Liberty University Club Sports Athletics
Forward recruit Finch a speedster on the ice with a team-first, winning mentality
5/1/2023 9:31:02 AM | Men's D1 Hockey
Four adjectives to describe incoming Liberty University ACHA Division I men’s hockey forward recruit Ryan Finch, in his own words, are “fast, deceptive, skilled, and passionate.”
A fifth would be competitve.
“I love winning, and hate to lose,” said Finch, a 21-year-old Raleigh, N.C., native who started playing hockey at age 3 and has had a passion for it ever since.
Finch totaled exactly 35 goals and 35 assists in 100 games with the Kenai River (Alaska) Brown Bears of the North American Hockey League (NAHL) over the past two seasons after previously playing for the North Carolina Golden Bears and the Seahawks near Boston in the Eastern Hockey League (EHL).
“I definitely got way faster and learned how to play higher level hockey the past two seasons,” Finch said. “My hockey IQ went up a lot, and I learned how to gain control of the play more.”
Liberty Hockey Operations Coordinator Brett Berthiaume called Finch last spring and invited him to come to the Flames’ Prospect Camp, where he made a positive first impression on Liberty’s coaching staff and its returning players on hand and fell in love with the campus atmosphere.
“I am super glad he reached out to me,” Finch said, noting that he met Flames goalie Hunter Virostek, forwards Jason Foltz, Matt Bartel, and Jacob Kalandyk and defenseman Laz Kaebel. “My brother, Austin, had played with Foltz in Atlanta and I knew him from when he played for the Junior Canes, so I have developed a friendship with him. All of the other players were welcoming, so it felt nice to be invited to the family right away.”
Finch, who plans to study exercise science and potentially go on to pursue a master’s degree in athletic training or physical therapy, is looking forward to developing spiritually as well as athletically at Liberty.
“Foltz had told me how much he loves it here, the atmosphere and passion to strive for God and hockey,” he said. “I really want to pursue that and grow in my relationship with God and in my game.”
He said playing the past two seasons in Alaska was a growing time for him personally.
“It was a blast and I learned a lot as an individual,” Finch said. “You have a lot of free time up in Alaska. Playing away from home, you realize you are on your own, all you have is God and you have to take one step at a time, … one shift at a time.”
He expects the transition from the NAHL to the ACHA to be a smooth one.
“I am used to playing with really fast and skilled players, so I should be able to transition to the ACHA and showcase my skills and what I have to bring to Liberty,” Finch said. “My goal personally is to grow my faith in the Lord and, hockey-wise, to bring some speed to the team and play whatever role (Flames Head Coach) Kirk (Handy) wants me to play.”
Finch considers himself a team player and hopes to have as much of an impact in the locker room as on the ice.
“I always try to boost the team up and put the team first,” he said. “I realize it’s 21 guys on and off the ice that have to bring everybody together and fight together as a team to keep the brotherhood going.”
After graduating from Liberty, if he doesn’t play hockey professionally, Finch still wants to stay in the game.
“I kind of want to stay with sports forever, and hopefully stay with a team and be an athletic trainer or a personal trainer for a team like Liberty or a Junior team. I would like to make workouts, show kids how to take care of their body, what stretches to do and how to prevent injuries.”
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer
