In 2009 at the age of seven, sophomore Noah Rauschenberger received a Christmas present that would change his life. His parents gifted him “NHL 09,” the newest yearly edition of the hockey video game series by EA Canada and HB Studios. Rauschenberger recalls unwrapping the red-tinted gift wrapping to see a shiny box inside which contained the game he had put on his Christmas list.

He was immediately captivated by the sport and began pestering his parents to enroll him in a league. He began by taking skating lessons for 3 months until he was a proficient enough skater. The first team he joined was the Evanston Wildkits. Then he moved on to join the Chicago Jets, with whom he played for 3 years and won a state championship in 2014. Rauschenberger then went on to join The Chicago Young Americans and currently he plays for Team Illinois. Some of his other accomplishments include winning his league championship 2 years ago. “I kept changing teams because I was improving,” Rauschenberger said, “and I also wanted to follow coaches that I liked.”

His AAA or “Tier I” team right now, Team Illinois, is the highest possible level for youth hockey players in the United States at his age.

Most days after school Rauschenberger travels to Union Station to catch a 4:44 train all the way to Lisle, Illinois, which takes 30 minutes, and then he takes an Uber to Woodridge, about 8 minutes away. At the Seven Bridges Ice Arena, Rauschenberger practices on ice 3 times a week for around an hour and a half each time. “It’s not the amount of time we practice that separates us from other teams,” Rauschenberger said. “It’s the level of the coaching staff and the intensity of the practices that shapes and defines our skill.”

Practice can be gruelling for Rauschenberger. Twice a week, prior to team practices, he has additional individual workouts for an hour. And on Tuesdays, between workout and practice, he watches game film with his team to critique play and improve strategy. “Although getting time on ice is great,” Rauschenberger said, “watching my own games from a third person perspective really helps me to see and fix mistakes I wouldn’t have otherwise seen.”

Rauschenberger said, “I have improved my positioning drastically thanks to film.”

Rauschenberger’s current coach, Steve Schulman, also believes that watching film is beneficial. “At this level, most teams—if not all—watch video,” Schulman said. “It really allows them to see what they are being coached to do, as well as some of the things they need to improve.”

Rauschenberger is drawn to hockey partly because it distracts him from the outside world. “When I’m on the ice, it’s all I think about,” Rauschenberger said. “I’m not focused on my math test the next day or the history project I have due in a week. I’m just living in the moment.”

This dedication and focus shows on the ice. Rauschenberger can be seen gliding backwards and forwards smoothly towards the puck. He stops and ice is scattered upwards into the air. As soon as his opponent is in range, Rauschenberger decks him and dashes to the goal, puck drifting aside him. Rauschenberger is not looking to get the shot off immediately, he’s waiting for an opening. He brings the puck to the left just long enough to convince the goalie to leave the one-hole unattended. By the time the goalie realizes his mistake, it’s too late. The ding of the puck against the crossbar ends the play with Rauschenberger receiving fistbumps and pats on the head from his teammates.

Although he grew up playing a variety of sports, including basketball and soccer, he never felt as motivated to try to improve in those sports. Hockey was the only sport that drove him to practice frequently on his own.

Rauschenberger feels a sense of reward every time he earns a spot on the team he wanted and sees himself improve. One of his biggest accomplishments is winning the state tournament with the Chicago Jets in 2014. “I remember the rush of adrenaline I felt when the buzzer went off,” Rauschenberger said. “It was great to share that feeling with my entire team.”

Although Rauschenberger finds hockey to be very rewarding, he has experienced some failure over the years, including losing tournaments and a playoff semifinal game right before state. “Losing that game was very disappointing,” Rauschenberger said, “but it’s important to experience failure so that you have a drive to improve.”

Playing hockey at such a high level has its drawbacks. Rauschenberger gets home at 11pm on days he practices. Because of this, he has to be productive every second of free time he gets during the day. “I’ve really learned to use my free periods well and find time in my day where there isn’t any,” Rauschenberger said. “For example, if I have 15 minutes in between film and ice time, I’m getting my math homework done.” But even when he is efficient with his time, Rauschenberger still finds himself exhausted in the mornings.

Rauschenberger’s game schedule is also demanding. He has at least two games each week, and can sometimes play six games per week when he has a tournament. These tournaments require his missing school on Fridays, traveling for several hours, and having two games per day from Friday to Sunday. “The schedule is very challenging,” John Rauschenberger, Noah’s father, said, “but it helps him to understand the sacrifices one must make for a commitment.”

Part of that commitment can mean choosing between hockey and spending times with his friends.  “He misses a lot of weekends because of hockey but I’m sure it’s worth it,” sophomore Ryan Humphrey, a close friend of Rauschenberger, said. “He’s dedicated, and it shows.”

Rauschenberger recognizes the sacrifices he makes, knowing his efforts advance his future in hockey.

To play D1 hockey in college, so he can play at a high level, but also get an education at the same time. College recruiters attend almost every game he plays, which is exciting and nerve-wracking, according to Rauschenberger. If he had the opportunity to play in the NHL he would take it without a second thought– but he views it as more of a dream than a goal.

Schulman believes that Rauschenberger can make a career out of hockey. “He should have no problem making it to the next level,” Schulman said. “I think Noah’s goals are much higher than just playing in college, and I look forward to watching him move forward.”

Even if he isn’t playing professionally, Rauschenberger plans to find some way to incorporate hockey into his future. “I hope to continue playing hockey for as long as I can,” Rauschenberger said. “There’s no feeling as cool as being on the ice.”