Georgia teen with autism pushing for professional hockey career

One of the most talented scorers in the Georgia Student Hockey League, Daniel LeCompte, has come a long way during his life. As a child, his mother was told that he would likely never speak, but now he's pushing to go pro in hockey.

LeCompte was diagnosed with autism, Tourette's, and obsessive compulsive disorder while attending elementary school at Chattahoochee Elementary School. Stacie LeCompte, his mother, signed him up in the North Miracle Metro League to get him involved in sports. He fell in love with the game of hockey, especially after he attended his first NHL game, watching the Atlanta Thrashers in action.

«After that first game, I was just like, I want to be on the ice and try this stick-puck game that they're playing,» he said. «Then I just picked it up from there.»

Daniel played the sport throughout high school, where he played for the Georgia Student Hockey League's Forsyth team. He had his best season yet and was named the league's top offensive player in the 'A' division, scoring 14 goals and 14 assists.

After graduating from Forsyth Central this summer, he plans on playing junior hockey for the Boston Junior Bruins.

«I feel the sport changed me as an individual,» LeCompte said. «If it wasn't for hockey, I probably wouldn't be as confident. My doctor, when (my mom) took me in, was like, your kid's going to need someone next to him for his whole life, because he's not going to be able to talk normally.»

Like many young hockey players, his goal is to play in the National Hockey League, and playing junior hockey would be one step in the right direction.

«That's always been his goal in life,» Stacie said. «That's what he's always wanted to do, is be a hockey player. And I'm like, well, you're going to have to pick something else. You don't know what's going to happen.»

Daniel knows that it would surely be a difficult task to make it to the NHL, but there is no point in not at least trying.

«You've just got to try,» Daniel said. «If you don't try, then you don't 100 percent know. You can be the best at it or the worst at it. As long as you try, you can set yourself a goal and go step by step.»

wjla.com

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