By Warren Kozireski —
41 years ago, Mark Major stepped on the Lynah Rink ice as a freshman at Cornell and now his nephew, Charlie Major, is already impacting the Big Red line-up with younger brother Henry scheduled to arrive in two years.
Charlie Major, through the first eight games of his collegiate career, has four assists—tops among freshmen on the team—and is seeing time on the power play.
“It’s been fun; a great group of guys make it pretty easy (and) I’ve been getting more comfortable each game,” major said in late November. “Everyone here is way stronger which makes it tough to adapt to it, but it’s been good.
“(being on the power play) is nice and a great opportunity. I’m trying to do what I can with it. We were struggling at the start of the season but starting to get hot which is nice.”
While playing his third of three seasons with Skaneateles High with father, Mitch, as head coach, Major started his junior career with the Rochester Selects (2019-20), the Rochester Coalition (20-21) again with his father and the Bishop Kearney Selects (21-22).
“It was awesome (playing for his father), he would tell me when I wasn’t playing up to standard and I would just take it like he’s my coach, and then when we got home it was nice to talk about. I never really got mad at him. I trusted him and he knows a lot about hockey.
“(Skaneateles) is just a great youth hockey organization and really good development there. My dad has been one of the head guys for a while, it’s a great town, everyone loves hockey there and it’s cool to see.”
Then it was off to the Chicago Steel in the USHL for two campaigns where, in his second year, he netted 30 goals and 40 assists in 59 games.
“I went to a Ryan Hardy camp, and he was the General Manager of Chicago. I was 5’2” and he was really good to me and drafted me and it worked out…and it worked out with my brother too,”
Now the 5’10”, 180 lb. center is making an early impact on the Big Red juggernaut.
“I’d come to the games when I was younger and the atmosphere is awesome, so it was a pretty easy decision in early ’21. My uncle went here, so it’s always been in the family.”
Now for the family hockey hierarchy, who is better: Charlie, brother Henry who had seven points in his first 19 USHL games, or sister Cora, who is with the Syracuse Valley Eagles 16-U where she has 17 points in 23 games this season?
“I don’t know, my sister’s pretty good. She’s the only defenseman in the family. She’s a smart player back there and Henry’s a scorer. They’ve both got it, but people like to say my sister, Cora, but we’ll see though.”
(Photos provided by Cornell Men’s Hockey and Athletic Departments)
