How Our Past Shapes Who We Become
Updated: Oct 15
Watching Western Michigan University win a national hockey championship last month stirred something unexpected in me. Pride, sure...but also reflection. It’s been more than twenty years since I walked those Kalamazoo sidewalks as a student, juggling my passion for music with an equally consuming love for hockey. Those were years of split loyalties, tough decisions, and small victories. And somehow, they’ve stuck with me.
I never made it to the varsity bench. Division I teams didn’t come knocking, and only a couple of DIII schools showed interest. But hockey never left my life; it just changed forms. I joined the club program and eventually spent three seasons coaching WMU’s women’s team.
At the time, I didn’t realize how deeply those years would shape me. Coaching teaches things the classroom can’t. Patience. Leadership without the title. Clear communication, managing personalities, and thinking beyond your own role. The focus shifts from your stat line to your players’ growth and resilience. You stop trying to prove something and start trying to build something.
Those years brought two league titles, a 63-27-9 record (if memory serves), and camaraderie that’s hard to describe but easy to remember. A decade later, we gathered alumni at the old Joe Louis Arena to celebrate our first championship. Hearing pucks echo off the boards brought everything rushing back. It reminded me that what we build in our youth follows us, evolves with us, and sometimes guides us long after we’ve hung up the skates, so to speak.
I met two of my closest hockey friends during that time, and we’re still connected today. Friendships forged through shared purpose, long road trips, tense overtime periods, and the quiet hours solving problems that have nothing to do with hockey.
Looking at my career now, I can see those lessons everywhere. I approach projects much like practices; with intention and flexibility. I value preparation, pay attention to team dynamics, and understand the long game. It’s not about winning every meeting or getting your name on the marquee. It’s about setting others up to shine.
During that time, hockey taught me how to pivot. Music taught me how to improvise. The college experience taught me to balance both. Those experiences shaped me.
When WMU clinched that championship, I wondered whether some small echo of our time there had found its way into this squad’s DNA. Legacy doesn’t always come with plaques or headlines. Sometimes, it’s the culture you help build, the example you set, or the energy you leave behind.
We’re shaped by where we’ve been. Every role, team, and passion adds another layer to who we are. Those layers are more scaffolding than baggage. I wouldn’t trade those years behind the bench for any amount of varsity glory. They gave me stories, friendships, and, more importantly, perspective.
Congratulations to the Broncos on a well-earned championship. And to everyone who’s played a small part in a bigger story...your chapter still matters. It always did.
