Speed Is Key To Oliver Scheffler, A Junior Playmaker For Glenbrook South Varsity Blue

Oliver Scheffler quickly established himself as one of the key forwards on the Glenbrook South Varsity Blue team – with his quickness, his speed certainly being key.

Scheffler, 17, who lives in Glenview, is a junior who formerly skated for the Niles Rangers and Glenview Stars. He has 5 goals and a team-leading 12 assists in 21 Academic Hockey League games.

“Schef is a tone-setter,” said GBS Varsity Blue head coach Jimmy Philbin, Jr. “He is one of the hardest working players I’ve coached at GBS. He has one speed, and it’s full tilt.

“He uses his speed to generate offense while playing fearlessly in the hard areas around the ice. I often ask the players on the team to watch the way he plays as an example of the pace we need to have in practices and games.”

Scheffler has a point in six of the team’s last seven AHL games. The Titans are 10-15, sitting in seventh-place in the nine-team league. GBS ends the regular season on Saturday, January 31, at home against Loyola Maroon.

“Being one of the older guys on my team, I have to set a precedent and work extra hard to show that leadership starts with example. My motivation is to be the best player on and off the ice,” said Scheffler, who shoots left-handed in uniform No. 43. “As one of the quicker players on the ice, I try to be the best all-around player. Although speed is useful for getting around defenders and setting up plays, it is also best utilized on the backcheck, being able to stop a goal that might lose you the game.

“My speed helps me become involved in every play. It gives my line an advantage, setting a tempo that allows us to play fast and aggressive hockey.”

Scheffler has long been one of the quicker skaters on the ice. “In those moments when everybody is tired and gasping for air, I still push myself and try to play to the top of my ability,” he said.

“When I was younger, I was always outside and active, running around, playing street hockey with my brother, and always looking for something to do. This translated to my speed, because in the gym, I was always putting in the extra sprint, always looking to do more work. The thing that helped develop my speed the most was running the 400M in track. In my opinion, it is the most humbling and the most exciting event. It teaches you that even in those last moments of the race, when the lactic acid makes your quads feel like concrete, when you want to give up and (quit), you have to keep pushing to the finish line.”

Scheffler is an aggressive player. “When I have the puck, I tend to burn the defender on the outside and crash the net hard,” he said. “That’s where all the points come from, picking up loose pucks and stuffing them in the net. Without the puck, I am also a great defensive player. Blocking shots, picking up guys in our zone, and most importantly, back-checking. One piece of advice I was told was, ‘Sometimes, you just have to put your head down and skate all the way back.’ This has stuck with me and shaped the way that I play.”

Scheffler, who has won a Most Improved Player award during his career, said a career highlight was last season’s Thanksgiving time battle against arch-rival Glenbrook North.

“Walking into the locker room (for the North-South game), they surprised us with jerseys for Glenbrook South’s 50th anniversary, which I still have hanging on my wall. There were a lot of people there, and the pressure in the rink was intense. Overall, the game was really fun and very memorable,” he said.

Scheffler said his favorite moment this season was scoring the last goal against Highland Park on their senior night in mid-January, especially after trailing 2-0 in the first period.

“Being among the top 20 scorers in the AHL is a big accomplishment. It is motivation to keep on improving and helping my team succeed,” Scheffler said. “The level of play (in the AHL) is challenging and competitive; it keeps you working every game and practice.”

Slapshots With … Glenbrook South Varsity Blue Forward Oliver Scheffler

Hockey Highlight: “Going into double overtime against York has to be one of the most stressful, but exciting moments in my career, especially being able to win both times.”
Favorite Moment This Season: “Being able to play with all my friends and building stronger bonds with them.”
Off The Ice: “I like to keep things simple. I spend time with family and friends, stay active and make sure I’m taking care of myself.”
It Helps: “I go to the gym a few times a week. Before every game, after the warm-up, I make sure to stretch by myself, putting myself in a good mental state.”
Superstitions: “I don’t have any on-ice superstitions, but, before every game, I make sure to eat a banana.”
Long-term Career Goals: “I want to become an anesthesiologist.”
College Plans: Attend the Warsaw School of Medicine
Favorite NHL Team: Chicago Blackhawks
Favorite NHL Player: Nikita Kucherov
Favorite Sports-themed Movie: Goon
Favorite TV Show: Peaky Blinders or Breaking Bad
Motivational Song: Turks by Nav & Gunna
Favorite Pre-game Meal: Spaghetti
Favorite app: Instagram
Celebrity You’d Like To Meet: Tiger Woods
Favorite High School Uniform (other than GBS): Loyola Academy