BC3 Student Signs NAHL Contract

A young hockey player currently in Boston is moving up through the ranks of junior hockey while going to a school in a different state.

Tom Comunale, 18, who originally graduated from Seneca Valley High School, is currently playing midget AAA hockey in Boston for the Boston Junior Rangers. Last week he signed a tender to play next season for the St. Louis Bandits of the North American Hockey League (NAHL). The NAHL has produced numerous top NHL players including Rick DiPietro, Patrick Kane, Phil Kessel, and Ryan Miller. While Comunale is playing hockey he also takes classes via the internet at BC3.

Comunale, a goaltender, is excited to be going to St. Louis next season. "It feels great to be tendered with St. Louis, they have won the NAHL championship for the past three years so it's a great organization to be in," Comunale said.

Comunale's ultimate goal is to play Division I college hockey.

While going through the rigorous schedule of playing hockey this season Comunale finds time to take classes on the internet at BC3 as well. He wanted to take his basic classes and transfer the credits when he goes on to a four-year school.

Comunale felt BC3 was a good choice even if he currently plays hockey in Massachusetts. "I would not be able to physically attend all of the classes because we travel so much. It was cheaper to attend an in-state school than a community college in Massachusetts," Comunale said.

Comunale is not the only student taking online classes. Ann Fife, The Dean of Educational Technology at BC3, has seen a steady increase in students taking online classes. "The spring 2009 semester had the highest enrollment to-date, with 954 students enrolled in online courses. This semester we had 898 students enrolled in online coursework. This is an increase of 65 students from the fall 2008 semester, and an increase of almost 150 students from the fall 2007 semester," Fife said.

Fife also said that there will be more online classes developed in the future as the enrollment continues to grow.

Comunale likes how the classes fit his busy schedule. "It has helped me because of all the travel we do I can do my work whenever I have some free time. I like that I can do my work whenever I want, it gives you more freedom," Comunale said.

Comunale likes to do his school work after practice where he works with his goalie coach Brian Eklund. Eklund, who won a Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004, has been working with Comunale for six months. He has seen good progress in Comunale's game. "He is very sound and has great lateral movement. He is always square to the shot and is very fundamentally sound," Eklund said.

Eklund also has seen Comunale becoming more confident in net. "He is becoming a goalie who can step up and win games for his team by himself," Eklund said.

Eklund is excited for his young goalies opportunity in St. Louis. "It's a huge step forward for him. He is a very good kid and is getting the opportunity he deserves," Eklund said.

He also thinks St. Louis will be excited to get Comunale. "He's a good player that the St. Louis organization will be very happy with," Eklund said.