That’s why he jumped at a chance to attend National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 hockey identification camps at both Princeton University and Harvard University over the summer.
Mercer, a Pasadena native, won the top goalie award as a rookie puckstopper with the Notre Dame Hounds AA Midget team in the South Saskatchewan Minor Hockey League last winter.
His coach, Jeremy Mylymok, made the arrangements for Mercer to check out the hockey at both NCAA Division 1 schools and Mercer was only too glad to get a better understanding of what it takes to play at such a high level.
He was a bit nervous heading into the camps because he had no idea how good the players would be.
Before too long, he settled in and felt like he belonged, he said.
Even though the NCAA rules indicate he’s not eligible to be approached by any NCAA schools until Jan. 1, Mercer has already figured out it’s a place for him to hone his skillset and become an even better goalie.
He only hopes he caught the attention of the right people in a relatively short period of time.
“I felt like this is the kind of hockey I want to play and this is where I want to end up,” he said.
He’s been a busy man all summer, working in the gym in an effort to get bigger and stronger with hopes of having a great season as he returns to Notre Dame again this year.
This season, his goal is to crack the roster of the Notre Dame Hounds of the Saskatchewan AAA Midget Hockey League and figures that is an attainable goal with the goaltending tandems for both Notre Dame AAA midget squads graduating at the end of the season.
It’s a job for the taking, and the five-foot-10, 170-pounder is excited about giving it his best shot against a crop of good goalies from the AA midget ranks hoping to secure the same crease he hopes to patrol this year.
“It’s going to be a bit easier, but it’s still going to be hard.”
Twitter: @WS_SportsDesk