At 15, Nick Mattson of Chanhassen has a chance to study with the elite USA Hockey team in Michigan.
But it means leaving his parents, his friends and everything familiar.
Part I: Leaving home to follow dream
Nick Mattson had to spend one more night in Europe before he'd get back to the United States. His 10th-grade Spanish test, however, could not wait.
So he and teammate Adam Murray pushed aside the drink menus and ashtray from their table in the lobby bar at the Airport Hilton Amsterdam, tuned out the Dutch businessmen making deals over steins of beer and began to battle a legion of Spanish phrases.
The teenager from Chanhassen was on a layover in the Netherlands, heading home after a six-day hockey tournament in Russia that had pitted him against some of the world's best young players. A lobby bar in November was not the most convenient place to take a test. But if Nick had learned anything during his two months of sweat and struggle, competing with 20 other elite players on USA Hockey's under-17 team, it was how to cope.
"OK, you guys done?" asked Scott Monaghan, the team's director of operations.
"Yeah,'' said Nick, tucking the test into a manila envelope. "It was pretty hard, though."
No high school exam, though, could compare with the trials he'd faced since late August, when he left home for a life-changing experience with USA Hockey.
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Fighting homesickness and the exacting standards of his USA Hockey team, 16-year-old Nick Mattson finally sees the fruits of his labor during a tournament in Dmitrov, Russia.
More from this series:
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Part II: A bittersweet goodbye
Nick Mattson, 15, chosen to be one of the nation's elite hockey players, settles in with his host family in Michigan. His new life includes strict rules, new teammates and coaches, and a huge high school. -
Part III: On his own, on ice and off
Nick Mattson has been on the USA Hockey team for a month, and a life of hockey, hockey, hockey is taking its toll. A short visit with his family helps, until he faces the loss of playing time. -
Part IV: Coach’s message resonates; suddenly Nick's going places
Fresh from a benching, Nick Mattson sizes up the challenges he faces with the USA Hockey team. During a tournament in Russia, things suddenly begin to click for him. -
Part V: Across the boards, time to grow
Nick Mattson emerges transformed after months away from home, with a clear view to the future. -
Video:
Pursuing a dream
Nick Mattson always dreamed of playing hockey. So at age 15 when USA Hockey invited him to join, he made the difficult decision to leave high school to go play for the elite team. -
Photo gallery:
The journey begins for Nick Mattson
Sixteen-year-old Nick Mattson begins his journey to fulfill his dream of playing big-time hockey some day.