chapter 343

Livin the Dream

4/18/2014

so cool

Shayne Gostisbehere was MVP of the Union College National Hockey Champions this year. He rides in front of the Clifton Park Fire truck past the home ice on campus. Drafted and this week signed by the Philadelphia Flyers. Capital District is so proud of this little schools (2000 students) remarkable victorious playoff games against the likes of powerhouses BC and Minnesota (50,000 students). Union employed a wolf pack offensive attack and forechecking mentality.

Fellow defenseman Mat Bodie drafted and signed this week by the NY Rangers.

It's interesting how the hockey community is an interconnected and ongoing family. Two of the current Union Champions were coached by a part-time teammate of mine, Ron Kuhl on our Clifton Park Mustang team a few years back. Ron runs the Hockey Hut training facility just up the road. I recall a couple of Union students had played in our league, but don't know who they were.

I visited Ron at the Hut this week just back from the Boston Garden watching his protege defenseman Brian Lashoff of the Detroit Red Wings. Took this picture with his Youth hockey plaque from 2004 which included Union Champion defenseman Jeff Taylor of Clifton Park who was riding second on the truck above. Union goalie and ECAC All American Colin Stevens was also on the youth team and pictured below the national championship trophy. A third youngin on the youth team was Tyler Hynes now in Juniors in Nebraska who has committed to Union next year.

Everybody is not going to be a champion, and that's not really the point; you just want to become better to enjoy the game.  Ron admits that he has been just a small part of the development and success of these individuals but 95 % of success is just showing up. He showed up. But don't tell me it's just a coincidence.

On parade day, I did feel like a champion. And I was, sort of. Have followed the Dutchmen for decades going back to Division III days. The Achilles / Messa Rink is a beautiful domed building where I had my skates sharpened there by the team's staff. This shot was only 8 years back, but I'm fading fast; now I am lucky to make it around the mall 4 times.

Did a little sight seeing on campus a bit before the parade. Post Civil War era Nott Memorial is such a fine building. The only 16 sided building in the Nation. View from the Cessna flyover.

It's pretty much all open space inside. Hadn't particularly noticed the ceiling before. It was nighttime on our frat party trip in '66. This time did look up and photograph the beautiful translucent blue, green, yellow, red and white colored stained glass of the dome. The sun was hitting it from the southwest corner illuminating this quadrant. Remarkable attention to detail for those old timers. The building was recently refurbished by a Boston's Feingold Architects. A little inside tour on Youtube.

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