Michael Nisky, a rising senior at St. Joseph High School of Metuchen, has developed his on-ice and leadership skills as a member of the Falcons’ varsity team. Michael Nisky is an extremely talented ice hockey player and outstanding student. So when the time came for him to decide where to attend high school, the choice wasn’t difficult.
The Colonia native wanted to combine a challenging academic environment close to home and improve his skills on the ice. St. Joseph High School of Metuchen provided Nisky with both of those opportunities and more.
Nisky enters his senior year this fall and he appreciates being part of a close-knit community where students form bonds that last a lifetime.
“I’ve had the opportunity to be on a team with some truly special players,” Nisky said. “I became best friends with Paul Cimilluca and Marc Johnstone, who have moved on to play college hockey, and I learned things from them I’ll always use.”
A naturally gifted skater, Nisky’s skills flourished when he earned more ice time after joining the varsity team. Another important lesson he learned about playing for St. Joe’s was the importance of leadership.
“I’m fortunate to be blessed with some skills, especially my speed,” he said. “I’m always looking to capitalize on opportunities to score, but I learned early on how important it is to be a leader.”
Head coach Ryan Carter said Nisky demonstrated his best leadership qualities in a two-game stretch during his sophomore season when he was shelved for two games after suffering an injury.
“Michael was at every game and practice,” Carter said. “And when he returned to the ice, he helped us win the [Greater Middlesex Conference (GMC)] title and advance to the [NJSIAA Non-Public] state quarterfinals. He was elected a captain as a sophomore and he earned it.”
Statistics alone don’t reveal how special Nisky is when he steps on the ice. Although he surpassed 100 points for his career last winter — the 11th player in school history to do so — Nisky was named a New Jersey Devils player of the month for the second consecutive year. With another season to go, Nisky has registered 106 points.
He took his first steps on the ice when he was 3 years old, although the experience turned out to be a slip and slide session. His older brother played travel hockey and always had a firm grip on his younger brother, who only wanted to enjoy the feeling of gliding up and down the slick surface.
“I was always at rinks for practices and games,” Nisky said. “And before long, I learned how to skate and play hockey.”
Center has always been Nisky’s favorite position, although he has skated on either wing. In addition to playing for St. Joe’s, he spends the spring and summer with his travel team, the North Jersey Avalanche. He also receives special training with a development program called Hockey Essentials and works out several days a week with a personal trainer.
Nisky said his most gratifying achievement so far was being drafted in spring 2014 by the Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League (USHL) — considered the top junior development loop in the country.
St. Joe’s has provided Nisky with a quality education that will prepare him for college. Despite a schedule that includes multiple honors classes, his GPA stood at 4.35 after the spring.
Given the fact Nisky’s schedule is jampacked with hockey-related activity, he admits finishing schoolwork leaves him little time to do much besides eat and sleep.
His dedication to the game and in the classroom is designed to achieve one objective, according to Nisky: a college scholarship.
“Right now, I am not considering any colleges because I am waiting to see if there are any Division I or Division III colleges that are interested in me as a player,” he said.
Wherever Nisky ends up after graduation, his high school coach believes his captain and center will succeed.
“There is no doubt in my mind Michael will be successful playing hockey and whatever direction he goes,” he said. “He has showed how valuable a player he is to his teammates because of his commitment and work ethic.”
That’s because Nisky knows what it means to play for St. Joe’s.
“Our program has a lot of young players joining the team this winter,” he said. “As a senior, I want to be the best role model I can, just like the players before me were.”