ESTERO, Fla. (WINK) — Matterhorn Fit put on its sixth All Ivy Showcase at Hertz Arena, a high-level event where players compete not just for wins but for college opportunities.
Top hockey prospects descended on Southwest Florida with the same goal: to get noticed. The showcase is run by former NHL player Ryan Vesce and his wife, Kate.
"We have a division one coach on every bench, so they're not only providing them with in game guidance, but all the other coaches that are here will be watching from the crowd and making notes on players, and then each player will get a player evaluation at the end of the camp, things they need to work on and continue to develop," Ryan Vesce, co-founder and CEO of Matterhorn Fit, said. "And some kids will get committed out of here."
Dozens of NCAA programs were in attendance for real-time recruiting. For local players, the stage felt a little more familiar.
"Hometown rink… grew up playing here as a kid, so yeah, a little advantage there," Sebastian Mogull, a forward and 2027 graduate, said.
Mogull was skating in front of college coaches.
"You know, I really like Dartmouth," Mogull said. "That's a dream school of mine. So we'll see. We'll see where it goes."
In the net, Estero's own Gavin Jones had his next step on the line. Jones is a goalie and a 2026 graduate.
"Just one shot at a time," Jones said. "One shot at a time. I'm a goalie, so it's just a pretty easy job to stop the puck."
The talent came from all over, but the opportunity hit differently for those from here.
"They put on a great event here," Jones said. "It's the best event in the US, in my opinion. So nothing beats it."
Players chased their dreams right in their backyard.
"For my job now, you know, my career is over," Vesce said. "It's really to help the next generation of players and really try to give them opportunity and exposure."
