![]() They embraced their path at Berklee, accepting the fact that organized athletics was not part of the program. He wants us to have fun, play hard."Īnd that's exactly what the IceCats are doing.ĭrawing from myriad levels of talent, the team has 25 players who all have at least two things in common: a passion for music and a love for hockey, a game they never expected to find at Berklee.įor many team members, choosing music over sports happened a long time ago. "We're not NHL prospects," Kingsley said. The IceCats, meanwhile, appreciate what McKenzie has brought to the team. This was a great game," McKenzie said after the IceCats crushed the Brawlers, 11-2, explaining that it was his girlfriend who saw the Globe story and encouraged him to help out the team. Indeed, it was the Globe article that caught the attention of retired Boston Bruin John "Pie" McKenzie, prompting him to volunteer to coach the team, which didn't have any formal leadership at the time. The steady media coverage-including segments on NPR's Only a Game and NESN, and a piece in the Boston Globe-has undoubtedly helped the team's cause and bolstered its image. "This is the most highly organized student-led athletic venture we've had," said Lawrence Bethune, vice president for student affairs/dean of students, a hockey fan and former hockey player. ![]() In the words of Emily Page, Berklee's interim director of student activities, the IceCats are "in a league of their own." While soccer and softball teams have been formed, they did not last. ![]() "Now, they're like, 'You're on the hockey team?'"īy all accounts, the IceCats represent the most serious effort on campus to form a Berklee sports team. "People in class would say 'What, Berklee has a hockey team?'" said John Kingsley, who can be credited with spearheading the creation of the team. With each game, Berklee's hockey squad is establishing itself as a bona fide team instead of an apparent oxymoron. The Berklee IceCats have suited up for a game against the Brawlers, a men's league team, preparing to leave their world of ensembles and music theory behind for a few hours. Most notably playing for the NHL's Los Angeles Kings Affiliate, Reading Royals, where he was teammates with Stanley Cup winner and USA hockey Olympian Jonathan Quick.As the Zamboni machine circles the UMass Boston hockey rink, cleaning the ice, the chatter on the bench fluctuates from strategizing for the approaching game to upcoming gigs and CD releases. Tom also had a 7 year professional hockey career that saw him play 2 years overseas in Sweden and 5 years domestically in various minor leagues (ECHL, CHL, SPHL, EPHL). While playing for Robert Morris, Tom was named team captain 3 out of his 4 years and saw him earn honors as rookie of the year, ACHA All American Honorable Mention, as well as Academic All American. Tom played his high school hockey at Lake Forest Academy and played Division I collegiate hockey in the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) for Robert Morris University. He trains a wide variety of players ranging from youth beginners all the way to USHL, Canadian Junior and Collegiate players. ![]() Coach Boudreau is the Director of Impact Elite Hockey where he formally trains and develops players to prepare them to compete at an elite level. Tom Boudreau is our Professional Skills & Skating coach. ![]()
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