Force picks first ever 1996-born player

The United States Hockey League Entry Draft is broken into two phases. During the first phase, teams are typically picking players that they think can help their team this year. The second phase often consists of players that can help an organization in the future.

The Fargo Force certainly looked to the future with their first pick in Phase II of the draft. The team selected a talented forward named Blake Clarke. It was a pick that some teams may not have had the moxie to make. The Force staff, however, was more than excited about their selection.

“He’s the first ‘96 birth year ever drafted in the USHL, so he’s an under-aged player,” Assistant Coach and Director of Player Personnel Jesse Davis said. “There’s no affiliate list for him.”

“Some people call it a gamble because he’s so young and all that kind of stuff, but we really did our research and homework on him and we’ve seen him play quite a bit. We know his past and where he’s come from.”

Clarke is a 6-2, 195 pound winger from Wildwood, MO. He is a big, skilled forward with superb stick handling skills, excellent vision, and a knack for finding the back of the net. He has played away from home the last two seasons. In the 2009-2010 campaign, he played with the Shattuck-St. Mary’s 1995 Bantam Team. All he did there was score 80 points in 58 games. Last season, he played for the highly regarded Chicago Mission team. He netted 16 goals and 40 points in 37 total games.

Being away from home helped him mature both on and off the ice.

“Moving away from home at age 13 to attend Shattuck definitely helped me become more independent and mature off the ice,” Clarke said. “Having to take care of things like laundry and time management is not something you would usually learn at that age.

“Living in the dorms was a great learning experience and will help me for the rest of my life. In Chicago, I started online schooling to allow more time and flexibility to focus on my hockey, which also helped me develop organization and time management skills. On the ice, I have received great coaching and played with great teammates everywhere that I have played which has helped me round out my game.”

Davis explained that Clarke excelled in the online schooling, becoming a straight-A-type student. He is mature for his age both on and off the ice and that is something that was appealing to the Force.

“Every element that could be a con to why he should come here has really been looked at,” Davis said. “We sat down with his family and his advisor and discussed every aspect.”

Picking the first 1996-born player may put the Force in the spotlight. It may even put them under a microscope. There are some people that will say Clarke is too young to be drafted. The organization is confident they made a great decision, and so is the player.

“It means a great deal to me to be the first 1996-born player drafted,” Clarke said. “I’m excited that a great organization like the Force is willing to take a chance on me, and I hope to exceed their expectations. It is encouraging and motivating that my hard work is paying off. My goal is to play in the NHL, and being drafted by the Force is a step along the way.”

Davis acknowledged that it is a bit of a unique scenario and one that few teams have to deal with. At the same time, the organization is confident they looked at everything in great detail and covered all scenarios before making the selection.

“It is a delicate situation,” Davis said. “We looked at it from all angles and told him we were going to draft him. He told us he’s coming, and he is coming.”

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By: Tim How

Photo: Chicago Mission