Finley Turco Has Goals of His Own in Hockey

After being cut from his select team 2 years ago, he’s headed to nationals

Finley Turco grew up around some of the best hockey players in the world. But if he was going to follow in their footsteps, he needed to make changes.

After all, being the son of former Dallas Stars goaltender Marty Turco has its perks in terms of lineage and intuitive knowledge. But carving his own legacy as a player hasn’t been easy.

Less than two years ago, while attending Highland Park Middle School, Finley was cut from his top-tier select team.

“I was just there for the first couple of years,” Finley said. “I started to realize that everyone else was getting way better than me.”

So the Park Cities resident recommitted to his fundaments. He also shifted from public school to a Plano academy that structures classes around athletic training schedules. In his case, that means practicing twice a day.

“It was a given that I was going to play hockey.” Finley Turco

The extra ice time proved beneficial for Finley, who is now one of the youngest players on the Class AA Texas Tigers. The team will compete in the USA Hockey Tier II national tournament in the Dallas area in April — which Finley acknowledges is his biggest team accomplishment thus far as a player.

“Last year, I didn’t think I could go anywhere. Now I realize that I have a chance,” said Finley, who also spent the winter playing for Highland Park in the AT&T Metroplex High School Hockey League. “I believe that I can make it all the way to the top, but it’s going to be a battle.”

Finley was born in 2008, toward the end of his father’s nine-year run with the Stars. He started skating when he was about 2, and really became passionate years later.

“It was a given that I was going to play hockey,” he said. “I just saw how fast-paced and physical the game was, and that really appealed to me.”

Finley is a defenseman, unlike the elder Turco. And although he’s eager to make a name for himself, the youngster is proud of his pedigree, too.

“My dad has tried to help me out. He hasn’t pressured me. He’s letting me do my own thing. It doesn’t bother me at all,” Finley said. “I’m basically living a normal life with this last name.”