Senior Zach Satin is many things–an honor student, a brother, a friend, a teammate, a captain and a leader– but he is known to most of us as a hockey player.

From the moment he joined his first travel team at 7 years old, Zach found a passion that could never be compromised even through early morning practices, late nights and grueling hours spent on the ice six days a week.

“Ever since I was a kid it has been the most fun thing to do,” Zach said. “Whenever I am not playing, I wish I was playing.”

It is not just his love of the game that makes the team captain and star defenseman special. In the 2010-2011 season, Zach helped the team to win a state championship and led his club team to nationals. After just six games this season, Zach has scored three goals and four assists.

“Not all defensemen have his offensive talent,” coach Ray McKenzie said. “Zach has a great shot, is a great passer and a great playmaker. He could easily be a top forward.”

Being star hockey player is not what makes Zach a great captain. As a leader, he sets an example for everyone else on the team.

“Some guys talk, other guys perform, and Zach is a guy that lets his play do the talking for him,” McKenzie said. “Young players look up to him because Zach makes every practice and loves to practice.”

It was this persistent nature that has allowed Zach to improve every year since making varsity as a freshman. After sustaining bilateral stress fractures of one of his vertebra, which kept him off the ice for nine weeks, he returned, working as hard as ever.

“I guess I am motivated by myself,” Zach said. “I have certain standards that I hold myself to, and my friends and I push each other.”

This past fall, Zach made time to be the captain of the CHS golf team while maintaining a 4.7 GPA. On top of this, he still attends every morning hockey practice before school.

According to Zach’s mother Gail Seiken, the time and commitment that comes with playing hockey is completely worth it when it comes down to the life lessons he learns, and the joy that he shares with his younger brother Phillip Satin, his teammate on the CHS varsity team.

“Hockey between me and my brother is how we became best friends,” Phillip said. “It’s a lot of fun, and everything in our lives seems to revolve around it.”

Zach plans to play Division I or II club hockey in college, but he has a bigger goal on his mind for the near future.

“This year, I want to win states,” Zach said