The voice mail greeting on hockey recruit David Booth’s cell phone goes something like this: “Hey, what’s up? You’ve reached pure sniper’s cell phone number. Sorry I can’t take your call, I’m probably too busy sniping. Leave your number, and I’ll get back to you.”
No, he’s not a homicidal maniac. He just thinks highly of his shot accuracy, right David?
“Yeah, I left my phone on a bus trip and some kid put something about ‘pure sniper,’ on my message,” said Booth, who verbally committed to MSU in March. “It’s a little thing I like to have fun with and do crazy little things with it.
“It’s my voice on the message now, you know, it’s just for fun. There’s a little thing on the team now about me being a sniper. I don’t care. I like to score goals, you know?”
A self-described “goofball,” the 6-foot-1, 205-pound left wing plays for the Under-18 U.S. National Development team based in Ann Arbor. He accumulated 15 goals and 10 assists in 47 games with the national team this year and he said he hopes to show Spartan fans his sniping abilities next year.
Booth said his college decision came down to MSU or Michigan.
“I think I have a better opportunity at State,” said Booth, a native of Washington, Mich. “Michigan was talking to me before MSU, but I had to tell them ‘thanks, but no thanks.’ I think they were kind of shocked, but State is where I wanted to play.
“I think Michigan has 11 returning forwards, so it would be harder for me to get ice - not to say I couldn’t. But I just saw where the (MSU) players stayed, and met the trainer and the equipment guys and everyone seemed really nice and the campus seems really fun.”
MSU coaches are not allowed to comment on recruits until the players have signed a National Letter of Intent. Booth, 17, is the fourth commitment to next year’s class.
He said he talked to new MSU head coach Rick Comley on Sunday and liked him.
“I think I’ll get along really well with him. I don’t know him as personally as I knew Coach (Ron) Mason, but I think he’ll do a great job.”
Booth is the third member of the U.S. Development team to commit to the Spartans for next year, joining defensemen Corey Potter and Evan Shaw. Potter and Ontario forward Colton Fretter signed with MSU in November, along with East Lansing forward Drew Miller, who will join MSU for the 2003-04 season.
Booth said Potter’s commitment also was a big factor in choosing MSU over U-M.
“I’ve been playing with Corey for about six years now, and he’s a funny kid - kinda goofy - so I like him,” Booth said. “Me and him get along cuz we’re both a little crazy.”
National Signing Day is April 10, but Booth and Shaw will be in Slovakia for the World Under-18 Championship at that time. They are expected to sign letters of intent with MSU later in the month.
Goaltender Justin Tobe, who also has verbally committed to MSU, will sign on for next season if current Spartan junior goaltender Ryan Miller leaves early for professional hockey. If Miller stays, Tobe will come in for 2003-04 season.
The MSU coaching staff also wants to land another right-handed shooting forward for next year’s class.
