Not just an All-Star... By John Harrington

The holidays pull us back home. For Jack Green, this Thanksgiving marks his second return from Lawrenceville -- a prep school path shaping both his hockey and character. The rhythm is familiar: the flight back to Los Angeles, the family table, the reunion with old teammates. But this year, Jack isn’t just another California kid chasing ice time on the East Coast; he’s become a name coaches and parents whisper about, a player whose story is worth telling.

That’s where this interview begins.

Jack’s name surfaced through community long before the accolades. Bears Director and Coach Peter Torsson recently shared a post celebrating him: “He’s not just an All-Star,” Torsson said. “He’s one of ours. A Bear.”

That distinction matters. For Torsson, talent alone isn’t the filter -- character is. Hockey isn’t only about goals and assists; it’s about the teammate and role model you become. Jack embodies that standard, setting an example younger players can look up to.

This fall, his impact was recognized beyond the Bears community. Jack earned post-season honors as an All-West Hub Team selection, chosen by NCAA coaches in the Peak Performance Prep League’s fall circuit. Competing for Lawrenceville against elite programs including Hotchkiss, Tabor, Millbrook, and Pomfret, he distinguished himself with consistent performance and leadership, securing his place among the league’s standout players.

Every hockey story begins with a spark, and Jack’s came at four. His mom took him to a rink ten minutes from home in Culver City, now gone but alive in memory. After preschool, that rink was his playground -- where skates first touched ice and the rhythm of the game took hold. Family influence was strong. Jack’s uncle played, and his grandfather handed him a mini stick when he was little. That gift became more than a toy; it was a doorway. (There’s always that crazy uncle in the shadows pushing hockey). Jack laughs, recalling how Chicago roots shaped his fandom. His uncle’s team was the Blackhawks, and Jack’s allegiance followed -- unless it was 2012 Kings vs. Blackhawks, when Jack was all Kings!

Growing up in California meant navigating a different hockey landscape. The Kings were the local powerhouse, and Jack’s first organized games came through their track program. From there, the journey wound through familiar rinks and rivalries: Kings, Bears, Ducks. Each step was a new test, community, and set of teammates.

By 15, Jack skated under Peter Torsson’s guidance with the AAA Bears. That team was strong -- about 35 wins and plenty of battles -- but the Kings remained the immovable obstacle at districts. “We just couldn’t get past them,” Jack recalls. It was a lesson in resilience, a setback that sharpened his edge and prepared him for the next leap.

Every player remembers coaches who left a mark. For Jack, the first is Jeff Bain -- his Peewee coach who set the tone for what hockey could be. “He made an impact,” Jack recalls, and the memory carries weight. Coaching isn’t just about systems and drills; it’s about connection. Jack remembers Bain who pulled the best from players. Bain’s voice carried urgency and fire, but beneath it was belief. He gave confidence when needed most and made Jack captain -- forcing the quiet kid to lead. It meant so much, even today. For Jack, coaches Jeff Bain, Alex Kim, and Peter Torsson are part of his journey’s fabric. They represent more than wins and losses; they are mentors shaping character, voices echoing long after the buzzer.

By 15, the path was clear: if hockey was more than a California dream, he had to leave home. The Ducks AAA season showed the competition level -- nights of being “smoked” by powerhouses, followed by battles restoring confidence. Growth meant stepping into tougher arenas. But the question wasn’t just hockey. His parents valued education and weren’t ready to send him to Juniors so young. Prep school offered balance: competitive hockey with rigorous academics. “I knew I had to move away,” Jack says, “but my parents wanted good schooling alongside hockey.”

The search began with prep camps. Jack attended one of Peter Torsson’s first sessions, testing life beyond California. He could have left earlier but chose to stay, sharpening game and resolve. The real connection came through Torsson’s network linking Jack to Lawrenceville’s coach. A film, a conversation, and the ball rolled. Lawrenceville became the destination. Jack arrived last year in 2024, stepping into dorms, academics, and East Coast hockey culture. The transition was smoother than expected. “You think you’ll be homesick,” he admits, “but they keep you busy, and you’re with friends all day.” Prep life -- classes, practices, meals, study halls -- left little room for loneliness. Jack wasn’t alone representing California. Lawrenceville’s roster now carries four other Bear alumni, a small but proud fraternity proving the Bear pipeline stretches beyond Los Angeles.

The leap to Lawrenceville wasn’t just hockey; it was stepping outside comfort zones, just as Bain pushed him to lead. Prep school became the next stage -- a place to grow as player and person. Academics mattered too. Back in California, Jack was a strong student. Grades came easily despite AAA travel and long drives from Irvine to Campbell Hall. Discipline helped: good teacher relationships, timely work, and assignments on planes after late games. “Lots of late nights,” he admits, “but not in the car. I waited until home or plane.” Teacher support helped him keep pace.

Lawrenceville was a wake-up call. Academics were on another level -- “very, very top academic,” Jack says. For the first time, grades dipped. “I went from never seeing a B to only Bs my first months.” It was humbling but motivating. Prep school demanded more, and Jack rose to meet it.

On ice, the adjustment was sharp. First practices revealed differences: speed, size, depth. “There’s no weak link,” Jack explains. “It’s a physicality upgrade from AAA. Faster pace, faster practices.” Every line was strong, every shift competitive. Unlike California blowouts, prep hockey was balanced, consistent, and relentless.

Lawrenceville’s varsity team also played as Team Red in the PPP (split season before high school starts), where prep schools face off under different colors. Jack’s squad wore red, representing Lawrenceville in a league testing depth and cohesion. It wasn’t just individual talent; it was about playing as a unit, sharpening skills against peers chasing the same dream.

Life at Lawrenceville is also about learning to lead. In the fall, coaches step back, and seniors and captains take charge. For Jack, that dynamic felt familiar. Years earlier, Bain had pushed him out of his shell by naming him captain when he was still shy. That lesson stuck.

Now, Jack leads by example. “I try to be the person out there who sets the tone,” he explains. Speaking up when needed, showing effort every shift, and letting actions carry weight -- it’s a leadership style that resonates in prep hockey, where peer accountability matters as much as coaching.

Off the ice, Jack is thinking about the future. College is on the horizon -- five to seven schools are in the mix -- but Juniors are the next step. Scouts don’t flood the fall season, but once the year ramps up, Lawrenceville’s tournament becomes a showcase. “There are a lot of opportunities to get looks,” Jack says. It’s about being ready when those eyes are on you.

As a defenseman, Jack knows what scouts want:

• First pass accuracy -- turning defense into offense with clean transitions.
• Gap control -- staying tight, denying space, and neutralizing attackers.
• Stick work -- disrupting plays, forcing turnovers.
• Offensive instincts -- jumping into the rush, moving the puck, creating chances.

It’s a balance between reliability and creativity, shutting down opponents and sparking offense. Jack embraces both. “I like being an offensive defenseman,” he says, “but I also love seeing the whole ice.” That vantage point -- scanning plays, anticipating movement, controlling tempo -- is what makes defense his natural home.

Parents often worry when their kid ends up on defense instead of forward, concerned that goals and highlight clips are the only success measure. But Jack’s journey shows the nuance: defensemen control the game in ways that don’t always show on the scoresheet. The first pass, gap control, and ability to see the whole ice -- these are the maestro’s tools, the quiet skills that win games.

His inspiration is Cale Makar, whose blend of speed, vision, and offensive flair models the kind of defenseman Jack aspires to be. It’s not just about stopping goals; it’s about shaping the game from the back end.

Every player faces slumps. For Jack, the lesson came during his Ducks years, when confidence dipped and the team struggled to find rhythm. The key, he says, is learning to reset. “If you make a mistake or get scored on, you can’t carry that into the next shift. You have to go out there with the mentality that it didn’t happen.” It’s a discipline of forgetting quickly, of staying present. Sometimes the reset is as simple as a sip of water -- a physical cue to clear the mind and move forward.

That resilience is part of the advice Jack offers younger players. “Keep your head down, keep working. Everyone has a different path. You could be a AAA player at 12 and fall off at 14, while the AA kid keeps getting better. Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing. Focus on yourself.” In an era of rankings, social media lists, and endless comparisons, Jack’s perspective is refreshing. The game isn’t about chasing someone else’s highlight reel; it’s about steady growth, shift by shift, season by season.

Every player inevitably faces the big question: How far can I take this? For Jack, the dream is clear -- Division I hockey. “I’d love to play D1,” he says, “but I’m open to D2 or D3 as well.” It’s not about chasing highlight reels or forcing a role that doesn’t fit. It’s about finding the right path, balance of hockey and education, and place to grow.

College hockey offers more than one road. Division I is the pinnacle, but Division III has become fiercely competitive, producing players who thrive on the ice and in the classroom. Even club hockey, once dismissed as a step down, now offers a vibrant community and serious competition. Stories like Jacob Gundersen’s -- a Bear alum who left the NAHL to play ACHA club hockey at Arizona State while earning his journalism degree -- prove fulfillment isn’t limited to one label. He’s living the life, playing good hockey, and building his future.

Jack knows his next step will likely be Juniors, a bridge between prep and college. From there, the destination depends on performance, opportunity, and fit. Whether it’s D1, D2, D3, ACHA or another path, the goal remains: keep playing, growing, and building a story worth telling.

Beyond the ice, Jack points to sacrifices most don’t see. Civilian friends -- those outside the athlete world -- often don’t realize what’s given up. “I haven’t been to homecoming,” Jack admits. “You miss parties, social events, because you’ve got to be ready for a game the next day.” It’s a trade‑off: less time for teenage milestones, more time for practices, travel, and competition.

That sacrifice is the hidden cost of chasing hockey dreams. It’s not just about skill or talent; it’s about discipline, resilience, and willingness to give up pieces of a normal teenage life for something bigger. And for Jack, that pursuit is worth it.

At six feet and 165–170 pounds, Jack stands in the range of a college freshman defenseman -- tall, lean, still filling out his frame. He’s not the type to throw bone‑crushing hits every shift, but he uses his body with intelligence. Positioning, leverage, and timing allow him to outsmart opponents rather than overpower them. “I like having the puck on my stick,” he says. “I’d rather control the play than chase it.”

That style comes with areas to grow. Jack knows he could lean into his size more, using his frame to deliver stronger checks when the moment calls for it. Coaches push him to add that physical edge, and he admits it’s something he wants to refine. Habits matter too -- like staying sharp with his defensive partner, avoiding lapses in communication that leave gaps in coverage.

Adversity has tested him. One tough moment came when he just missed making the Kings’ AAA team at 14. He had practiced with them the year before, felt close, then saw a late arrival from out of state take a roster spot. “It put a chip on my shoulder,” Jack recalls. “It made me want to work harder.” Those moments sting, but fuel resilience. They become reset points that define a player’s drive.  Size, style, setbacks, and inspiration -- these shape Jack’s game. They remind us hockey isn’t just about talent; it’s about growth, resilience, and the values you bring every time you step on the ice.

Through it all, Jack’s biggest inspiration has been his father. “He’s a very hard worker and very humble,” Jack says. The lessons aren’t about hockey technique or highlight reels; they’re about character. Work ethic, humility, and persistence -- the values his father models -- are the same ones Jack carries onto the ice.

Hockey isn’t only about practices and tournaments -- it’s about memories that stick. For Jack, one stands above the rest: senior night last season. Lawrenceville faced its rival, The Hill, in front of a packed house. With thirty seconds left, Lawrenceville scored the winning goal. “The whole school was there,” Jack recalls. “I was on the ice when we scored, jumping into the boards. It was unreal.” That night captured what prep hockey offers that club hockey often doesn’t -- the high school atmosphere, the roar of classmates, the sense of community wrapped around the rink.

Away from the ice, bonds form on long bus rides filled with laughter, card games, music, and sometimes video games -- like the time a teammate brought a TV and Xbox on a ten-hour ride to Toronto, turning the bus into a gaming lounge. Karaoke sessions echo down the aisle, making these trips more than travel; they’re the glue that binds teammates. These memories -- rival wins, bus ride laughter, and that moment of clarity -- are the heartbeat of Jack’s journey, showing hockey as community, resilience, and joy.

Jack’s journey inspires because it’s a marathon, not a sprint. From preschool rinks in California to prep battles in New Jersey, missed teams to captaincies, confidence dips to rival wins, every setback fuels growth, every mentor leaves a mark, and every bus ride builds brotherhood.

Jack lives this truth now. Prep school, Juniors, college -- these years shape character and create lasting memories. Whether the destination is NHL, NCAA, ACHA, or Juniors, the journey itself is the dream. His story now joins the Bear Mail archive, a record of California players chasing the game nationwide. For parents and players, the lesson is clear: there’s no single path. Many exist, and each, pursued with humility, resilience, and joy, can become a legend worth telling.