November 25, 2024 • 31 mins
CIAC Glory Days Podcast host Jada Mirabelle sits down with Notre Dame West Haven, the Division I Boys Ice Hockey State Champions! 🏆🎙️
Join Head Coach Larry Vieira and Senior Captains Dylan Bankowski and Lukacs Delmonico as they reflect on unforgettable moments, discuss their championship mindset, and reveal what it truly takes to reach the top. 🏒🥇
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to CIC's Glory Days podcast.
I'm your host, Jada Maribel,and today I'm joined by the 2024
Division I Boys Ice HockeyState Champions, Notre Dame West
Haven.
I'm joined by an all-time greatConnecticut ice hockey coach,
Larry Vieira, and two Notre DameWest Haven captains, Lucas
Delmonico and Dylan Bankowski.
Thank you all for joining metoday.
I'm so excited to have you intothe podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Thanks for having us.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Of course.
So Notre Dame hockey had anawesome season last year and has
had a very successful run thesepast few years, making an
appearance in the four pastDivision I state championships,
and I have no doubt that thisseason is going to be another
great one.
But it'll be a little bitdifferent because you'll be
kicking it off in War Road,minnesota, one of the best
hockey cities in the country toplay in a Christmas tournament
against some of the bestMinnesota hockey teams.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
So what is the plan and mindset?
Heading into that tournament toplay against those Minnesota
teams?
We're just looking to put NotreDame on the map outside of
Connecticut.
You know, we've made our markin Rhode Island, we've made our
mark in Mass and I just want tokeep raising the bar.
That's the bottom line.
So that was my plan.
I set it around in April and Icame up with this master plan.
So we'll see how happy we are.
(01:05):
Come what is it?
December 29th?
Speaker 1 (01:08):
we'll see how happy we are.
It'll be awesome practice,though, yeah 100%.
It'll be battle-tested when youcome back to Connecticut.
Speaker 4 (01:13):
Yeah, you know, like you said, basically we just want
to go up there and win.
It's what we always try to doand try to keep on growing the
organization, just making itbetter, keep on growing the
organization just making itbetter, and that's probably a
big step if we come out of therewith a winning record.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Yeah, definitely.
It's a great opportunity.
Speaker 5 (01:28):
I think our mindset is definitely going to be it's
any other game.
Now you can't go in therethinking we're in Minnesota.
You've got to take it as anyother game and kind of take the
punches and roll with them.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
True, and so this is an elite tournament.
How did it come about withgetting a spot to play in this?
Speaker 2 (01:42):
I'd like to say it was through my connections.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
But it was purely luck.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
So I started to call Division I coaches.
I wanted to play Minnesotateams and as I talked to these
guys, we would not be a goodmatch.
They had teams with nineDivision I commits.
Their extra players were USHLcommits.
We're good, we're not that typeof level.
So they said why don't you callsome Division II teams but
(02:09):
don't call War Road?
So as always, people say don'tcall.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
War Road.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
That's the first guy I called, and it just so
happened that they've had thistournament for 30 years and a
team dropped out that's been init for 20.
Oh wow, so it was just pureluck.
He did some research on us andhe felt it would be a good.
A good uh fit.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
That's good timing.
Great timing and good luck.
Yeah, that'll be awesome, greatexperience.
And that's christmas day.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
You're leaving or right after we're leaving
christmas day bah, humbug, yeah,um, and on the positive note
with that, the parents weresuper supportive in the school
because I did present it to themprior to committing and the
parents, uh, thought it was agood idea.
They'll do christmas onchristmas eve and we'll we'll
spend christmas together.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Oh, that'll be nice, that'll be awesome I found a
place on christmas eve.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
That's when we arrive .
We got some chinese food.
We'll be delivered.
We'll be good to go.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Yeah, it was called king garden a little shout out
to them so we're good to go,you're so, hopefully you guys
like chinese food yeah yeah.
So, leary, you're a phenomenalcoach.
You've earned your 500th careerwin this past season.
You've coached for differentschools throughout your career,
but you've won countless statechampionships, so how do you
continue to build and thenmaintain these incredible
programs?
Speaker 2 (03:24):
It's all about the players.
It really is.
I mean, players make coacheslook good and I surround myself
with really good assistantcoaches that aren't ES men and
that's really the bottom line,and you know, I want high
character kids that work hardand the formula seems to work.
So really it's about the kidsand the surrounding cast really.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Yeah, absolutely yeah .
The kids are the main bread andbutter.
What do you expect from yourathletes?
What is the standard that youhold them to to continue to
create these teams?
Speaker 2 (03:53):
You have to have discipline, you have to have a
work ethic and you have tobelieve in team over eye and I'm
fortunate at Notre Dame where Ican look for kids like that.
We try to weed out the kids whomake bad decisions the kids who
don't work hard, and reallythat's the foundation for
success in all parts of life, inmy opinion.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Yes, very true.
And what are some of the othercore values that you and the
rest of the coaching staff tryto instill besides that
discipline and that hard workethic?
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Well, definitely teamwork.
There has to be a familyatmosphere I think that's the
biggest one and accountability,you know we hold the kids
accountable, and these guys havealways responded to that.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Yeah, it was very cool to see last year on the ice
.
You guys all played very welltogether.
Speaker 5 (04:42):
You're great athletes but you're also great people
off the ice.
Yeah, that's one of our bigthings at ND team bonding.
Over the summer we're alltogether, we're working out,
we're lifting, so we're togetherpretty much from July 5th until
when the season starts.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
Yeah, that really helps with team chemistry.
Because you have it off the ice.
You have it on the ice, yep.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
Yeah, we all just know each other, which is good.
It's that makes a bigdifference.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
Yeah, so last year in the state championship game
against New Canaan, who wasseeded number one, you defeated
them 4-1.
So what was your game planheading into that game and how
did it evolve throughout Nice?
Speaker 5 (05:12):
I'd say we definitely weren't worried about the
seeding or anything like that.
We knew we had played a toughschedule which had an effect on
our seed, but our mindset waswe've played them before.
We kind of understood that ifwe can get up on them early kind
of score early the goalie wouldcrumble and then with that the
rest of the team did.
We knew this was a big thingfor them.
They haven't been to a statechampionship in a long time.
So, as coach larry was saying,the week leading up to it the
(05:32):
whole town would be there andthey were.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
they had a lot of people around them but it was
nice to get to send them homeearly and send them packing yeah
, uh, yeah, you know, for us,like you said you, we've been in
the state championship fouryears in a row before that, or
three years in a row before that.
So I try to just think of it asanother game For us.
They had, like I think theysaid it was like their first
state championship, like 25years, so they had a lot of ride
on that game.
It was a huge game for them,obviously, a huge game for us.
(05:56):
But, like he said, we knew wejust needed to score first and
then, if we scored first, weknew like the rest would just
follow and we would just need tokeep on scoring and, just you
know, pound them hard down low.
Just keep on getting shots onnet and rest would just come
together yeah, you guys had astrong plan going.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
It worked yeah, you guys had knocked them out of
semifinals the year prior yeah,I think so.
Yeah, the year, last coupleyears, we've uh taken them out
yeah we've been a thorn in theirside, yeah, so they came back
for revenge, but you guys stillcame out on top.
Was there a specific game ormoment in the playoff that stood
out as a defining moment forthe team?
Speaker 5 (06:29):
I think definitely the end of the second period
versus Simsbury, because thatwas a game we had walked into
kind of unsure of if they werereally good and they were as
good as their schedule had said,because they played weaker
teams but they were kind ofbeating them by a lot by a lot
so we weren't 100 sure on howphysical or how tough they'd be.
And then they took a 1-0 leadearly and going into that second
period we knew we had to turnsomething around and we had to
(06:49):
talk with the team.
The whole team kind of boughtin, dug in, and so we kind of
rolled with that.
We didn't get anything till, Ithink, eight minutes left in the
second period when Lucasactually scored a nice rebound
goal and then we kind of rolledfrom there and after that it was
pretty much our game from thereon out.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Yeah, momentum definitely shift.
Speaker 4 (07:05):
Second period of that game uh, yeah, you know, I
think the momentum shiftedprobably in the first period,
when lane made that one save,when they came down, you know,
because if they score that goalI mean that's they go up to
nothing in the first period.
I mean, that was the first timeus even going down, I think,
against the connecticut team allyear so that definitely, you
know, probably caught us offguard, but we just knew that we
(07:27):
just needed to come back tosecond period and just probably,
like he said, we just allneeded to buy in and that
probably changed the wholeseason.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
Yeah, so how do you stay focused with the ups and
downs of a game or a season?
Because that was a back game,for example.
It was.
You didn't know how it wasgoing to go, so how do you stay
focused in those?
Speaker 5 (07:42):
moments it's definitely just kind of
understanding like we knew whowe were as a team so we weren't
worried.
Once they scored, like we knew,all right, we need like the
goals are going to come.
We just got to stick to ourgame plan.
We had a good plan going infour, check them hard.
We knew the d down low wouldcough up pucks and that's kind
of what happened throughout thegame.
We got chances during that.
Their goalie made some bigsaves, but once the shots
started falling, it was kind ofour game from there on out.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
Yeah, we just try to remember who we are as a team.
We know that, like, even if wego down or if we're losing a
game, that's not who we are.
We know that we can always comeback and that we have guys that
know how to score goals and agoalie that can make big saves
when he needs to.
So we just knew that even if wewent down, it was never like
the game's already over so yeah,you could always come back,
yeah, so what was.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
Yeah you could always come back.
Yeah, so was that the mostchallenging in-game moment of
the season, or were there otherones that come to mind?
Speaker 4 (08:28):
I would say probably playing prep in the SEC chip was
tough, you know, we knew we hadbeat them, I think, the game
before, but we lost to them theyear before that in the SEC
championship.
So we knew that they're alwaysjust a tough team to beat and
they always, you know, pack thatgame.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
That game's always packed, so it's a hard game to
play in, but we knew that again.
If we just scored first, thenit goes our way sometimes.
So from a coaching perspective,the simsbury game was the most
challenging really, just becauseI don't like playing teams that
are loaded with seniors true Ijust know that it's their last
hurrah and they do specialthings.
And then they started to trapus and I said, oh boy, here we
go.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
And.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
Lucas was right about Lane and I would almost even
counter that If he didn't maketwo saves, we'd have been down
3-0.
I mean he made saves that youjust can't make on a high school
level.
You just don't make them.
And without that we were inhuge trouble and I thought we
were in big trouble Down 1-0,quite frankly, just because they
(09:29):
weren't Simsbury wasn't playingto win anymore.
And then, when you're playingin the semifinals, your heart
beats a little bit, your palmsstart to sweat, you hold the
stick a little bit tighter.
It's weird.
It's a different season.
The playoffs are a differentseason If you haven't played in
the playoffs, as Lucas pointedout, New Canaan, it's a
(09:52):
challenge the first time to playin a big arena.
Until you experience it, it'stough to explain.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
You guys have plenty of experience in that.
That must be why you guysalways come through with a win.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
We're very fortunate.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
So, besides you, Lucas, Notre Dame has lost their
entire first line andgoaltender, losing all-stars
like Logan Hurd, Lane Jacksonand James Mascari.
So what's the plan this year?
To mesh new players to theroles of those veteran players.
Speaker 4 (10:15):
You know, obviously it stinks losing big guys like
that.
They were a huge part of, like,the success last year.
But we've just been skiing withthe team and, lucky for us, at
Notre Dame we're very deep andwe have guys that maybe even
last year could have stepped upin those positions and we have
guys that are ready this year toalways fill in and that are
just ready to play at that kindof level, at that like first
(10:36):
line and so.
But we just try to get everyonetogether, make sure like who's
working together, like early inthe season, just to see who
works out, and that's kind of ofwhat we do, yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Yeah, you guys have very strong lines, not just the
first line, the second and thirdline are very strong as well.
Speaker 5 (10:48):
Yeah, I, think at ND we're big on the next man up
theory.
Where one guy goes down or oneline's not playing, well, that
next line that's up is ready togo.
So I think the kids that werein that spot last year are more
than ready to go this.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
And so basically, the younger kids are going to have
to mesh with these guys and itstarted with great leadership
this summer and I don't have anydoubt that the younger guys
will mesh and the younger guysare going to be juniors that
have been around the program.
It's not like they're going tobe brand new.
But, we might have some youngerkids that might grab a roster
spot.
But the kids that have beenwaiting they understand the
(11:26):
culture.
They understand what theexpectations are so, um losing
the guys we did, it's tough toreplace, so we will see how much
we miss them as we move along,but we feel that we have a good
bunch of kids ready to step in.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
Yeah, you guys have a strong roster to help replace
them.
So how do each of you preparementally and physically for a
game?
How do you get into thatwinning?
Speaker 4 (11:46):
mindset.
I just try to think of it aslike enter the game.
I don't try to make games blownout of proportion like too big,
like one game is bigger thanthe other, even though it is
true.
But I just try to tree everygame like every game is the
biggest game so that I can justplay the same.
Sometimes I just put on myheadphones.
(12:06):
Listen to music.
A music choice is probably notthe best.
I probably listen to.
Like the Trolls music from theTrolls movies.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
The Trolls music yeah , I didn't expect that from you.
No, yeah, the Trolls music Okay.
Speaker 4 (12:17):
Yeah, so I just put that on.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
Do you like that movie Lucas?
Speaker 4 (12:20):
I do.
It's a good mood becausesometimes when I'm on the ice, I
can maybe be a little mean, soI try to get in a good mood
before the game and just try tosmile, have fun, and then when
we get on the ice it's allbusiness.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Okay, that's a good strategy, Whatever works for you
.
Speaker 5 (12:37):
Do you?
Speaker 1 (12:38):
listen to any movie soundtracks.
Not quite like that.
Mine is a little different.
Speaker 5 (12:41):
I'm normally on the speaker, so that's a big thing
for me, kind of getting themusic setting the tone for the
team.
But, also, like Lucas said, notblowing games out of proportion.
Everything's just another game.
One game might be moreimportant or might mean more,
but at the same time it's justfive guys on the ice and you
have your teammates.
So I trust my teammates.
I know that if I have a badplay or a bad shift, that
(13:02):
they're going to come up andhelp me out.
So I trust that and kind ofroll with that throughout the
game.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
Yeah, those are both really good ways to think about
it.
You don't want the pressure toget to you, just take it as a
normal game.
Yeah, so, as individualathletes, what does training
look like for you in theoffseason?
Speaker 5 (13:12):
I spend a lot of time in the weight room in the
offseason and like so.
I play lacrosse in theoffseason, so I'm on the field a
lot.
So I'm staying active becauseit's a big thing.
You can't if you sit down andlike, take every kid that's
around you is going to getbetter.
So the kids are takingadvantage of that.
Get better, and all you are isbehind when the season starts.
So I like to stay active, staydoing something.
Even if I'm not in the weightroom that day I'll be out of the
(13:33):
field or doing somethingphysically active yeah, like he
said, I just like to stay active.
Speaker 4 (13:38):
I play baseball, so we're in the weight room for
baseball too, so I'm neverreally fully stopping.
I also try to just stay on theice, like private lessons or
maybe just playing with like asummer team or spring team.
So I don't get away from beingon the ice as I don't want to
get rusty.
I just try to think about likethe next year going like last
year.
I was just thinking about goingin my senior year.
You know, I wanted to be thebest I could for this year
(14:00):
because hopefully we can try towin it again.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
And everyone needs to be at their best for that to
happen.
Yeah, it's so important to stayactive throughout your office.
Speaker 5 (14:07):
Yeah, and a big advantage we have at nd is the
summer workouts we do so.
Not only are you working out,but you're also with the team.
So, as the team's gettingbetter, you're getting better
and you're also building thatchemistry for the upcoming
season that's very true.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
so how do you think that the new ciac rule allowing
for practice two days a week fortwo hours per session will help
benefit your team and otherteams for the season?
Speaker 2 (14:27):
I think it's a positive.
Absolutely, ciac did a greatjob approving that and it just
gives us a chance to work withthe student athletes more than
we would.
So the kids did get a chance toskate for a limited period of
time, along with the off-icestuff which we can do year-round
.
So I think it's a positive.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
Yeah, some extra time to get the team ready and get
them together.
So what games are you mostlooking forward to this year and
which ones do you think will bethe biggest challenges?
Besides War Road, of course,yeah.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
I would say I always look forward to playing Prep
because it's just always a biggame.
There's always a lot of peoplethere, it's just a big rivalry
and I just always want to beatthem and but they're also like a
huge challenge.
So that's probably one of thebiggest challenges we're gonna
have this year trying to beatthem, and probably Darian and
New Canaan.
They're always strong and thoseare just games that a lot of
people always go to, so thoseare just the most fun games to
(15:16):
play in, for sure yeah, I'm withLucas there, like perhaps
always a fun game to play inwhen we play Darian at home.
Speaker 5 (15:21):
Towards the end of the season we're gonna play New
Canaan.
I'm very excited for those gamesbecause those are good teams
from last year.
I'm also excited to playSimsbury again, kind of because
we got to play them last year.
They're on our schedule thisyear, which hasn't happened, so
I'm excited to get to see themand see how they are without all
the seniors they had last year.
But I think one of our biggames this year is Archbishop
Williams, which is anout-of-state team which we know
is good, and that'll be towardsthe end of the season.
(15:41):
So we're hoping we haveeverything figured out by then.
We can kind of give them ourbest shot.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
You have a really stacked schedule this year.
Speaker 4 (15:47):
That's where my dad went to high school, really, oh
really.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
Maybe he could give you some tips.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
Brain tree mask.
Brain tree mask Jesus.
Oh nice, yeah the schedule ispacked.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
That's one of my brain.
I can't think of the word.
But in April, when I came upwith the Minnesota thing, I I
can't think of the word.
But in April, when I came upwith the Minnesota thing, I also
wanted to improve our scheduleeven further, and that's the
only way we're going to attractgood kids to Notre Dame.
That's the niche that kids wantto play high school.
It has to be on that level, Ifnot they won't come.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
That's true.
That's how you compete withthose academies and those prep
schools.
Speaker 5 (16:22):
Yeah, I think that's also a huge advantage we have,
like kind of with the summerworkouts and then the strength
of schedule.
It kind of gets us ready forthose playoff games and those
big pressure situations where wemight be down a goal or might
have to come back in a toughgame where it's zero, zero late
and kind of get that goal.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
I think those those games are huge for us yeah,
because you've already played inthose high pressure moments at
the beginning of the regularseason so it gets you ready.
So, heading into this nextseason, what do you think all of
your strengths are as a team?
Besides the strong roster andthe experience, do you have any
others?
Speaker 5 (16:46):
I think definitely experience.
Like coach said, we're a seniorladen team so we have a lot of
um, a lot of experience fromlast year from kids that are
stepping up into these big rolesthis year I think they're very
capable of.
But I also think from, uh, likea captain's perspective.
I've gotten to see these kidsplay so I understand, like I
spent three years on varsity, soI know, know, like how certain
(17:07):
kids play, like what theirknicks are and like the little
things which on the ice is justmore chemistry, which is going
to only affect us and benefit usmore.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
We are one of the strongest teams I've ever
coached.
I mean, we just finished up ourweight room and our average for
our bench is the highest it'sever been.
Really.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
We have many guys benching over 200 um one kid at
245, others around 185, 175, andthat's impressive that is for a
hockey team.
I know football um they focusmore more than hockey but we're
very strong, we're big.
Um so depth I truly feel wehave a lot of depth.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
Yeah, that'll make a big difference.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
Yeah yeah, so.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
So Dylan and Lucas as captains, how will you both
help to lead the team thisseason along with Nick
Stephenson, max Schroeder, theother two captains?
Speaker 5 (17:53):
So I feel definitely all four of us kind of have a
role.
We know like we have vocalleaders.
We have leaders that are kindof going to be more friendly
with the, maybe not yell andscream in between periods, but
kids are going to see themworking on the ice and they're
like oh, I got to work like that.
But also the 12 senior skaterswe have this year, along with
(18:16):
the two goalies.
Kids are going to be looking upto them, like our younger guys
are going to be watching themand paying attention to them.
So I don't think it's only thecaptains leading the team this
year.
I think it's going to be hugehaving the seniors buy in and
understand that we're not hereto mess around like this is a
serious year and every kid'sgoing to see that and want to be
like that.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
That's a really good perspective.
Speaker 4 (18:33):
Yeah, like he said, I feel like us having a lot of
seniors helps with having a lotof leadership on the team,
because even though we are thecaptains, the seniors too they
should help out and shouldalways be there for the kids and
just making them understandwhat it's like to play for Notre
Dame.
I feel like that's one thingthat we have to do is make kids
understand what it's like to beon this team and how we always
like to buy into winning andaccept your role, because we
(18:55):
need guys that, even if it's afourth line role, whatever it is
, it doesn't matter, it's animportant role on the team and
it helps us win.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
so we just need people to understand that it's
not like every hockey team.
I think most kids have boughtinto the idea that we're here to
win.
Speaker 5 (19:11):
It's not about who's going to score the most points
for the team.
It's about every little thingon the ice, like who's going to
forecheck the hardest, who'sgoing to get a hit to get the
team momentum switched.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
So I think this year is going to be a big year for
that and kind of buying intothat mentality.
Yeah, all those little thingsadd up, yep.
So if you ought to choose onemotto or one, mantra heading
into this next season.
Speaker 5 (19:31):
What would it be?
Speaker 1 (19:32):
Just buying in.
Speaker 5 (19:32):
Buying in Like our team mentality this year is we
can't, because senior-ladenteams often can kind of get lazy
and kind of like think thatit's going to be given to them.
We know that's not going tohappen this year.
There's great teams in theleague this year so it's
definitely gonna be hard.
But I think as long as everyonebuys in and the whole team
understands and fits that roleof all right, I might not be
scoring every game, but I'mgonna forward check and not let
(19:54):
them score or maybe force a goalfor my line, if everyone
combines that mentality I thinkwe'll be really good, yeah,
that's a really great way to goabout it probably just like be
gritty, because like that's whatwe always do, we're always just
a gritty team, try to forecheckhard, get underneath team skin,
maybe try to get them off theirgame.
Speaker 4 (20:10):
I feel like that always helps because we're just
always on teams right away.
I feel like that always helpsus out a lot.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
You got to come in strong.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
Punch the time clock.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
Punch the time clock.
What's the meaning behind that?
Speaker 2 (20:22):
Once we start 6 am, punch the time clock.
Let's get to work, Okay okay.
Speaker 4 (20:31):
You guys all had different mottos there, a little
different meaning.
We're a lunch pail team.
Mickey Dowd still has the bestmotto for the team, does he
Can't say it?
Speaker 1 (20:35):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
Maybe don't say it.
We don't want to get canceled.
Speaker 1 (20:39):
Okay, as the current reigning Division I champions,
if you had to share a piece ofadvice to fellow athletes and
fellow coaches, what would it be?
Speaker 5 (20:48):
I think one of the big things is kind of have fun
with it, because there's gameslike last year we were.
We had a rough start, you know,we were losing some out of state
games and kind of got down onourselves and we're like people
were enjoying it and then oncewe realized like all right, just
have like, just kind of havefun, go out there, it's hockey,
because a lot of times peopleforget that you're playing the
(21:09):
sport you loved as a kid.
So if you just kind of sitthere and realize that you're
going to have a lot more fun andwith the fun comes the winning,
because that's where the teamchemistry aspect comes in-
that's very true.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
That's a fire answer.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
It is, yeah, I'm not going to top that.
It's a fire answer.
Speaker 4 (21:19):
Lucas is locked in.
Probably.
Just, you know, I guess, don'tgive up, because you know, like
he said, you know we lost, Ithink, the first game of the
year, which was kind of asurprise because you know we all
thought, you know, we weregoing to beat that team, and
then we lost pretty badlyactually.
But then, you know, we justbounced right back and then we
won a big game against CatholicMemorial and I feel like that
(21:40):
really set the tone for the restof the season, winning that big
game, because the year beforethat they beat us pretty badly
and then we were able to beatthem in a shootout, and then we
knew that we were ready to goafter that and that we were
going to be a strong team againand then we just went all the
way yeah, enjoy the moment
Speaker 1 (21:56):
enjoy the moment it goes by quick, it's another fire
answer for the parents.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
Another fire answer.
Like that, it is a fire answerfire.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
Answer they use that you just you know, I always tell
the parents and the playersthat it's gonna be over like
that.
It's true.
Yeah, take it moment by moment,yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:12):
And if you put the love for the sport first and
that you're playing out therewith all of your friends, yeah,
that's what really makes it.
So now we're gonna head in somerapid questions.
These are surprise so firstthing that comes to your mind is
the answer.
All right, okay, lar, okay,larry, favorite song.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
Stairway to Heaven, led Zeppelin.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
Okay, good one.
I didn't know if you were goingto go with a Trolls song.
Speaker 4 (22:32):
No, I'm going to listen to Trolls when I get home
.
Trolls just want to have fun.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
I do like Pat Benatar too, but these guys have no
clue who she is.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
No, probably not you either.
Yes, very good, see, I do knowsome stuff Banks overtime or
shootout Overtime.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
Lucas favorite sport to watch besides hockey?
Jesus, basketball, basketball,yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
Okay, I thought you were going to go with maybe
baseball.
No, no, that's the worst sportto watch.
Speaker 4 (23:02):
I'm going to be honest I love baseball, but I
could never watch baseball again.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
It's a longer-styled game.
It takes like five hours.
Larry, all-time greatestgoaltender.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
Ken Dryden, who I'm not sure all Canadians say who
he came up in 1971.
He beat the Bruins Right out ofthe Ivy League.
Speaker 1 (23:21):
Banks.
Are you a superstitious player?
Speaker 5 (23:23):
Leading up to a game a little bit, but it won't knock
me off my game.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
What do you do?
That's superstitious.
Speaker 5 (23:27):
Just kind of the way I get dressed, the way I warm up
is normally the same.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
Okay, routine Lucas, shoot or dangle.
Speaker 4 (23:33):
Dangle 100%.
Speaker 3 (23:35):
My shot's terrible oh okay, Leary favorite movie.
Speaker 2 (23:40):
Good, the Bad, the Ugly, the best movie ever.
Really Ever Watch it.
If you're super bored, you havenothing to do.
Speaker 4 (23:48):
It's two and a half hours.
That movie has made people runa lot of laps around the track.
Speaker 5 (23:52):
That question right there has made a lot of kids do
laps and push-ups.
Why?
Speaker 4 (23:55):
Because he always asks a random person.
Speaker 5 (23:58):
A freshman, yeah, a freshman who?
Speaker 4 (24:00):
obviously has no idea what the answer is.
What's his favorite?
Speaker 1 (24:03):
movie.
It's always the good, the bad,the ugly, and they have no idea,
never yet okay, well, maybenext year I have a tattoo on my
leg do you really that's?
Why I asked them oh, I figured,if they were observant they
could figure it out, and theynever figured out if they didn't
watch.
I don't think anyone knows whatthe tattoo is no they don't
look close enough.
All right, thanks, favoriteathlete uh favorite athlete,
charlie mcavoy okay, lucasfavorite quote.
Speaker 4 (24:26):
I'm him.
That's my senior quote, that is.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
That's you right there in a quote.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
Larry, ever been around the Stanley Cup.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
Yes, dean Lombardi, who I played college hockey with
, brought us the Stanley Cupinto Massachusetts that's where
he's from, from Springfield Massso when he was the general
manager of the Kings he broughtit down and invited some of his
old players from UNH to go seeit.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
Oh, that's a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
It's a beautiful thing.
Did you get to touch it or no?
Speaker 2 (24:54):
Oh yeah, of course there's actually a guy that
that's his job with the NHL.
He takes the cup, protects it,and then he goes from player to
player, coach to coach, generalmanager to general manager and
they go to every town wherethose folks live.
Speaker 1 (25:09):
And he just guards it .
And he guards it.
What did he do this year?
When Florida jumped in theocean with it, I was there.
That probably wasn't too goodfor the.
It was funny because I was in.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
Fort Lauderdale in the Keys for that time and I was
doing my jog.
It was the Florida boys, andthen we watched them jump with
the cup.
It seems like it would getrusty after that I'm sure they
cleaned it up.
Speaker 1 (25:29):
Yeah, they'd have to Okay Banks, best player in the
NHL right now.
Speaker 5 (25:33):
I mean it's got to be Connor McDavid.
I don't think that's really aquestion.
Speaker 1 (25:36):
Maybe not Sidney Crosby or anyone like that.
Speaker 5 (25:37):
No, it's definitely Connor McDavid.
Speaker 1 (25:39):
Lucas, what kind of curve do you use?
Speaker 4 (25:42):
McDavid curve it.
It's the best curve Right now.
I think I use the cane curve,though, because I wanted the
white proto and they didn't haveit in the McDavid curve, so I
was like, whatever, I'm justgoing to end this curve.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
Second option I guess Beautiful Larry favorite moment
of your career.
Speaker 2 (25:56):
Coaching, yeah, coaching Playing.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
You could give me one of each Playing.
We'll do playing.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
Playing is.
When I played, we almost beatLowell.
That's 56 shots.
I played really, really well,but we came up short.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
And you played for UNH, was it?
Speaker 2 (26:12):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (26:13):
That was D2 at the time that was D2, and they were
D2.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
And coaching, I mean, there's just so many.
I would probably think thefirst time we won a state
championship at Notre Dame wasspecial.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
I'm sure.
Yeah, it had to be so, banks,best piece of advice you've ever
been given.
Speaker 5 (26:32):
Probably my dad.
He always told me growing upappreciate everything, expect
nothing.
So it was kind of like a workhard mentality.
He always told me you can't gointo something thinking it's
going to be given to you.
That's kind of our mentalityfor this year.
We're not going to be given astate championship or an SEC
championship, so we've got towork for it.
Speaker 1 (26:46):
You've got to go out there and work for it.
Yeah, that's a really goodpiece of advice.
Lucas favorite move in abreakaway Listen up.
Speaker 4 (26:56):
Favorite move on a breakaway, probably like I did
it one time in like Bantams, Ilike did fake in between the
legs and then I brought it backand then I brought it back again
, and then I went back in andscored.
Okay.
Speaker 3 (27:11):
Fancy Maybe we'll see that this year.
No, no, no, no, please don't.
No, I peaked in bantams, soprobably not.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
Okay, coach, what type of style does a Larry Vera
team play?
Speaker 2 (27:19):
I feel it's boring.
Speaker 1 (27:20):
Boring.
Speaker 2 (27:21):
I really do.
Speaker 1 (27:22):
Oh, okay.
Speaker 2 (27:23):
I always tell these guys if they can't score on us,
they can't beat us.
So, we don't take a lot ofchances.
We pick our spots and we'regritty and we compete and we
attack in the defensive zone.
Speaker 1 (27:35):
But I think it's a little joy.
I think you guys are fun towatch.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
I don't think it's too boring.
There's other teams that arewide open.
I hope we're fun to watch.
That's from our perspective, myperspective.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
It's just the basics.
He's strong on all the basics.
Yes, I guess, okay, banks.
Is it called clear tape or socktape?
Speaker 5 (27:51):
Clear tape, clear tape.
Or, unless you're West VanHalen, cleap.
Yeah, we had a West Van Halen,he called it cleap.
He called it cleap on you.
Speaker 4 (27:57):
He tried to convince me it was called cleap.
I was like so.
Speaker 5 (27:59):
It's definitely clear tape If you say Socko.
Speaker 4 (28:01):
Sock.
Speaker 1 (28:01):
Tape Clay.
Just you're wrong, You're notallowed.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
Do you have a?
Are you clear tape or sock tape?
If they say clear, I'll go withtape.
Speaker 1 (28:16):
Okay, good answer, Lucas.
Greatest NHL center of all time.
Speaker 4 (28:20):
All time.
Mm-hmm or just your favorite.
If you can't think of the alltime, my favorite is probably.
Speaker 3 (28:29):
Nilan.
Speaker 4 (28:29):
Lucic Played for the Bruins Used to lay people out,
so that was always fun.
Speaker 1 (28:32):
Larry favorite hockey drill.
Speaker 2 (28:34):
Hockey drill.
I love the 45-second drill.
That's going to happen at 6o'clock, about 6.01 in the
morning.
The kids are going to have todo a blue line, red line, blue
line all the way down and backwithin 45 seconds.
So we do blue line, red line,blue line all the way down and
back within 45 seconds.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
Wow, so we're going to see who's in shape and who's
not.
It's light work.
It says a lot about certainplayers.
I'm sure it does.
Yeah, that must not make youfeel too good at 6 in the
morning.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
No, it's fun.
Speaker 1 (29:01):
It separates the boys from the men Banks hat trick or
game-winning goal.
Speaker 5 (29:05):
Game-winning goal 100% Good answer.
Speaker 1 (29:07):
Lucas biggest role model.
Speaker 4 (29:09):
My uncle, uncle Brett , your uncle the goat, the goat.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
Hello, Brett Leary, favorite rink to play at.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
Favorite rink to play at Wow, that's a great question
.
Speaker 1 (29:22):
The thinker.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
Favorite rink?
Any rink that we win a game at.
Speaker 1 (29:27):
Okay, what an answer.
That was a good answer thatcovered everything.
Speaker 2 (29:31):
Then it's a nice rink .
Speaker 1 (29:32):
Then it's a guess Anything where there's a win.
Okay, Binks favorite celly.
Speaker 5 (29:37):
Oh, the fishing rod celly I hit last year.
Oh, you did that in the semis,right yeah, that was my favorite
.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
That was a good one Student section.
That's when they got to jumplike fish.
After that I don't think theycaught on.
They didn't catch on to thatOkay Lucas pregame hype song.
Besides the Trolls, I didn'tIce Ice Baby.
Okay, yeah, besides.
Speaker 4 (29:55):
Trolls.
If I'm not listening to Trollsit's like Ice, Ice Baby.
It's a big switch.
Speaker 1 (29:59):
I was going to say you got some versatile playlists
right there.
Speaker 2 (30:02):
That's why you don't know what you're gonna hear.
Speaker 1 (30:05):
Yeah all right.
So lastly, on the glory dayspodcast, we always like to wrap
up by asking our guests what doyou think the purpose of high
school sports is?
Speaker 4 (30:14):
uh, probably, just uh , honestly.
Speaker 5 (30:16):
Besides just becoming better at players for the sport
, it's probably just being ableto make new friends and bonding,
because that's something thatyou always do during high school
sports and you have that, youcan have that your whole life,
those friendships yeah, 100%,like lucas said, making those
friends, the memories Also, likethe little things, like the
working hard, like not expectingstuff, kind of earning it,
because that's a way betterfeeling than being given
(30:36):
something.
So I think kind of having thatmentality in life.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
Yeah, it's a good life skill to learn.
Speaker 2 (30:41):
Transferring the skills that we utilize in
practice and in games into reallife, because they go hand in
hand.
Yeah, no doubt.
Speaker 1 (30:50):
Yeah, you're going to learn so much from all your
years playing hockey, so, yeah,that's awesome.
Well, thank you so much forjoining me on the podcast today,
and I wish you all the best ofluck in the upcoming season.
Speaker 2 (30:58):
You're the best.
Thanks for having us.
Speaker 1 (31:00):
Of course.
Welcome to CIC's Glory Days podcast.
I'm your host, Jada Maribel,and today I'm joined by the 2024
Division I Boys Ice HockeyState Champions, Notre Dame West
Haven.
I'm joined by an all-time greatConnecticut ice hockey coach,
Larry Vieira, and two Notre DameWest Haven captains, Lucas
Delmonico and Dylan Bankowski.
Thank you all for joining metoday.
I'm so excited to have you intothe podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Thanks for having us.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Of course.
So Notre Dame hockey had anawesome season last year and has
had a very successful run thesepast few years, making an
appearance in the four pastDivision I state championships,
and I have no doubt that thisseason is going to be another
great one.
But it'll be a little bitdifferent because you'll be
kicking it off in War Road,minnesota, one of the best
hockey cities in the country toplay in a Christmas tournament
against some of the bestMinnesota hockey teams.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
So what is the plan and mindset?
Heading into that tournament toplay against those Minnesota
teams?
We're just looking to put NotreDame on the map outside of
Connecticut.
You know, we've made our markin Rhode Island, we've made our
mark in Mass and I just want tokeep raising the bar.
That's the bottom line.
So that was my plan.
I set it around in April and Icame up with this master plan.
So we'll see how happy we are.
(01:05):
Come what is it?
December 29th?
Speaker 1 (01:08):
we'll see how happy we are.
It'll be awesome practice,though, yeah 100%.
It'll be battle-tested when youcome back to Connecticut.
Speaker 4 (01:13):
Yeah, you know, like you said, basically we just want
to go up there and win.
It's what we always try to doand try to keep on growing the
organization, just making itbetter, keep on growing the
organization just making itbetter, and that's probably a
big step if we come out of therewith a winning record.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Yeah, definitely.
It's a great opportunity.
Speaker 5 (01:28):
I think our mindset is definitely going to be it's
any other game.
Now you can't go in therethinking we're in Minnesota.
You've got to take it as anyother game and kind of take the
punches and roll with them.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
True, and so this is an elite tournament.
How did it come about withgetting a spot to play in this?
Speaker 2 (01:42):
I'd like to say it was through my connections.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
But it was purely luck.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
So I started to call Division I coaches.
I wanted to play Minnesotateams and as I talked to these
guys, we would not be a goodmatch.
They had teams with nineDivision I commits.
Their extra players were USHLcommits.
We're good, we're not that typeof level.
So they said why don't you callsome Division II teams but
(02:09):
don't call War Road?
So as always, people say don'tcall.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
War Road.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
That's the first guy I called, and it just so
happened that they've had thistournament for 30 years and a
team dropped out that's been init for 20.
Oh wow, so it was just pureluck.
He did some research on us andhe felt it would be a good.
A good uh fit.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
That's good timing.
Great timing and good luck.
Yeah, that'll be awesome, greatexperience.
And that's christmas day.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
You're leaving or right after we're leaving
christmas day bah, humbug, yeah,um, and on the positive note
with that, the parents weresuper supportive in the school
because I did present it to themprior to committing and the
parents, uh, thought it was agood idea.
They'll do christmas onchristmas eve and we'll we'll
spend christmas together.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Oh, that'll be nice, that'll be awesome I found a
place on christmas eve.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
That's when we arrive .
We got some chinese food.
We'll be delivered.
We'll be good to go.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Yeah, it was called king garden a little shout out
to them so we're good to go,you're so, hopefully you guys
like chinese food yeah yeah.
So, leary, you're a phenomenalcoach.
You've earned your 500th careerwin this past season.
You've coached for differentschools throughout your career,
but you've won countless statechampionships, so how do you
continue to build and thenmaintain these incredible
programs?
Speaker 2 (03:24):
It's all about the players.
It really is.
I mean, players make coacheslook good and I surround myself
with really good assistantcoaches that aren't ES men and
that's really the bottom line,and you know, I want high
character kids that work hardand the formula seems to work.
So really it's about the kidsand the surrounding cast really.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Yeah, absolutely yeah .
The kids are the main bread andbutter.
What do you expect from yourathletes?
What is the standard that youhold them to to continue to
create these teams?
Speaker 2 (03:53):
You have to have discipline, you have to have a
work ethic and you have tobelieve in team over eye and I'm
fortunate at Notre Dame where Ican look for kids like that.
We try to weed out the kids whomake bad decisions the kids who
don't work hard, and reallythat's the foundation for
success in all parts of life, inmy opinion.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Yes, very true.
And what are some of the othercore values that you and the
rest of the coaching staff tryto instill besides that
discipline and that hard workethic?
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Well, definitely teamwork.
There has to be a familyatmosphere I think that's the
biggest one and accountability,you know we hold the kids
accountable, and these guys havealways responded to that.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Yeah, it was very cool to see last year on the ice
.
You guys all played very welltogether.
Speaker 5 (04:42):
You're great athletes but you're also great people
off the ice.
Yeah, that's one of our bigthings at ND team bonding.
Over the summer we're alltogether, we're working out,
we're lifting, so we're togetherpretty much from July 5th until
when the season starts.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
Yeah, that really helps with team chemistry.
Because you have it off the ice.
You have it on the ice, yep.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
Yeah, we all just know each other, which is good.
It's that makes a bigdifference.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
Yeah, so last year in the state championship game
against New Canaan, who wasseeded number one, you defeated
them 4-1.
So what was your game planheading into that game and how
did it evolve throughout Nice?
Speaker 5 (05:12):
I'd say we definitely weren't worried about the
seeding or anything like that.
We knew we had played a toughschedule which had an effect on
our seed, but our mindset waswe've played them before.
We kind of understood that ifwe can get up on them early kind
of score early the goalie wouldcrumble and then with that the
rest of the team did.
We knew this was a big thingfor them.
They haven't been to a statechampionship in a long time.
So, as coach larry was saying,the week leading up to it the
(05:32):
whole town would be there andthey were.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
they had a lot of people around them but it was
nice to get to send them homeearly and send them packing yeah
, uh, yeah, you know, for us,like you said you, we've been in
the state championship fouryears in a row before that, or
three years in a row before that.
So I try to just think of it asanother game For us.
They had, like I think theysaid it was like their first
state championship, like 25years, so they had a lot of ride
on that game.
It was a huge game for them,obviously, a huge game for us.
(05:56):
But, like he said, we knew wejust needed to score first and
then, if we scored first, weknew like the rest would just
follow and we would just need tokeep on scoring and, just you
know, pound them hard down low.
Just keep on getting shots onnet and rest would just come
together yeah, you guys had astrong plan going.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
It worked yeah, you guys had knocked them out of
semifinals the year prior yeah,I think so.
Yeah, the year, last coupleyears, we've uh taken them out
yeah we've been a thorn in theirside, yeah, so they came back
for revenge, but you guys stillcame out on top.
Was there a specific game ormoment in the playoff that stood
out as a defining moment forthe team?
Speaker 5 (06:29):
I think definitely the end of the second period
versus Simsbury, because thatwas a game we had walked into
kind of unsure of if they werereally good and they were as
good as their schedule had said,because they played weaker
teams but they were kind ofbeating them by a lot by a lot
so we weren't 100 sure on howphysical or how tough they'd be.
And then they took a 1-0 leadearly and going into that second
period we knew we had to turnsomething around and we had to
(06:49):
talk with the team.
The whole team kind of boughtin, dug in, and so we kind of
rolled with that.
We didn't get anything till, Ithink, eight minutes left in the
second period when Lucasactually scored a nice rebound
goal and then we kind of rolledfrom there and after that it was
pretty much our game from thereon out.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Yeah, momentum definitely shift.
Speaker 4 (07:05):
Second period of that game uh, yeah, you know, I
think the momentum shiftedprobably in the first period,
when lane made that one save,when they came down, you know,
because if they score that goalI mean that's they go up to
nothing in the first period.
I mean, that was the first timeus even going down, I think,
against the connecticut team allyear so that definitely, you
know, probably caught us offguard, but we just knew that we
(07:27):
just needed to come back tosecond period and just probably,
like he said, we just allneeded to buy in and that
probably changed the wholeseason.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
Yeah, so how do you stay focused with the ups and
downs of a game or a season?
Because that was a back game,for example.
It was.
You didn't know how it wasgoing to go, so how do you stay
focused in those?
Speaker 5 (07:42):
moments it's definitely just kind of
understanding like we knew whowe were as a team so we weren't
worried.
Once they scored, like we knew,all right, we need like the
goals are going to come.
We just got to stick to ourgame plan.
We had a good plan going infour, check them hard.
We knew the d down low wouldcough up pucks and that's kind
of what happened throughout thegame.
We got chances during that.
Their goalie made some bigsaves, but once the shots
started falling, it was kind ofour game from there on out.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
Yeah, we just try to remember who we are as a team.
We know that, like, even if wego down or if we're losing a
game, that's not who we are.
We know that we can always comeback and that we have guys that
know how to score goals and agoalie that can make big saves
when he needs to.
So we just knew that even if wewent down, it was never like
the game's already over so yeah,you could always come back,
yeah, so what was.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
Yeah you could always come back.
Yeah, so was that the mostchallenging in-game moment of
the season, or were there otherones that come to mind?
Speaker 4 (08:28):
I would say probably playing prep in the SEC chip was
tough, you know, we knew we hadbeat them, I think, the game
before, but we lost to them theyear before that in the SEC
championship.
So we knew that they're alwaysjust a tough team to beat and
they always, you know, pack thatgame.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
That game's always packed, so it's a hard game to
play in, but we knew that again.
If we just scored first, thenit goes our way sometimes.
So from a coaching perspective,the simsbury game was the most
challenging really, just becauseI don't like playing teams that
are loaded with seniors true Ijust know that it's their last
hurrah and they do specialthings.
And then they started to trapus and I said, oh boy, here we
go.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
And.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
Lucas was right about Lane and I would almost even
counter that If he didn't maketwo saves, we'd have been down
3-0.
I mean he made saves that youjust can't make on a high school
level.
You just don't make them.
And without that we were inhuge trouble and I thought we
were in big trouble Down 1-0,quite frankly, just because they
(09:29):
weren't Simsbury wasn't playingto win anymore.
And then, when you're playingin the semifinals, your heart
beats a little bit, your palmsstart to sweat, you hold the
stick a little bit tighter.
It's weird.
It's a different season.
The playoffs are a differentseason If you haven't played in
the playoffs, as Lucas pointedout, New Canaan, it's a
(09:52):
challenge the first time to playin a big arena.
Until you experience it, it'stough to explain.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
You guys have plenty of experience in that.
That must be why you guysalways come through with a win.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
We're very fortunate.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
So, besides you, Lucas, Notre Dame has lost their
entire first line andgoaltender, losing all-stars
like Logan Hurd, Lane Jacksonand James Mascari.
So what's the plan this year?
To mesh new players to theroles of those veteran players.
Speaker 4 (10:15):
You know, obviously it stinks losing big guys like
that.
They were a huge part of, like,the success last year.
But we've just been skiing withthe team and, lucky for us, at
Notre Dame we're very deep andwe have guys that maybe even
last year could have stepped upin those positions and we have
guys that are ready this year toalways fill in and that are
just ready to play at that kindof level, at that like first
(10:36):
line and so.
But we just try to get everyonetogether, make sure like who's
working together, like early inthe season, just to see who
works out, and that's kind of ofwhat we do, yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Yeah, you guys have very strong lines, not just the
first line, the second and thirdline are very strong as well.
Speaker 5 (10:48):
Yeah, I, think at ND we're big on the next man up
theory.
Where one guy goes down or oneline's not playing, well, that
next line that's up is ready togo.
So I think the kids that werein that spot last year are more
than ready to go this.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
And so basically, the younger kids are going to have
to mesh with these guys and itstarted with great leadership
this summer and I don't have anydoubt that the younger guys
will mesh and the younger guysare going to be juniors that
have been around the program.
It's not like they're going tobe brand new.
But, we might have some youngerkids that might grab a roster
spot.
But the kids that have beenwaiting they understand the
(11:26):
culture.
They understand what theexpectations are so, um losing
the guys we did, it's tough toreplace, so we will see how much
we miss them as we move along,but we feel that we have a good
bunch of kids ready to step in.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
Yeah, you guys have a strong roster to help replace
them.
So how do each of you preparementally and physically for a
game?
How do you get into thatwinning?
Speaker 4 (11:46):
mindset.
I just try to think of it aslike enter the game.
I don't try to make games blownout of proportion like too big,
like one game is bigger thanthe other, even though it is
true.
But I just try to tree everygame like every game is the
biggest game so that I can justplay the same.
Sometimes I just put on myheadphones.
(12:06):
Listen to music.
A music choice is probably notthe best.
I probably listen to.
Like the Trolls music from theTrolls movies.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
The Trolls music yeah , I didn't expect that from you.
No, yeah, the Trolls music Okay.
Speaker 4 (12:17):
Yeah, so I just put that on.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
Do you like that movie Lucas?
Speaker 4 (12:20):
I do.
It's a good mood becausesometimes when I'm on the ice, I
can maybe be a little mean, soI try to get in a good mood
before the game and just try tosmile, have fun, and then when
we get on the ice it's allbusiness.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Okay, that's a good strategy, Whatever works for you
.
Speaker 5 (12:37):
Do you?
Speaker 1 (12:38):
listen to any movie soundtracks.
Not quite like that.
Mine is a little different.
Speaker 5 (12:41):
I'm normally on the speaker, so that's a big thing
for me, kind of getting themusic setting the tone for the
team.
But, also, like Lucas said, notblowing games out of proportion.
Everything's just another game.
One game might be moreimportant or might mean more,
but at the same time it's justfive guys on the ice and you
have your teammates.
So I trust my teammates.
I know that if I have a badplay or a bad shift, that
(13:02):
they're going to come up andhelp me out.
So I trust that and kind ofroll with that throughout the
game.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
Yeah, those are both really good ways to think about
it.
You don't want the pressure toget to you, just take it as a
normal game.
Yeah, so, as individualathletes, what does training
look like for you in theoffseason?
Speaker 5 (13:12):
I spend a lot of time in the weight room in the
offseason and like so.
I play lacrosse in theoffseason, so I'm on the field a
lot.
So I'm staying active becauseit's a big thing.
You can't if you sit down andlike, take every kid that's
around you is going to getbetter.
So the kids are takingadvantage of that.
Get better, and all you are isbehind when the season starts.
So I like to stay active, staydoing something.
Even if I'm not in the weightroom that day I'll be out of the
(13:33):
field or doing somethingphysically active yeah, like he
said, I just like to stay active.
Speaker 4 (13:38):
I play baseball, so we're in the weight room for
baseball too, so I'm neverreally fully stopping.
I also try to just stay on theice, like private lessons or
maybe just playing with like asummer team or spring team.
So I don't get away from beingon the ice as I don't want to
get rusty.
I just try to think about likethe next year going like last
year.
I was just thinking about goingin my senior year.
You know, I wanted to be thebest I could for this year
(14:00):
because hopefully we can try towin it again.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
And everyone needs to be at their best for that to
happen.
Yeah, it's so important to stayactive throughout your office.
Speaker 5 (14:07):
Yeah, and a big advantage we have at nd is the
summer workouts we do so.
Not only are you working out,but you're also with the team.
So, as the team's gettingbetter, you're getting better
and you're also building thatchemistry for the upcoming
season that's very true.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
so how do you think that the new ciac rule allowing
for practice two days a week fortwo hours per session will help
benefit your team and otherteams for the season?
Speaker 2 (14:27):
I think it's a positive.
Absolutely, ciac did a greatjob approving that and it just
gives us a chance to work withthe student athletes more than
we would.
So the kids did get a chance toskate for a limited period of
time, along with the off-icestuff which we can do year-round
.
So I think it's a positive.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
Yeah, some extra time to get the team ready and get
them together.
So what games are you mostlooking forward to this year and
which ones do you think will bethe biggest challenges?
Besides War Road, of course,yeah.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
I would say I always look forward to playing Prep
because it's just always a biggame.
There's always a lot of peoplethere, it's just a big rivalry
and I just always want to beatthem and but they're also like a
huge challenge.
So that's probably one of thebiggest challenges we're gonna
have this year trying to beatthem, and probably Darian and
New Canaan.
They're always strong and thoseare just games that a lot of
people always go to, so thoseare just the most fun games to
(15:16):
play in, for sure yeah, I'm withLucas there, like perhaps
always a fun game to play inwhen we play Darian at home.
Speaker 5 (15:21):
Towards the end of the season we're gonna play New
Canaan.
I'm very excited for those gamesbecause those are good teams
from last year.
I'm also excited to playSimsbury again, kind of because
we got to play them last year.
They're on our schedule thisyear, which hasn't happened, so
I'm excited to get to see themand see how they are without all
the seniors they had last year.
But I think one of our biggames this year is Archbishop
Williams, which is anout-of-state team which we know
is good, and that'll be towardsthe end of the season.
(15:41):
So we're hoping we haveeverything figured out by then.
We can kind of give them ourbest shot.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
You have a really stacked schedule this year.
Speaker 4 (15:47):
That's where my dad went to high school, really, oh
really.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
Maybe he could give you some tips.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
Brain tree mask.
Brain tree mask Jesus.
Oh nice, yeah the schedule ispacked.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
That's one of my brain.
I can't think of the word.
But in April, when I came upwith the Minnesota thing, I I
can't think of the word.
But in April, when I came upwith the Minnesota thing, I also
wanted to improve our scheduleeven further, and that's the
only way we're going to attractgood kids to Notre Dame.
That's the niche that kids wantto play high school.
It has to be on that level, Ifnot they won't come.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
That's true.
That's how you compete withthose academies and those prep
schools.
Speaker 5 (16:22):
Yeah, I think that's also a huge advantage we have,
like kind of with the summerworkouts and then the strength
of schedule.
It kind of gets us ready forthose playoff games and those
big pressure situations where wemight be down a goal or might
have to come back in a toughgame where it's zero, zero late
and kind of get that goal.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
I think those those games are huge for us yeah,
because you've already played inthose high pressure moments at
the beginning of the regularseason so it gets you ready.
So, heading into this nextseason, what do you think all of
your strengths are as a team?
Besides the strong roster andthe experience, do you have any
others?
Speaker 5 (16:46):
I think definitely experience.
Like coach said, we're a seniorladen team so we have a lot of
um, a lot of experience fromlast year from kids that are
stepping up into these big rolesthis year I think they're very
capable of.
But I also think from, uh, likea captain's perspective.
I've gotten to see these kidsplay so I understand, like I
spent three years on varsity, soI know, know, like how certain
(17:07):
kids play, like what theirknicks are and like the little
things which on the ice is justmore chemistry, which is going
to only affect us and benefit usmore.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
We are one of the strongest teams I've ever
coached.
I mean, we just finished up ourweight room and our average for
our bench is the highest it'sever been.
Really.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
We have many guys benching over 200 um one kid at
245, others around 185, 175, andthat's impressive that is for a
hockey team.
I know football um they focusmore more than hockey but we're
very strong, we're big.
Um so depth I truly feel wehave a lot of depth.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
Yeah, that'll make a big difference.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
Yeah yeah, so.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
So Dylan and Lucas as captains, how will you both
help to lead the team thisseason along with Nick
Stephenson, max Schroeder, theother two captains?
Speaker 5 (17:53):
So I feel definitely all four of us kind of have a
role.
We know like we have vocalleaders.
We have leaders that are kindof going to be more friendly
with the, maybe not yell andscream in between periods, but
kids are going to see themworking on the ice and they're
like oh, I got to work like that.
But also the 12 senior skaterswe have this year, along with
(18:16):
the two goalies.
Kids are going to be looking upto them, like our younger guys
are going to be watching themand paying attention to them.
So I don't think it's only thecaptains leading the team this
year.
I think it's going to be hugehaving the seniors buy in and
understand that we're not hereto mess around like this is a
serious year and every kid'sgoing to see that and want to be
like that.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
That's a really good perspective.
Speaker 4 (18:33):
Yeah, like he said, I feel like us having a lot of
seniors helps with having a lotof leadership on the team,
because even though we are thecaptains, the seniors too they
should help out and shouldalways be there for the kids and
just making them understandwhat it's like to play for Notre
Dame.
I feel like that's one thingthat we have to do is make kids
understand what it's like to beon this team and how we always
like to buy into winning andaccept your role, because we
(18:55):
need guys that, even if it's afourth line role, whatever it is
, it doesn't matter, it's animportant role on the team and
it helps us win.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
so we just need people to understand that it's
not like every hockey team.
I think most kids have boughtinto the idea that we're here to
win.
Speaker 5 (19:11):
It's not about who's going to score the most points
for the team.
It's about every little thingon the ice, like who's going to
forecheck the hardest, who'sgoing to get a hit to get the
team momentum switched.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
So I think this year is going to be a big year for
that and kind of buying intothat mentality.
Yeah, all those little thingsadd up, yep.
So if you ought to choose onemotto or one, mantra heading
into this next season.
Speaker 5 (19:31):
What would it be?
Speaker 1 (19:32):
Just buying in.
Speaker 5 (19:32):
Buying in Like our team mentality this year is we
can't, because senior-ladenteams often can kind of get lazy
and kind of like think thatit's going to be given to them.
We know that's not going tohappen this year.
There's great teams in theleague this year so it's
definitely gonna be hard.
But I think as long as everyonebuys in and the whole team
understands and fits that roleof all right, I might not be
scoring every game, but I'mgonna forward check and not let
(19:54):
them score or maybe force a goalfor my line, if everyone
combines that mentality I thinkwe'll be really good, yeah,
that's a really great way to goabout it probably just like be
gritty, because like that's whatwe always do, we're always just
a gritty team, try to forecheckhard, get underneath team skin,
maybe try to get them off theirgame.
Speaker 4 (20:10):
I feel like that always helps because we're just
always on teams right away.
I feel like that always helpsus out a lot.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
You got to come in strong.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
Punch the time clock.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
Punch the time clock.
What's the meaning behind that?
Speaker 2 (20:22):
Once we start 6 am, punch the time clock.
Let's get to work, Okay okay.
Speaker 4 (20:31):
You guys all had different mottos there, a little
different meaning.
We're a lunch pail team.
Mickey Dowd still has the bestmotto for the team, does he
Can't say it?
Speaker 1 (20:35):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
Maybe don't say it.
We don't want to get canceled.
Speaker 1 (20:39):
Okay, as the current reigning Division I champions,
if you had to share a piece ofadvice to fellow athletes and
fellow coaches, what would it be?
Speaker 5 (20:48):
I think one of the big things is kind of have fun
with it, because there's gameslike last year we were.
We had a rough start, you know,we were losing some out of state
games and kind of got down onourselves and we're like people
were enjoying it and then oncewe realized like all right, just
have like, just kind of havefun, go out there, it's hockey,
because a lot of times peopleforget that you're playing the
(21:09):
sport you loved as a kid.
So if you just kind of sitthere and realize that you're
going to have a lot more fun andwith the fun comes the winning,
because that's where the teamchemistry aspect comes in-
that's very true.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
That's a fire answer.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
It is, yeah, I'm not going to top that.
It's a fire answer.
Speaker 4 (21:19):
Lucas is locked in.
Probably.
Just, you know, I guess, don'tgive up, because you know, like
he said, you know we lost, Ithink, the first game of the
year, which was kind of asurprise because you know we all
thought, you know, we weregoing to beat that team, and
then we lost pretty badlyactually.
But then, you know, we justbounced right back and then we
won a big game against CatholicMemorial and I feel like that
(21:40):
really set the tone for the restof the season, winning that big
game, because the year beforethat they beat us pretty badly
and then we were able to beatthem in a shootout, and then we
knew that we were ready to goafter that and that we were
going to be a strong team againand then we just went all the
way yeah, enjoy the moment
Speaker 1 (21:56):
enjoy the moment it goes by quick, it's another fire
answer for the parents.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
Another fire answer.
Like that, it is a fire answerfire.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
Answer they use that you just you know, I always tell
the parents and the playersthat it's gonna be over like
that.
It's true.
Yeah, take it moment by moment,yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:12):
And if you put the love for the sport first and
that you're playing out therewith all of your friends, yeah,
that's what really makes it.
So now we're gonna head in somerapid questions.
These are surprise so firstthing that comes to your mind is
the answer.
All right, okay, lar, okay,larry, favorite song.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
Stairway to Heaven, led Zeppelin.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
Okay, good one.
I didn't know if you were goingto go with a Trolls song.
Speaker 4 (22:32):
No, I'm going to listen to Trolls when I get home
.
Trolls just want to have fun.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
I do like Pat Benatar too, but these guys have no
clue who she is.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
No, probably not you either.
Yes, very good, see, I do knowsome stuff Banks overtime or
shootout Overtime.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
Lucas favorite sport to watch besides hockey?
Jesus, basketball, basketball,yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
Okay, I thought you were going to go with maybe
baseball.
No, no, that's the worst sportto watch.
Speaker 4 (23:02):
I'm going to be honest I love baseball, but I
could never watch baseball again.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
It's a longer-styled game.
It takes like five hours.
Larry, all-time greatestgoaltender.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
Ken Dryden, who I'm not sure all Canadians say who
he came up in 1971.
He beat the Bruins Right out ofthe Ivy League.
Speaker 1 (23:21):
Banks.
Are you a superstitious player?
Speaker 5 (23:23):
Leading up to a game a little bit, but it won't knock
me off my game.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
What do you do?
That's superstitious.
Speaker 5 (23:27):
Just kind of the way I get dressed, the way I warm up
is normally the same.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
Okay, routine Lucas, shoot or dangle.
Speaker 4 (23:33):
Dangle 100%.
Speaker 3 (23:35):
My shot's terrible oh okay, Leary favorite movie.
Speaker 2 (23:40):
Good, the Bad, the Ugly, the best movie ever.
Really Ever Watch it.
If you're super bored, you havenothing to do.
Speaker 4 (23:48):
It's two and a half hours.
That movie has made people runa lot of laps around the track.
Speaker 5 (23:52):
That question right there has made a lot of kids do
laps and push-ups.
Why?
Speaker 4 (23:55):
Because he always asks a random person.
Speaker 5 (23:58):
A freshman, yeah, a freshman who?
Speaker 4 (24:00):
obviously has no idea what the answer is.
What's his favorite?
Speaker 1 (24:03):
movie.
It's always the good, the bad,the ugly, and they have no idea,
never yet okay, well, maybenext year I have a tattoo on my
leg do you really that's?
Why I asked them oh, I figured,if they were observant they
could figure it out, and theynever figured out if they didn't
watch.
I don't think anyone knows whatthe tattoo is no they don't
look close enough.
All right, thanks, favoriteathlete uh favorite athlete,
charlie mcavoy okay, lucasfavorite quote.
Speaker 4 (24:26):
I'm him.
That's my senior quote, that is.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
That's you right there in a quote.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
Larry, ever been around the Stanley Cup.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
Yes, dean Lombardi, who I played college hockey with
, brought us the Stanley Cupinto Massachusetts that's where
he's from, from Springfield Massso when he was the general
manager of the Kings he broughtit down and invited some of his
old players from UNH to go seeit.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
Oh, that's a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
It's a beautiful thing.
Did you get to touch it or no?
Speaker 2 (24:54):
Oh yeah, of course there's actually a guy that
that's his job with the NHL.
He takes the cup, protects it,and then he goes from player to
player, coach to coach, generalmanager to general manager and
they go to every town wherethose folks live.
Speaker 1 (25:09):
And he just guards it .
And he guards it.
What did he do this year?
When Florida jumped in theocean with it, I was there.
That probably wasn't too goodfor the.
It was funny because I was in.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
Fort Lauderdale in the Keys for that time and I was
doing my jog.
It was the Florida boys, andthen we watched them jump with
the cup.
It seems like it would getrusty after that I'm sure they
cleaned it up.
Speaker 1 (25:29):
Yeah, they'd have to Okay Banks, best player in the
NHL right now.
Speaker 5 (25:33):
I mean it's got to be Connor McDavid.
I don't think that's really aquestion.
Speaker 1 (25:36):
Maybe not Sidney Crosby or anyone like that.
Speaker 5 (25:37):
No, it's definitely Connor McDavid.
Speaker 1 (25:39):
Lucas, what kind of curve do you use?
Speaker 4 (25:42):
McDavid curve it.
It's the best curve Right now.
I think I use the cane curve,though, because I wanted the
white proto and they didn't haveit in the McDavid curve, so I
was like, whatever, I'm justgoing to end this curve.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
Second option I guess Beautiful Larry favorite moment
of your career.
Speaker 2 (25:56):
Coaching, yeah, coaching Playing.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
You could give me one of each Playing.
We'll do playing.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
Playing is.
When I played, we almost beatLowell.
That's 56 shots.
I played really, really well,but we came up short.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
And you played for UNH, was it?
Speaker 2 (26:12):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (26:13):
That was D2 at the time that was D2, and they were
D2.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
And coaching, I mean, there's just so many.
I would probably think thefirst time we won a state
championship at Notre Dame wasspecial.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
I'm sure.
Yeah, it had to be so, banks,best piece of advice you've ever
been given.
Speaker 5 (26:32):
Probably my dad.
He always told me growing upappreciate everything, expect
nothing.
So it was kind of like a workhard mentality.
He always told me you can't gointo something thinking it's
going to be given to you.
That's kind of our mentalityfor this year.
We're not going to be given astate championship or an SEC
championship, so we've got towork for it.
Speaker 1 (26:46):
You've got to go out there and work for it.
Yeah, that's a really goodpiece of advice.
Lucas favorite move in abreakaway Listen up.
Speaker 4 (26:56):
Favorite move on a breakaway, probably like I did
it one time in like Bantams, Ilike did fake in between the
legs and then I brought it backand then I brought it back again
, and then I went back in andscored.
Okay.
Speaker 3 (27:11):
Fancy Maybe we'll see that this year.
No, no, no, no, please don't.
No, I peaked in bantams, soprobably not.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
Okay, coach, what type of style does a Larry Vera
team play?
Speaker 2 (27:19):
I feel it's boring.
Speaker 1 (27:20):
Boring.
Speaker 2 (27:21):
I really do.
Speaker 1 (27:22):
Oh, okay.
Speaker 2 (27:23):
I always tell these guys if they can't score on us,
they can't beat us.
So, we don't take a lot ofchances.
We pick our spots and we'regritty and we compete and we
attack in the defensive zone.
Speaker 1 (27:35):
But I think it's a little joy.
I think you guys are fun towatch.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
I don't think it's too boring.
There's other teams that arewide open.
I hope we're fun to watch.
That's from our perspective, myperspective.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
It's just the basics.
He's strong on all the basics.
Yes, I guess, okay, banks.
Is it called clear tape or socktape?
Speaker 5 (27:51):
Clear tape, clear tape.
Or, unless you're West VanHalen, cleap.
Yeah, we had a West Van Halen,he called it cleap.
He called it cleap on you.
Speaker 4 (27:57):
He tried to convince me it was called cleap.
I was like so.
Speaker 5 (27:59):
It's definitely clear tape If you say Socko.
Speaker 4 (28:01):
Sock.
Speaker 1 (28:01):
Tape Clay.
Just you're wrong, You're notallowed.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
Do you have a?
Are you clear tape or sock tape?
If they say clear, I'll go withtape.
Speaker 1 (28:16):
Okay, good answer, Lucas.
Greatest NHL center of all time.
Speaker 4 (28:20):
All time.
Mm-hmm or just your favorite.
If you can't think of the alltime, my favorite is probably.
Speaker 3 (28:29):
Nilan.
Speaker 4 (28:29):
Lucic Played for the Bruins Used to lay people out,
so that was always fun.
Speaker 1 (28:32):
Larry favorite hockey drill.
Speaker 2 (28:34):
Hockey drill.
I love the 45-second drill.
That's going to happen at 6o'clock, about 6.01 in the
morning.
The kids are going to have todo a blue line, red line, blue
line all the way down and backwithin 45 seconds.
So we do blue line, red line,blue line all the way down and
back within 45 seconds.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
Wow, so we're going to see who's in shape and who's
not.
It's light work.
It says a lot about certainplayers.
I'm sure it does.
Yeah, that must not make youfeel too good at 6 in the
morning.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
No, it's fun.
Speaker 1 (29:01):
It separates the boys from the men Banks hat trick or
game-winning goal.
Speaker 5 (29:05):
Game-winning goal 100% Good answer.
Speaker 1 (29:07):
Lucas biggest role model.
Speaker 4 (29:09):
My uncle, uncle Brett , your uncle the goat, the goat.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
Hello, Brett Leary, favorite rink to play at.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
Favorite rink to play at Wow, that's a great question
.
Speaker 1 (29:22):
The thinker.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
Favorite rink?
Any rink that we win a game at.
Speaker 1 (29:27):
Okay, what an answer.
That was a good answer thatcovered everything.
Speaker 2 (29:31):
Then it's a nice rink .
Speaker 1 (29:32):
Then it's a guess Anything where there's a win.
Okay, Binks favorite celly.
Speaker 5 (29:37):
Oh, the fishing rod celly I hit last year.
Oh, you did that in the semis,right yeah, that was my favorite
.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
That was a good one Student section.
That's when they got to jumplike fish.
After that I don't think theycaught on.
They didn't catch on to thatOkay Lucas pregame hype song.
Besides the Trolls, I didn'tIce Ice Baby.
Okay, yeah, besides.
Speaker 4 (29:55):
Trolls.
If I'm not listening to Trollsit's like Ice, Ice Baby.
It's a big switch.
Speaker 1 (29:59):
I was going to say you got some versatile playlists
right there.
Speaker 2 (30:02):
That's why you don't know what you're gonna hear.
Speaker 1 (30:05):
Yeah all right.
So lastly, on the glory dayspodcast, we always like to wrap
up by asking our guests what doyou think the purpose of high
school sports is?
Speaker 4 (30:14):
uh, probably, just uh , honestly.
Speaker 5 (30:16):
Besides just becoming better at players for the sport
, it's probably just being ableto make new friends and bonding,
because that's something thatyou always do during high school
sports and you have that, youcan have that your whole life,
those friendships yeah, 100%,like lucas said, making those
friends, the memories Also, likethe little things, like the
working hard, like not expectingstuff, kind of earning it,
because that's a way betterfeeling than being given
(30:36):
something.
So I think kind of having thatmentality in life.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
Yeah, it's a good life skill to learn.
Speaker 2 (30:41):
Transferring the skills that we utilize in
practice and in games into reallife, because they go hand in
hand.
Yeah, no doubt.
Speaker 1 (30:50):
Yeah, you're going to learn so much from all your
years playing hockey, so, yeah,that's awesome.
Well, thank you so much forjoining me on the podcast today,
and I wish you all the best ofluck in the upcoming season.
Speaker 2 (30:58):
You're the best.
Thanks for having us.
Speaker 1 (31:00):
Of course.
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