Why College Sports Should be Cherished.

It’s 12:40pm on a Saturday in Finland. I’m on a team bus traveling up the western coast from Pori to Vaasa; one small city to an even smaller city. The sun is already setting and most of my teammates have found a comfortable (ish) position to partake in one of hockey’s most beloved routines: the pregame nap. The coaches sit in the front of the bus discussing tonight’s game and the fact that our trainers forgot to bring coffee on the bus. Or at least that is what I think they are talking about—I have yet to master the Finnish language. For all I know, they could be discussing the weather. Which I notice is really nice today as I watch the colorful trees and hills pass us on this scenic road. Reminds me of fall in Chestnut Hill and once again, I find myself reminiscing on my college career and the time I spent at Boston College. Instead of taking a nap. 

It’s hard not to be nostalgic when thinking about those coveted four years.  But what exactly is it that always gets me thinking about my time there? There’s something about college hockey that is so distinctly different than the hockey I am playing now.  There are the obvious differences like talent level and money. But there is something bigger.  A unique bond with your teammates and classmates that is nearly impossible to explain unless you have lived it—but let me try.