A Day In The Life Of SNC Hockey

All athletes at St. Norbert College came here not just to play their respective sport, but also to get a first class education. From my experience at SNC, the key to being a successful student athlete is all about time management. The daily routine of most athletes consists of early morning workouts and staying up all hours of the night to cram for exams. A lot of athletes also like to do a little extra before and after practice to better themselves in their respective sports. This dedication is what makes a great athlete and this year's teams at SNC are proof that the college is not only an elite academic institution, but also an elite athletic institution. The SNC hockey team has had a lot of success throughout the years since coach Tim Coghlin took the head-coaching job. Coach Coghlin built the program into a well-respected team in the NCHA and the NCAA Division III Hockey West Region. He could not have done this without his players, who put in a lot of work inside and outside the classroom to be a part of the SNC hockey community.

With a schedule spanning six months over two semesters, the players must work diligently to manage their time at and away from the hockey rink. The team's long schedule includes quite a bit of weekend travel all over the states of Wisconsin and Minnesota. It can be difficult getting home from a road trip at 3:00 a.m. Sunday morning and having to study for two tests on Monday morning. This is the type of pressure most student athletes on campus are faced with and the SNC hockey team is no exception.

Unlike a lot of teams on campus, the SNC varsity hockey has a set practice schedule throughout their season. A set practice time allows the players to manage their time around practice and has been a great asset. Junior defensemen Adam Hammerbeck believes this set practice time has been crucial for him and his choice of major.

"The set practice time really allows me to plan ahead with all the extra academic stress involved in being a biology major. I can plan my schedule around practice and knowing it will be the same time everyday has allowed me to really get in a good routine and manage my time wisely."

A normal day for a typical SNC hockey player will start early in the morning with classes at 8:00 or 9:00 a.m. The late afternoon classes most students have the luxury of taking, SNC hockey players must try to stay clear of so as not to conflict with practice time. Most players will wake up as late as possible like most students to make it to class right on time. A couple students, such as junior defenseman Adam Hammerbeck, wake up well before class to squeeze in some extra studying for his dental aptitude test.

"My normal day begins around 6:30 each morning. I wake up grab a cup of coffee and start studying for my dental exam in late April. With all the extra things going on the morning is the only time I can get some serious uninterrupted studying done for this exam."

A biology major, Hammerbeck has quite a workload in the classroom. Choosing a major is a hard part of being a student athlete at SNC since you have to commit so much time and energy to your sport. A couple days a week biology majors Hammerbeck and junior goaltender Blake Bashor normally go to class from 9:00 a.m.- 2:50 p.m. For students like this it is tough to even squeeze in lunch let alone get to practice at 3:15. Hammerbeck feels this type of schedule is pretty hard considering all the homework he is assigned on a daily basis.

"By the time practice and workout are through on most days I am pretty tired. Knowing I have lots of homework after practice does not make life any easier. After practice I normally head to the Caf and then go to JMS or the library and spend all of my evenings there."

Hammerbeck, Bashor and the rest of the team arrive each day at the rink around 3:00. Practice is set for 3:15 and in the early part of each week, players watch video of either last week's game or the tendencies of their upcoming opponents. Once video commences, players are on the ice for a typical hour and fifteen minute or two hour practice. Every Monday and Wednesday a half-hour before practice is reserved for the goaltenders and a few shooters. After the goalie session, a normal Monday consists of a shorter practice including many skating and flow drills. Unlike Monday, Tuesday is battle day for the defensemen and most often lasts a full two hours. Wednesday is seen as a day for forwards with a lot of focus on odd man situations and goal scoring, with a little special teams mixed in. Thursday is normally another flow day with a lot of system work and special teams situations.

Off-ice training also happens four days a week with Monday and Wednesdays reserved for lifting weights and riding the stationary bike. Strength and conditioning coach Chase Emnott writes up a program and players try to follow it as much as possible. Every Tuesday and Thursday, practices are followed by a team stretch lead by Emnott. All of the extra off-ice conditioning has led to very positive on ice production this season. Most days players know ahead of time what they need to do and show up to the rink prepared and ready to practice.

The SNC hockey team has a pretty regimented daily routine on a weekly basis for six months out of the school year. This year's team is one of the most productive teams in the classroom SNC has ever had. With nine upperclassmen on the NCHA All-Academic team we have put in the extra time to be a successful student athlete. Hammerbeck feels this type of commitment to manage your time has helped him in every aspect of his life.

"I really like all the extra things involved in being a student athlete. Playing hockey has really allowed me to manage my time wisely. Having certain time constraints to get things done I find really pushes me to be very productive. I like having a routine and being a part of the SNC hockey team has allowed me to really excel in the classroom as well as on the ice.