CENTER TWP — Tunnel vision can be a good thing.

Center Township resident Dominic Oliver, a sophomore at Shady Side Academy, has been playing hockey since age 5. He sees himself playing it for a lot longer.

“Hockey is the most fun game on earth,” Oliver said. “The team atmosphere is like no other sport. I don’t think any teammates are closer than hockey players.

“This is what I want to do. My goal for years has been to play Division I college hockey.”

He’s headed in that direction.

Oliver recently received the 2010-11 Randy Shriver Award, given to the Shady Side player who most reflects the qualities of dedication, loyalty and determination to the Shady Side hockey program.

Shriver was instrumental in bringing ice hockey to Shady Side Academy. The team plays in the Midwest Prep Hockey League, which requires ample travel.

Shady Side’s nearest opponent is in Cleveland.

“It’s extremely rare for an underclassman to receive this award,” Shady Side coach Jonathan Johnson said. “It’s based on leadership, so an upperclassman generally gets it.

“Dom is such a good person. He’s always doing the right things, especially when we’re on the road. He’s a model on how a person should conduct himself and his teammates recognized that.”

The Shriver Award recipient is voted upon by the Shady Side Academy players.

Oliver stands 5-foot-5 and weighs 145 pounds —generally small by hockey standards — but scored approximately 12 goals and added 20 assists this past season.

With only two seniors on the team, the Indians finished 17-17-4.

“Dom is a good playmaker who is smart with the puck,” Johnson said. “His game made a pretty big jump this year.”

Shady Side’s hockey team has been to Switzerland and plays road games in Chicago, Buffalo, Quebec and Ontario, among other stops, during the regular season.

The MPHL season runs from November through March. Games are played on weekends and the team generally leaves town on Thursdays.

“You get some studying done on the bus or you find some time to hit the books in the motel,” Oliver said. “It’s challenging, playing hockey here, but it’s worth it.

“I love the competition and hockey is the most popular sport at the school, along with football. Our home games draw big crowds on Friday nights.”

Shady Side has its own ice rink on campus.

“We’re a hockey family and we know what Dom’s dreams are,” Jerry Oliver, his father, said. “That’s one of the reasons we sent him to Shady Side.”

Jerry Oliver played three years of high school hockey at Ford City, has coached Butler freshman hockey and worked with the Armstrong Arrows for several years. His son has played for the Arrows and the Junior Penguins growing up.

The Olivers have another son, 9-year-old Jerome Jr., playing amateur hockey.

“Hockey families do a lot of traveling and dedicate a lot of time to the game.” Mr. Oliver said. “Our best friends are our hockey friends. It’s worth it for the kids and it doesn’t last forever.”

Johnson said college hockey “is clearly in this kid’s future” while Oliver knows he has to keep developing his game.

“I need to develop into a better goal scorer,” he said. “I’m workling on shooting the puck more. Since I’m not very big physically, I have to play the game smart.”