The 2020 Senior Perspectives is the 15th in a series of annual collections. Senior captains and representatives of teams at Harvard have been invited to contribute viewpoints based on personal experience from both their senior seasons and full varsity careers at Harvard.

Frederic Gregoire
Hometown: St. Lambert, Quebec

Growing up in a small French-speaking neighborhood outside of Montreal, Canada, my family and I could have never imagined a day where I would walk around Harvard Yard as a student, let alone wear the prestigious "H" for the men's varsity hockey team. The past four years here have been nothing short of extraordinary and I have a lot to be thankful for.
 
To begin, I am thankful for the way the Harvard Athletics community and the hockey program have pushed me to become the best version of myself on and off the ice. Being surrounded by so many driven and caring individuals has taught me priceless life lessons. Additionally, I am thankful for the entire supporting staff, including coaches, physical trainers, faculty fellows, and everyone else who allowed us to play the sport that we love. Their diligent work and dedication are what makes Harvard Athletics so special. They've given me an opportunity of a lifetime and I do not take it for granted.
 
Moreover, I consider myself so fortunate for the way Harvard Hockey has defined my experience on campus. Going to the Frozen Four, winning the Beanpot, beating Cornell and Yale at Madison Square Garden, and going to Lake Placid three years in a row has been more than I could have ever asked for. The small moments like the daily walks by the river, the time spent in the locker room after practice, and the long bus rides back from Princeton and Clarkson will be memories I cherish forever. Additionally, I am thankful for the priceless relationships I have built with my teammates. Harvard Hockey differentiates itself from any other programs in the country by the type of person it recruits. All of the teammates I have been fortunate enough to compete with exemplify what it means to be a leader, whether that be in school, in the community, or in sports. I have learned more from all of them than I could have ever imagined, and for that I am thankful.
 
On my first day on campus, I walked into Annenberg - the first-year dining hall. Among the crowd and roaring sound of new students introducing themselves, I noticed someone wearing a U.S.A. hockey shirt, and took it upon myself to go ask if he was a hockey player. Sitting at the table I found Adam Fox, John Marino, Colton Kerfoot, Justin Szeto, Nathan Krusko, and Cameron Gornet, all incoming freshmen on the team. They offered an open seat and the rest is history. Four years later, they are some of my closest friends and have become like a second family. As we begin the next step in our lives, I find comfort in knowing we will always be able to come together again as part of the Harvard Hockey family. And for that, I am forever grateful.
 
Sincerely,
Frederic Gregoire #71