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Pitters makes D-I Commitment

By Craig Peterson, 05/25/17, 3:45PM EDT

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Grosse Pointe South senior verbally commits to Bowling Green State

Grosse Pointe South forward Adam Pitters became the second MI-HS senior this season to make a D-I hockey commitment by announcing his plans to join NCAA Bowling Green State on Tuesday.

The announcement is a significant accomplishment for MI-HS hockey, as what once was a rarity is becoming more and more common. Brighton senior Jake Crespi made a verbal commitment to NCAA Lake Superior State in December and Pitters’ announcement this week makes him the 25th current or former MI-HS player committed to play Division-I hockey.

Pitters said he was a bit in shock when first offered a scholarship by BGSU head coach Chris Bergeron, and that it took some time to set in. But once the impact of the moment had subsided, it was an easy decision for him to make.

“About a quarter of the way through the high school season, they contacted me and wanted me to come for a visit,” Pitters said. “I went up there and I loved the campus. It was great, facilities were great, coaches were great. I liked how they coached.”

Pitters played in 76 games during the course of his three-year high school career, totaling 60 goals and 138 points with his 2016-17 senior season being his most dominant stretch scoring 27 goals and 66 points in 26 games. Pitters attributes much of that success to coach Bobby McKillop for developing his game while in high school.

“When I first came to South, I was a nobody,” Pitters said. “I didn’t know anything about hockey, I was horrible in the D-zone. I had a little bit of offensive skill but not much. He improved my game so much its unreal.”

Listed at 5-foot-10 and 160 pounds, McKillop saw something in the undersized Pitters that many others might  have otherwise overlooked.

“When I told people two years ago, I said ‘listen, this kid’s got a shot, if he buys in and he puts the work in, this kid’s got a shot. I’d like to see where this kid’s gonna be in two years,’” McKillop said, reminiscing on his first impressions of Pitters. “Guys were like, ‘Ah he’s never gonna make it. He’s undersized, he’s this, he’s that.’ They were saying that this year. He, in my opinion, was the best player in high school hockey. It’s a real positive thing for him.”

Size isn’t as much of a factor in today’s hockey as it once was. Smaller, more versatile players with quickness and hockey smarts can thrive in modern hockey more now than ever before. That style is exactly what played into Pitters’ favor.

“Playing without the puck, the importance of possessing the puck, not giving it away,” McKillop said. “The importance of being the best guy on the ice without the puck both offensively and defensively…In order to play the game, you don’t have to be good at one thing, you have to be good at everything. That’s winning your one-on-one battles, competing for the puck, can you possess it and not turn it over? He was that guy. He had a ton of skill. You could see his skillset for sure. He was a little guy. He wasn’t big by any standards but what he had was a motor. He wanted to play this game. He wanted to do this. This was his goal the day he walked in here.”

Pitters continued to make strides in his game, leaving for NAHL Aberdeen after the conclusion of his senior season with Grosse Pointe South. He signed a tender with the Wings earlier in the season and upon conclusion of the high school schedule, was called up for the remainder of the NAHL season.

With the Wings, Pitters played in five regular-season games as well as 11 games during the team’s playoff run, scoring three goals and five points in the postseason.

Making a verbal commitment to a Division-I school ranks as his most significant accomplishment in hockey thus far, but Pitters knows it's only the beginning. Constantly looking to improve his game, the 18-year-old said the most important thing to do throughout the process is to ask questions of those around you and be willing to accept their criticisms.

“Work out on and off-ice every chance you get,” Pitters said. “Ask questions to scouts or coaches, ask questions, ask what you can improve on, ask what you’re doing good with. I do that and it helps me out a lot because I know what I need to work on and I’ll take that onto the ice and I’ll work on it.”