Overachieving Underclassmen is a column about underclassmen at LFHS by freshman reporter Peter Elliott

An hour and a half on the road, an hour and a half practice, and an hour and a half drive back.

That’s the after-school routine that freshman Matt Basgall undertakes roughly three times every week, allowing him to get to his hockey practices at MB Ice Arena in downtown Chicago. He might be able to call the arena, where the Chicago Blackhawks also practice, his second home. In addition to practices, he must regularly commute lengthy distances in order to attend weekend games and tournaments, some as far away as Michigan.

How can any team be so demanding of its teenage players?

The answer: Basgall serves as a first-line defenseman for the Chicago Mission’s 16U hockey team, a prestigious local travel team that gathers the best talent from across the Chicagoland area. The Mission are a well-oiled machine of an organization that claims many current NHL players as alums, including Dustin Byfuglien, Vinnie Hinostroza, John Moore, and T.J. Tynan.

It’s not an exaggeration to say Basgall could join those ranks in some time.

While Basgall is nothing short of a natural-born athlete, it’s his relentless work ethic that has taken him this far. When he’s not at school, in transit, or home, it’s a safe bet that Basgall is on the ice. That’s not a hyperbole either, as with the competition he regularly faces, the 15-year-old can’t afford to not be honing his skills.

It certainly seems like his slavish schedule is paying dividends, as the 15-year-old is already being recognized in the junior hockey world as a top prospect, with his name appearing in Amateur Hockey Report, SB Nation College Hockey, and The Scouting News. Basgall is even being floated as a potential draft pick in the upcoming United States Hockey League draft.

Not many teenagers can say that they’ve entered high school with a chip on their shoulder and a ring on their finger, but Basgall can say both. Last year, he helped lead the Mission to a national championship, racking up three goals and seven assists in twenty games, while also adding the lockdown defense he’s become known to provide. Earlier this month, Basgall added to his hardware collection, as the Mission traversed a difficult tournament field in West Chester, Pennsylvannia en route to a second straight national championship.

While many would flaunt media attention and a blingy championship ring, the humble Basgall does not. You might only hear of his accolades through a social media post congratulating his teammates, or through a passing remark. Basgall is a rare withdrawal from the self-congratulatory athlete, something all sports fans should welcome.

To aid in his prospective professional pursuits, he also employs the services of a professional agent. Sorry mom, no negotiating for you.

“As you would assume, it’s crazy to say I already have a certified agent,’ said Basgall. “He is quite beneficial when it comes to dealing with [professional hockey] scouts.”

Basgall even fits the stereotypical mold of a hockey player: soft spoken, modest, and always willing to pass along credit to others for his successes.

“I have to credit all of my coaches,” Basgall responded, when asked of his coaching influences. “Believe it or not, I haven’t run into one bad coach yet.”

If he insists on passing along credit, he could assign some to the community for his successful upbringing in the sport of hockey. The Lake Forest native and graduate of Deer Path Middle School learned to skate at Lake Forest College and sharpened his skates later on as a member of a house league team in the Falcons program.

He is even aware enough to ponder the absurdity of the sport he is so devoted to, as he told me, “You are on two knives skating on ice. Putting thought into it, it’s a very weird sport.”

The 5’9,” 180-pound Basgall is easily identifiable at Lake Forest High School, not just because of his broad frame, but because of his attire. He can regularly be seen donning a Mission branded tracksuit with his number “4” stitched across in bright green. He may be monotonous in his wardrobe, but nothing if not on-brand. Basgall may come off as a no-nonsense hockey player, but he’ll crack a joke faster than you can say “Quenneville”. Because of his agreeable personality and considerable on-ice skill, it’s no wonder he has amassed friends from around the country throughout his travels.

So, as another productive season winds down and a busy offseason ensues, Basgall has a couple more things to credit for his successes: his mother, for being a patient chauffeur, and Illinois roads, for holding up after all those three-hour roundtrips.