Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Athletics

My college hockey career has been anything but ordinary. I went from dreading the time that I would have to write this salute as a freshman, to wishing like anything that I would get the chance to. Thankfully, I got that chance, so here it is.

Mom and Dad: I will never be able to thank you enough for all that you both have done for me over the past seventeen years that I have been playing this sport. Dad, thank you for letting me pick the black skates over the white ones, and for spending hours at Mt. Clemens teaching a 4-year-old how to skate. You have always been my biggest fan, and you have definitely been the biggest influence on my athletic career. Mom, thank you for driving me to countless games, practices, and tournaments all over the Midwest and Canada (even if you weren’t the best with directions). I know that ever since my surgery it makes you nervous that I play, but thank you thank you thank you for allowing me to do so. You both have supported my dream of playing college hockey since day one, even if that meant that I had to move to Minnesota to do so. You have given me the opportunity to obtain a great education while playing the sport that I love, and I cannot thank you both enough. I love you guys.

Mitch: Thank you for coming to my practices and games when we were kids, even when you didn’t want to. It means a lot to me that you still support me playing hockey. Also, thanks for taking care of the Beags since I’ve been at school. Love you brudder!

To my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins: Thank you all for supporting me throughout the years, and for coming to my games when you could. It’s cool that you guys have tried to stay involved during my college years by checking updates online to see how the team is doing. Grandpa H, you were the first person that I thought of after I scored my first college goal freshman year. That one was for you.

Todd: You gave me the tools that I needed so that I could play college hockey. Thank you for letting me come back and skate with your teams in the summer and over school breaks. You are the best coach that I have ever had, even if you are a Canucks fan.

Now, to the team:

Seniors,
Ingrid: My tall friend, we made it! I cannot believe that we are the only ones left out of the original twelve. You are the most uncoordinated hockey player that I have ever met, but I love you for it! We have had so many great memories, and I know that there will be many more to come. I’ll try not to table top you in any more practices, but I can’t promise anything (sometimes I can’t control my size). Oh, one more thing…Wings>Hawks. Any day.

Dy: I am so glad that you transferred to SMU sophomore year. I don’t know what I would have done without you at hockey (or in honors)! We have become great friends, and I can’t wait to finish off senior year together. This semester we are going to order lots of cheese bread, make/finish our bucket list, and go visit in the cities. And there will be plenty of dancing involved, I guarantee it!

EJB: I will never forget the day that you hugged everyone at Bethel (January 21, 2011 at approximately 5:45 pm). That almost rivals the time that we had a dance off after UST. You are a great teammate, boom boom boom even brighter than the moon moon moon!

Juniors,
Sheree: Scooby!!! You are the nicest/happiest person that I have ever met. I am so glad that you made your way to America! You give 100% every day, forcing your teammates around you to become better. I loved playing on a line together, especially the PK. Thank you for not kicking me out of Heffron, and for displaying your awesome ‘Man in the Mirror’ moves on game day. Your resemblance to MJ is striking, keep it up.

Stevie: You will always be my Chelsea; I will always be your Chuy. You make me laugh every single day, and I could not imagine hockey without you. Love you girl!

Nic: Cubby buddy, you are the most intense person that I know. Keep sniping goals, dangling D, and jamming out to Em. Sorry for crossing the “line” so much this year, but know that I only did it because I wanted to be closer to you.

Al: “All we gotta do is block shots!” The famous quote of Alex Braun. That reminds me, thanks for denting my helmet sophomore year haha! Anyways, Al, you are a very hard worker and I know that it will pay off for you in the end. Keep rocking that blue line.

Dana: Being CR champ as a freshman was impressive, but it is not nearly as impressive as your recent snipes from the blue. Also, please don’t text me as I’m walking down from (the treacherous) 4th floor…I don’t want to fall again.

Sophomores,
Roomie: I love your accent, but I love “dancing” during warm-ups even more. You are an awesome goalie, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Meow, meow, ruff, ruff. Our chest bump is coming soon, I can feel it.

Erin: You are a wild woman on the ice! Your hard work and dedication to the team is impressive. Keep grinding.

Julie: Keep working hard and good things will happen. Best of luck to you in your next two years!

Freshmen,
Haley, Mel, Heidi, Lauren, Butterfly, Riane, Ceci, Kara, and Lisa: You are a very talented group of girls, and I know that you will take the program far. Keep fore-checking hard, and keep putting the puck in the back of the net. Haley, once I leave you will be the sole Michigan representative on the team. I expect you to embrace the position in full force, and to always remind everyone who the best team in the NHL is. Nothing less!

Brooke, Jess, and Riley: You three have been great assets to our team. You all are aggressive players that have made a big impact on our defensive unit. You guys always go “balls to the walls”, and your reverses behind the net are phenom, just saying.

Sarah and Megan: You crazy, crazy goalies. You both have a lot of skill and potential, and you guys have added important depth to our goaltending. Keep doing your thing, robbing girls left and right, that is. Cubby buddy, I trust you to enforce country day in the locker room over the next three years. Do not take no for an answer! (sorry Ceci)

Coaches,
Tennie: I will never EVER forget boot camp freshman year. We ran sprints for hours in the pouring rain, ran the lakes, and ran champion hill until we wanted to (or did) puke. I wanted to quit a hundred times, but with you “no” was not an answer. You pushed me to my limits and then some. For this, I can not thank you enough. I am now a stronger person and I am confident that I can overcome any obstacles that come my way. It looks as though your “favorite game” may have had some benefits after all. Also, I have to give you props for your one-liners. There have been some moments of brilliance, and lets just say that I will always remember to “shoot up”.

Greg: You push us harder than anyone else during practice. You get on us if we do something wrong, and you tell us what needs to be done to fix it. I appreciate this, and have become more aware of the little things because of you. How you still find the time to trip/slash/snow us is beyond me. I am glad that you got to be a part of the team this year.

Terry: Thank you for letting me finish out my college career doing what I love to do most.

To everyone else:
Cach, Ash, J, Sienko, Knudy, France, and Friedl: I really wish that you guys were finishing out senior year with us, just like we started. Freshman year was a blast, and we created memories that will last a lifetime. You guys are still my teammates, and I would do anything for any one of you. We have one semester left to give freshman year a run for its money, and I say we go for it!

La Sara: Mama! You have been missed this year, but thankfully you have made your presence felt almost every weekend. You are Cardinal Hockey’s biggest (and loudest) fan. You were there for me last year when I needed it, and I am so thankful for that. Come visit Winona soon; I think it’s time for you to rock the purple jersey again. We can jam to Sister Hazel too. If that’s not enough incentive to get you to come down, I don’t know what is.

Lexi: Banana naner, SMU just isn’t the same without my Detroit partner in crime. I hope you’re ready to win the T.A.H.L championship again this summer, cause I sure am. Get ready for a muffin-filled summer out by the bay, no bagels allowed.

Sonja: I am happy that you transferred to CSS. Never let anyone stand in your way of doing what you want to accomplish in life. Kick butt up there.

Coach A:?If it wasn’t for you, I would not be at SMU. You recruited me to play, and always believed that I had the ability to do so. Thank you, and best of luck in your future endeavors.

To the rest of my friends, teachers, and anyone else that has ever supported Cardinal Hockey … Thank you. You have all made my time here great, and I would not trade the experience for anything.

I would like to end this Salute with a quote from one of my previous coaches that has always stuck with me. As Mr. Kesler once put it, “It’s a great day to be alive, but it’s an even better day to be at the rink”.