling is looking forward to two more years between the pipes with the Falcons as he continues to navigate what the future looks like both on and off the ice. "I'm not set on one option right now, but I think maybe more the business side or the analytical side of how the Air Force runs and the logistics of what it takes to build an orga- nization like this," he said. As far as his hockey dreams are concerned, Schilling figures the next two seasons will play a huge role in determining what hap- pens in the future. "I would love to keep going as far as my hockey career can take me," he said. "I have two years left at the Academy and looking for some successful seasons with my teammates. So I'll just keep going and see where every- thing falls." P "I would love to keep going as far as my hockey career can take me."