Born in Nottingham, England, Rais Francis discovered ice hockey at five years old when his mother took him to a Nottingham Panthers game.
 
"My mom took my younger brother and me to every game we could attend," said Francis, who was already playing soccer. "When I was old enough, I asked if I could play. I was forced to choose which sport I preferred, and it was an easy choice."
 
Time on the ice in the UK was difficult for young Francis to come upon, often training until midnight on school nights, something he did not prefer. An opportunity arose for Francis to attend the Ontario Hockey Academy in Canada, where he played for two years before moving to New Hampshire for his senior year of high school.
 
Once in the U.S., Francis' hockey career took off. As a senior, he played for the New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs 18U team, along with current LVC teammates Jackson Legro and Chris Mingus. The trio live together and are walking through all the first-year college experiences collectively.
 
Francis first discovered LVC while researching colleges with an NCAA hockey program after playing two years of junior hockey in Louisiana, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, and Norway. When he visited campus, he met with head coach Don Parsons, who played professionally for 17 years, and assistant coach Doug Yingst, former president and general manager of the American Hockey League's Hershey Bears. Francis felt their experience with professional hockey, along with the team's positive atmosphere, would provide him with the best opportunity to develop and achieve his goals.
 
Now with his first LVC season complete, Francis is helping to grow the Dutchmen hockey family. He recently connected with recruit Tanner Tolliver from Halifax, Nova Scotia, who is enrolled at LVC for Fall 2022. Tolliver could be  the first black player from Canada's Maritime provinces to ever play hockey in the NCAA.
 
"Knowing some players on the team already definitely allowed me to learn about the people at the school that some people wouldn't have the opportunity to learn," said Tolliver. "Rais, as another minority hockey player on the team, had nothing but positive things to say about the school. Knowing the environment I'll be coming into played a role in my decision. The community and student body at the school, along with what it offers academically, were the main aspects that attracted me most to LVC."

Tolliver is currently wrapping up his last season of juniors as a member of the South Shore Lumberjacks in the Maritime Junior Hockey League. He has also played in the Ontario Hockey Academy in Ottawa along with the Ontario Junior Hockey League and Central Canada Hockey League. He said the idea of playing hockey and attending college in the United State always appealed to him.
"Meeting new people, working toward my goal in life academically all while playing the sport I love is truly amazing and I am appreciative of this opportunity," said Tolliver, who is looking at science majors, including biochemistry and molecular biology. "I do know that LVC is somewhere I can thrive and develop as a teammate, hockey player, and student.
 
Tolliver and Francis both have goals of pursuing professional hockey like other LVC alumni, but realize the importance of the academic experience.
 
"I felt that playing collegiate hockey would not only allow me to pursue a degree but also enable me to develop as a hockey player over four years," said Francis, a psychology major. "After hockey, I am looking to go into a career in sports. Some areas I'm considering include becoming a hockey coach, a sports psychologist, or working in the strength and conditioning field."


Hear more from Tolliver in this interview on Mainstreet NS with Jeff Douglas.