Sports

Former Boys Hockey Star Farnham ’08 Honored for Efforts Off the Ice

Bobby Farnham ’08, former Andover Boys Hockey star and current Senior Assistant Captain of Brown University Men’s Hockey, was awarded the Derek Hines Unsung Hero Award for his contributions both on and off the ice rink. “Bobby is the true epitome of what a student-athlete should be,” said Brown Men’s Hockey Coach Brendan Whittet. “He’s just a great ambassador for Brown and all people across the nation. He doesn’t do good deeds to attract attention but because he’s able to help out with those in need. He’s a down-to-earth, humble guy who will be sorely missed.” The Hockey Commissioner’s Association established the Derek Hines Unsung Hero Award in honor of former Army hockey player Derek Hines, who was a role model for his fellow teammates and a team builder. Hines played at the United States Military Academy at West Point from 1999-2003 and was a four-year letter earner as well as Co-Captain during his Senior season. In 2005, he was killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan. This past summer, Farnham and a couple of other friends saved three teenagers who were about to drown in a local riptide. The group swam against the tide to bring the unconscious victims back to shore and to safety, out of harm’s way. Farnham has been a driving force around the Brown Campus, spearheading a non-profit called “Ambassador to Team Impact,” which cultivates relationships between athletic teams and children facing life-threatening diseases. This year, Farnham served as the ambassador between a young boy undergoing cancer treatment and the Brown Hockey team. Each week, Farnham spent time with the boy and taught him about hockey. Farnham also had a phenomenal year hockey-wise. Named the Senior Assistant Captain for Brown and known as one of the fastest skaters on the team, he tied a career high with eight goals and broke career highs in assists (13), power-play goals (3) and total points (21). A two-year Senior at Andover, Farnham served as the Co-Captain of the hockey team during the 2007-2008 season. While at Andover, Farnham earned First Team All-New England Prep Honors and was named Sports Athlete of the Year by The Phillipian. He finished his high school career with 173 points. Boylan said, “Bobby [Farnham] was a tremendous leader both on and off the ice [at Andover]. His passion for the game is infectious, and he strives to be the best he can be. This holds true for his community involvement as well. He makes a difference. I had the privilege of helping coach a team that Derek Hines played for. He was an incredible young man and I am truly thrilled that one of our former players has been honored as the recipient of his award. Bobby is very deserving.” Farnham expressed his gratitude toward Hines’s service and his desire to continue to live by Hines’s ideals. “I am so honored to have been selected as the recipient of the Derek Hines Unsung Hero Award,” he told a reporter from “The Boston Globe.” “The character, spirit, and leadership that Derek exhibited have always been qualities that I have tried to emulate in both athletics and in life.” As Farnham moves on to playing for the Providence Bruins, the Boston Bruins minor league affiliate, people around the nation are rooting for him to succeed and hope to see him in the NHL someday.