If you’re going to talk the talk, you better walk the walk as well.

Clay Spencer, one of the top baseball players in Michigan, has big dreams. But not on the diamond. The Detroit Country Day junior wants to play hockey at the next level.

Whether that’s in juniors or for a college, it doesn’t matter. But that’s where the forward wants to end up.

There’s just one problem.

Spencer wasn’t playing like a juniors draft pick for the Yellowjackets in Week 1. Yeah, he had five points, including four assists and a goal in their first two game

But he didn’t play like the best player on the ice. And if you look around metro Detroit, you never question who the future juniors players are when you see them scooting up and down the rink. Peter Rosa, anyone?

“Our first two games, he had some points,” Yellowjackets coach Frank Novock told Hometown Life this past weekend. “They weren’t in a dominant fashion.”

He’s been at Country Day for 11 seasons.

Before that, he had that juniors experience. And then he played for Western Michigan University, even graduating as the Broncos’ captain. And then he played professionally for four seasons in the ECHL, finishing just two promotions shy of making the NHL.

If you’re going to tell Novock you want to play in the North American Hockey League, you better be serious about it.

That’s why, before Friday’s matchup at rival Cranbrook, a premier Division 3 program just two seasons removed from its most-recent state championship, Novock pulled Spencer aside for a private conversation.

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Just a little heart-to-heart chat ahead of their holiday tournament game inside Wallace Ice Arena.

“There’s so many kids and parents who think their sons or daughters are going to play juniors, or, for that matter, college, and they’re sadly mistaken,” Novock said of the conversation with Spencer. “(I made) just a challenge to him about the next level and how hard it is (to get there), and (I said) it’s time for him to take a stand and be one of the best players. If you’re a juniors or college player, you better be one of the best players on the ice. …

“I said, ‘This is a statement game for you. You need to show every game that you’re one of the best players on the ice.’ And he did. He responded very well. I’m very proud of him.”

Spencer certainly did.

The forward recorded his first-career hat trick, plus he assisted on another goal to ensure the Yellowjackets (3-1) an 8-1 victory over the Cranes.

Statement made.

“I was so pumped up for this game,” Spencer said. “We knew we had something to prove, and I didn’t want to let our coach down. Before the game, he pulled me aside to tell me I need to do more. To get to the next level, I need to stand out more. It really motivated me to work harder every shift and battle. And it worked.”

If you take a quick scroll through Spencer’s Twitter timeline, you’ll see nothing but baseball highlights and praise by scouting accounts, happily championing the prowess as a lefty pitcher/outfielder.

He’s nationally ranked. He has interest from colleges to play at the next level.

He’s played for the prestigious Detroit Metro Stars travel program. And he was even picked up to play for the 17-U Team Elite Premier Midwest squad out of Flint.

This guy can definitely play.

“I don’t know. I just go back and forth with whatever season I’m in,” said Spencer after being asked which sport he loves to play more. “I want to play at the next level, but it’s all about hockey right now.”

But there’s nothing like screaming down the ice on a breakaway, as Spencer did for all three of his goals against the Cranes. And there’s no replacing the atmosphere inside a hockey dressing room.

Especially the one the Yellowjackets’ have.

“I just love working hard for the boys,” Spencer added. “It’s really just about the person next to you in the locker room and working hard for them. It’s no better feeling than coming out with a win for them. Baseball is more of an individual sport, and I like the team sport (aspect of hockey).”

Spencer has never hit for the cycle. He was just a home run away from getting it done a while back. But four points, including a hat trick against your rival, is definitely the equivalent of hitting for the cycle in hockey.

Coincidently, Spencer isn’t the only star baseball player on Country Day’s hockey team. Heck, he isn’t even the only star baseball player named Clay on Country Day’s hockey team.

The senior is one of the top catchers in the state. And that can be easily verified considering he’s already signed to play the position for Johns Hopkins University.

Hartje scored a pair of goals vs. Cranbrook, including a tone-setter late in the opening period. From the left faceoff circle, the senior buried a snipe to give the Yellowjackets a 1-0 lead.

He added a power-play goal with just 1:29 left.

Not bad for a defenseman.

“Clay Hartje was a very good player for us last year, and he’s our captain and, obviously, when he goes, we go,” Novock said.

You’ve got the catcher as a captain? Really?!

Yeah, Novock said he realizes he doesn’t have a team chalked full of future hockey stars. In fact, there are very few players on this team who will play sports at the next level.