Determination a key ingredient to Las Vegas’ Smejkal earning NCAA Division III commitment to Anna Maria

BY MATT MACKINDER

Noah Smejkal only started playing hockey when he was 14.

Just seven years later, the Las Vegas native is taking his game to the NCAA ranks after recently committing to Anna Maria College, a Division III school in Paxton, Mass.

“Me and the coaching staff had been talking since the start of the season,” said Smejkal. “They have been keeping track of my games and watched video on me and liked what they saw. They discussed and decided I would be a good fit for the team. I’m proud of how far I have come in a short amount of time, but I know there is so much more work to be done.

Noah Smejkal spent this past season with the GMHL’s Windsor Aces.

Photo/@rizzavisions

“It only gets harder from here.”

Smejkal, who is looking to major in Business Administration at Anna Maria, said he will do anything asked of him on the ice.

“I think I’m a good two-way forward and I want to help out my team at both ends of the ice,” said Smejkal. “At the same time, coming in as a freshman, anywhere will be a learning experience for me, and I think it will boost my development playing with great players and coaches around me. I take the classroom very seriously, and that’ll be an important part of the season as well.”

Growing up in Las Vegas, Smejkal started in house leagues and then

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