December 28, 2011
Force field
High-scoring Eden, N.Y., product Iafallo making the jump to USHL, hoping the wait was worth it
by Gene Morris/Correspondent
(photo: mJoy Photography)
Time is of the essence for Alex Iafallo.
The 17-year-old Eden, N.Y., native made the move to Fargo, N.D., to begin his junior career this fall. If it was up to the Fargo Force, Iafallo would have been with the team in late 2010, but instead the young forward decided to stay at home.
The Force would have liked to have added Iafallo at midseason, even offered him a spot on the team. But Iafallo thought the time wasn’t right, wanted to improve on his own, and made the decision to stay home.
“I wanted to stay and finish my school year, and try to win a (club) national championship and just get strong,” he said.
The decision seemed to pay off for Iafallo – he led his Buffalo Regals 18-and-under team to the state championship and into nationals for the club’s 14th consecutive year. His offensive skills led the way, as he finished the season with 29 goals and 39 assists in 60 games.
“It was great because all my friends and family are there to see me excel and do what I love,” he said. “It’s been a great road for me.”
Still, when the USHL draft rolled around, it was no coincidence that the team that had wanted him six months earlier made him a second-round draft choice. Iafallo’s decision to come to Fargo this time was a whole lot easier. He made his debut on Oct. 1 in the Force’s season opener against Des Moines.
Welcome to another world.
“I was really tired,” said Iafallo, about how he felt after the game. “It was really quick and strong, and I’ve never been in games where there were so many fans not cheering for us. The fans were insane because it was their home opener, but I thought it was really fun.”
Besides dealing with playing in front of more rabid fans halfway across the country, Iafallo has taken well to the new scenery. He’s learned that using his time wisely, just like he did when he decided to stay at home and finish his junior year at Eden High School, is one of the more important aspects of life on and off the ice.
“Living on your own is so different, but I got used to it in the first few weeks,” he said. “You have to make sure everything is all set for school, get all the workouts in and skate every day. You really get tired by the end of the day.”
Also, for the first time since he can remember, those rabid fans in the stands don’t consist of his close family, which has supported him at every level of his rise through the New York hockey scene.
“It’s different because usually my parents and grandparents and siblings are at every game when I played in Buffalo,” he said. “Now they watch games online and I talk to them after every game, but it’s not the same as having them there.”
Of course, the game on the ice is different as well. As with most 17-year-olds, Iafallo knows he needs to add bulk to his frame and improve his strength. But for now, his speed, quickness and ability to see the ice are what he is relying most heavily on.
“I want to improve my size and strength,” he said. “You just have to make quicker decisions with the puck, and always have to work hard in the corners and win your battles.”
Balancing the travel and school work is something else that is new to the young New Yorker, but not something, he feels, he can’t handle by just using his time wisely.
“Using every second you have,” is the most important thing he has learned, he said. “Doing homework, eating, whatever -- just getting everything done as quickly and efficiently as you can so you have some off time.”
And he’s proven at every level in his blossoming career that he can effectively adapt and continue to improve. It would seem that it’s only a matter of time until Iafallo makes a big impact on the Force.
Gene Morris can be reached at feedback@nyhockeyjournal.com.
AROUND JUNIORS
Brothers Tim and Connor Clifton of the Jersey Hitmen both committed to Quinnipiac University for the fall of 2013. Tim, a 1992-born forward, scored 25 goals for the Hitmen last year. Connor, a 1995-born defenseman, who is currently on loan to the U.S. National Team Development Program, is thought of to be a high draft pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. … New York Apple Core defenseman Zander Masucci (Far Hills, N.J.) has committed to Division 3 Williams College for the fall of 2012, according to the Eastern Junior Hockey League website. … Atlantic Junior Hockey League alum Zach Aston-Reece was named the No. 15 North American skater on the NHL Central Scouting “ones to watch list.”… Brandon Fusaro, a 1996-born forward for the Apple Core Empire Jr., has committed to Division 1 Army for either the 2014 or ‘15 season. Fusaro is regarded as one of top ’96 forwards from Long Island.
-- GENE MORRIS
