In hockey or baseball, Wheaton Academy's Dzingel carries a big stick

Trading one stick for another has become old hat for Wheaton Academy senior Ryan Dzingel.

A gem as a three-year starter for the Warriors' baseball team, Dzingel is also a burgeoning star in the world of hockey. He recently returned from Lincoln, Neb., where he spent nearly five months competing for the Stars of the United States Hockey League.

For Dzingel, it's a steppingstone toward his dream of playing in the National Hockey League.

"I've always wanted to go to the NHL," he said. "I need to keep working hard, and hopefully I'll have a shot at it."

The USHL boasts 228 players committed to colleges, including Dzingel, who has verbally accepted a scholarship to Ohio State University. The USHL also boasts 142 alumni in the NHL, a list that includes Chicago Blackhawks Patrick Sharp and Adam Burish.

While playing in the USHL certainly doesn't guarantee anything, Dzingel's put himself on the right path. It's a path that easily could have gone a different way.

"My dad's always loved baseball, and he's wanted me to play at college," Dzingel said. "But my favorite sport's always been hockey."

It started with a red helmet.

Rick Dzingel, Ryan's dad and an assistant baseball coach at Wheaton Academy, had a friend who introduced Ryan to hockey when he was 5 years old. Dzingel immediately shined, becoming known for the red helmet that stood out as he terrorized goalies with his penchant for scoring goals.

The terror never ceased. Dzingel continued to pile up goals during his six years of playing AAA hockey with Team Illinois, eventually being drafted into the USHL by Lincoln.

Dzingel went to Nebraska in early January and played half the USHL season. He scored 11 goals and dished 15 assists as the team's fifth-highest point producer despite the limited playing time.

The experience was second to none.

"I thought it was just going to be cornfields, but it was a great place," Dzingel said. "It was usually sold out with about 4,600 people at the games. It was crazy in there."

Hockey became Dzingel's full-time job as he practiced four hours a day, four days a week and typically played games the other three days. Dzingel, who stayed with a host family, kept up with his school work through online classes set up by his Wheaton Academy teachers.

The transition wasn't easy, and it led to another transition when Dzingel returned home April 4. The next day he played baseball against Immaculate Conception, reclaiming his familiar position at shortstop.

"I swung a bat once in six months, so that was interesting," Dzingel said. "It's tough, but it's getting a little easier every day."

Wheaton Academy baseball coach Willie Bosque has no doubt Dzingel will round into baseball shape quickly. In 12 games he's batting .528 with 22 runs scored, 13 RBI and a .833 slugging percentage.

Bosque, like Ryan's father, thinks much of Ryan's potential baseball abilities. Even though Dzingel's future appears to be in hockey, Bosque believes he'd also have a shot at baseball's next level.

"He could definitely play Division I baseball," Bosque said. "It's a weird combination, but in the right situation I think he could play both. He really wants to play hockey, though.

"He's determined as any kid I've ever coached," he said. "He wants it bad. I think he's got a good chance at making it to the NHL."

For now he's settling back into baseball as he also skates a couple of times a week to stay in hockey shape. He'll play a full USHL season for Lincoln when he reports next fall, and he could be selected in the NHL Draft this summer or next.

Dzingel, however, plans to honor a promise he made to his mother to attend college. His experience at Ohio State will go a long way in determining his NHL potential.

From Wheaton Academy to Nebraska and Ohio. If Dzingel's hard work pays off, the next stop could be the big time.

"It's still a long way off, but it's definitely a goal I have," he said. "I'm going to work as hard as I can to make it happen."