‘Easy decision’
Uniontown’s Jenkins signs with junior hockey team
When Uniontown Area High School’s Logan Jenkins was approached by the Charleston Colonials of the United States Premier Hockey League’s National Collegiate Development Conference to play for their team this season, the junior defenseman didn’t have to think twice.
“It was a pretty easy decision to make,” said Jenkins in reference to playing for a junior hockey club. “I was on a zoom call and talked with them about joining the team.”
The National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC) was formed in December of 2016 and began play the following September. The United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) launched the NCDC, which provided a tuition-free junior hockey division that was designed with the intent of its players reaching Division I collegiate development/placement and beyond.
The Colonials are based out of Charleston, S.C., and play their home games at the Carolina Ice Palace in North Charleston.
The team is coached by former NHL player Erik Cole, who spent eight full seasons and 17 regular-season games plus the playoffs in the 2008-09 campaign for the Carolina Hurricanes. Tyler Morin serves as Cole’s assistant coach and Matt Garver is the assistant scout.
Charleston returns to the ice on Nov. 13 against the Charlotte Rush at Carolina Ice Palace. Puck drop is scheduled for 9:20 p.m.
The Colonials have played 14 of 44 games this season and are fourth in the South – South East Division standings with 16 points.
Jenkins arrived in Charleston on Nov. 7 and hopes to get on the ice as soon as possible.
“I have already played with them (Charleston) a little bit, so I anticipate to go in and start playing,” Jenkins said. “It is a little bit different than what I’m used to, but I think I am going to do fine.”
Jenkins will complete his academics for Uniontown through online schooling while living with a billet family during his season, as the regular season runs through March 7.
Jenkins has visited the Charleston area several times for vacation at the beach, and went to a camp that was instrumental in him signing with the Colonials, which helped him learn the area.
“It will be a little different not being home, but I will still be able to communicate with my family, and my parents will do their best to come down and see me play,” Jenkins said. “They understand that this is what will be best for my hockey career in getting to the next level.”
Jenkins is comfortable with playing a lengthy schedule, as he played for the Pittsburgh Predators 16U AAA team and was a member of the Connellsville Area High School team in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League (PIHL) that is made up of players from schools in the area. Jenkins hopes he can return to the Falcons during Thanksgiving and Christmas break to be eligible for the PIHL playoffs. Connellsville is 9-0 this season while outscoring its opponents, 56-14.
“I am going to try and play at least two more games for Connellsville so I can be eligible for the PIHL playoffs,” Jenkins said. “It all depends on my schedule with Charleston, but I will play if I am able to.”
Jenkins has experimented with forward, but he has been a blue liner for the majority of his career, which began when he was six-years-old. The 16-year-old was more of a stay-at-home defenseman in the early part of his career, but has adapted to become more offensive.
“I have gotten more offensive in the past couple of years, but I would like to get more points and score more, which is something I need to work on,” Jenkins said. “It is better to be able to score and play solid defense. I enjoy playing the point on the power play and I play a lot on the penalty kill. It is important to be able to go in and do the dirty work.”
Jenkins’ evolution into becoming a hockey player started on the ice, but it was skating without a stick, as he began taking lessons when he was five-years-old.
“I would say my ability as a skater is one of my strongest assets as a hockey player,” Jenkins said. “I have taken lessons, which have helped me so much. I have used strength to be in a good position, but most of the skating was due to lessons and just getting on the ice and moving.”
Jenkins hopes his time in Charleston is the start of something special.
“I am looking to go as high as I can in the sport,” Jenkins said. “I just want to get better each day.”