Ever since Jonah Gold ’19 arrived at Groton in fourth form as an avid hockey player, he has been a valuable asset to the boys varsity team. “Jonah has a great work ethic, this makes him a role model to the other teammates, always going to the gym and working out” commented his coach, Bill Riley. Teammate Noah Kader ’19 said, “He leads by example, and really inspired me to have a greater work ethic.”

        Jonah started playing hockey at the age of five. His father, a math teacher and hockey coach, brought Jonah as a child to watch his team play. Jonah recalled how “the finesse, speed, and elegance of hockey really inspired me to play.” The first team Jonah played for was the Red Wings, coincidentally the same name of his favorite National Hockey League Team. Jonah aspires to be like his favorite player Martin St. Louis, a former professional Canadian hockey player, but teammate Will Torriani ’19 believes otherwise, joking, “He’s more like David Desharnais.”

What makes Jonah’s athletic career truly fascinating is his progression. “Playing hockey during my sophomore year was very different than playing for my old team,” he explained. Back in his home state of California, Jonah played against people in his age group, but at Groton, he had to compete against older students. “Jonah was already really good in fourth form,” said Coach Riley, “but through hard work and love for hockey he managed to get even better.” As reflected in his statistics, Jonah steadily improved from his first year at Groton. During his sophomore year, Jonah participated in 25 games, scoring 11 goals. In Jonah’s junior year, he played in 26 games, scored 20 goals and made 19 assists. Despite racking up fewer goals this year, Jonah has assisted many players–14 so far. Noah joked that this change comes from his “benevolence” in letting “Drew Burke score most of his goals.”

When asked about his favorite moment on the hockey team, Jonah joked about when teammate Colin Rosato ’22  “tomahawked me with a stick on the neck during practice.” Outside of the rink, Jonah tries to improve his game by conditioning. Will said, “He’s always in the gym working out, treats his body like a temple.” But when not focusing on hockey, Jonah is focused on his schoolwork. “Along with the amazing hockey program here, Groton is dedicated to helping students excel academically. That’s why I want to make the most of my education,” said Jonah.

Jonah was recently injured in a match against Academie Saint Louis. He is currently at home in Los Angeles resting with his family and will return during Spring term. Hopefully he will heal rapidly, and his teammates on the boys varsity team will finish off a great season. Though disappointed about his injury, Jonah is proud to have played three successful seasons of hockey at Groton.