University of Minnesota Athletics
Living The Dream; Gopher Hockey's Nick Angell
2/14/2002 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
University of Minnesota's Nick Angell knows what it takes to make it all happen. He knows the sacrifices one must endure to feel the rush that comes when you realize you have just made your dream come true. But one must ask, where does it all start?
"I had always played baseball, football and soccer. My dad always wanted me to be a football player. He would buy me the JC Penney's plastic helmets and uniforms and play football with me in the backyard. Then I started playing hockey when I was six. My best friend's dad coached a hockey team and wanted me to try it out. My first year I was absolutely terrible. I couldn't skate to save my life; I was by far the worst player on the team. After that I spent the summer at camps and learned to skate." Angell said. "I stuck with it because I was really bad at it and I can't stand being bad at anything."
Angell certainly learned how to play hockey. In fact, in his senior season at Duluth East High School, he had 14 goals and 36 assists, which earned him all-conference and all-area recognitions. So what made this outstanding student-athlete decide to be a Golden Gopher instead of a University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldog? "I always wanted to attend the `main U' myself, so I think that made an impact on Nick," high school coach Mike Randolph said.
It sure is a good thing Angell decided to attend the "main U." In his junior season, Angell played in 38 games and collected three goals and five assists. Actually, if you remember, he tallied the game-winning goal in the 9-2 win against UMD. "I love playing UMD. It is a hometown rival and that makes it fun. I remember the first time we played (UMD) and everyone from Duluth was booing me. That was four years ago, now the boos have died off a little, but it is a blast to play the Bulldogs."
So what is it like for Angell to be a part of the Golden Gophers? "Playing in Mariucci Arena is amazing. I still remember the first time I stepped onto the ice, I was so nervous; I had butterflies. I could see my parents way up in the corner and they looked like little specks way up there in section 19. I remember just how proud they were for me after the game. It really didn't hit me that I was playing in Mariucci until after the game. During your first game you are so nervous, you just question yourself over and over, `Can I do this? Can I do this?' After the first game it gets easier and easier to be on the ice in front of 10,000 people. Being able to have that opportunity is something I will never forget," Angell commented. "One aspect I will remember the most about playing for the Gophers is all the changes. Like playing for Coach Woog who had a very relaxed style of coaching and then playing for Coach Lucia who has a very upbeat style. Our team has really improved and I am most proud of the fact that my first couple of years we were on a .500 team and now we have really stepped up. Everyone has improved and that is really exciting to see. Like when (senior) Johnny Pohl first came here, he didn't score much at all and now he is our team leader. To see my friends improve is really great, not only on the ice but off the ice as well."
"I believe every year our team has progressed, especially since Coach Lucia started coaching here. We made it to the Final Five and then the next year made the NCAA Regionals. It has been a gradual progression," Angell said. "The most memorable moment was getting to the NCAA Regionals. We lost to Maine but the experience of playing in the NCAA Tournament was really exciting. The games are so competitive during the regular season, but there (NCAA's) it was so much more. To see how the players pushed themselves that extra inch to gain a goal was incredible."
What is the one thing that makes Nick Angell tick? What is it about hockey that puts it above everything else? "I like hockey because it is fast. There is a little bit of everything in it. The quickness, speed, and of course, the physical contact is really exciting. Just the whole intensity of the game. I mean, players can't be out there for more than a minute without feeling like dying. The whole ferocity of the game is what it is all about," Angell commented. "I am not a big fan of watching hockey and not being able to play it. The game is so much fun and to see someone else having fun and not being able to do it myself doesn't make me happy."
Okay. We now know how Angell feels about playing for the Golden Gophers and what drives him to be the type of player he is, but what about the actual game? What is it like for the senior defenseman when game time comes? "Before the game I always check to see if my parents made it. It is a long trip for them and they really mean a lot to me. They have always supported me through everything, all the ups and downs, throughout my whole career. Not only do I play for the Gophers but I also play for the people that mean the most to me, my parents and myself," Angell remarked.
"Other than that, I don't have any pregame rituals. A lot of guys tape their stick a certain way, but I don't. I take my equipment out of my locker put my jersey on and I am ready to go. I don't really have any special ways of pumping myself up before a game. Some of the guys are hooting and hollering in the locker room but I guess I am a pretty laid-back guy," Angell admitted. "I look at it this way, you are a college player, you are not getting a paycheck but you are still a professional. If you are a professional, you shouldn't need anyone or anything to pump you up before a game. You should be excited to go out there and play in front of 10,000 people, have fun and be proud that you can wear the `M.'"
Yes, being professional is a big part of playing collegiate hockey, but what about the behind-the-scenes stuff? What about the non-professional stuff, everything you don't see at a Gopher hockey game? "I like to sit on my couch and watch TV. If the team were to vote me most likely to be something, I think it would be most likely to be fat. Our team is really cool. They will just tell you what they think of you. Everyone here is so open and everyone here gets along so well. Some of the guys are your really good friends and others you just see at the rink, but I think that everyone gets along and that is part of the reason why we are having such a successful year." Angell said.
After hearing Angell say that about his teammates the question had to be asked, most of the world is wondering, what is with the hockey hair? "Some guys really like it. They like their hair to come out of their helmet, but not me. I look like a rat with the `hockey hair.' I had it in high school and I look back at the pictures and just laugh because I just looked atrocious. I think I resemble David Spade in Joe Dirt," Angell said laughing.
Noticing that the interview was turning a different corner, asking about the locker room smell didn't seem out of the question. "It is BAD. My stuff is fine, it smells like sweat but a clean sweat. Some of other guys smell absolutely rotten. I guess I am used to it by now, but on some days I just think WOW! It sure hits you when you walk in," Angell commented.
All jokes aside, the senior from Duluth undoubtedly has made an impact on the Golden Gophers. Angell is not certain what his post-college plans will be, but one thing is for sure, he will be leaving a team and a school that will hardly forget him. With all seriousness, Angell commented on how he wants to be remembered by his teammates and his school. "I want people to remember that I am someone who went out there and had a lot of fun. Not many people have the opportunity to play for a team like the Gophers. It is like actually living a dream. So many people would give anything for the opportunity to play hockey at Minnesota. I want people to remember that I have made the most of what I have been given and have had a lot of fun doing it."
Written by Men's Athletics Media Relations Student Assistant, Alison Schiefelbein
What would it take to make your dreams come true? Have you ever asked yourself this question? Have you ever really taken into consideration all that goes into making something like that happen? What would you have to give up? What sacrifices would you have to make? But now ask yourself how would it feel to see it come true; how would it feel to have your dream become reality?
University of Minnesota's Nick Angell knows what it takes to make it all happen. He knows the sacrifices one must endure to feel the rush that comes when you realize you have just made your dream come true. But one must ask, where does it all start?
"I had always played baseball, football and soccer. My dad always wanted me to be a football player. He would buy me the JC Penney's plastic helmets and uniforms and play football with me in the backyard. Then I started playing hockey when I was six. My best friend's dad coached a hockey team and wanted me to try it out. My first year I was absolutely terrible. I couldn't skate to save my life; I was by far the worst player on the team. After that I spent the summer at camps and learned to skate." Angell said. "I stuck with it because I was really bad at it and I can't stand being bad at anything."
Angell certainly learned how to play hockey. In fact, in his senior season at Duluth East High School, he had 14 goals and 36 assists, which earned him all-conference and all-area recognitions. So what made this outstanding student-athlete decide to be a Golden Gopher instead of a University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldog? "I always wanted to attend the `main U' myself, so I think that made an impact on Nick," high school coach Mike Randolph said.
It sure is a good thing Angell decided to attend the "main U." In his junior season, Angell played in 38 games and collected three goals and five assists. Actually, if you remember, he tallied the game-winning goal in the 9-2 win against UMD. "I love playing UMD. It is a hometown rival and that makes it fun. I remember the first time we played (UMD) and everyone from Duluth was booing me. That was four years ago, now the boos have died off a little, but it is a blast to play the Bulldogs."
So what is it like for Angell to be a part of the Golden Gophers? "Playing in Mariucci Arena is amazing. I still remember the first time I stepped onto the ice, I was so nervous; I had butterflies. I could see my parents way up in the corner and they looked like little specks way up there in section 19. I remember just how proud they were for me after the game. It really didn't hit me that I was playing in Mariucci until after the game. During your first game you are so nervous, you just question yourself over and over, `Can I do this? Can I do this?' After the first game it gets easier and easier to be on the ice in front of 10,000 people. Being able to have that opportunity is something I will never forget," Angell commented. "One aspect I will remember the most about playing for the Gophers is all the changes. Like playing for Coach Woog who had a very relaxed style of coaching and then playing for Coach Lucia who has a very upbeat style. Our team has really improved and I am most proud of the fact that my first couple of years we were on a .500 team and now we have really stepped up. Everyone has improved and that is really exciting to see. Like when (senior) Johnny Pohl first came here, he didn't score much at all and now he is our team leader. To see my friends improve is really great, not only on the ice but off the ice as well."
"I believe every year our team has progressed, especially since Coach Lucia started coaching here. We made it to the Final Five and then the next year made the NCAA Regionals. It has been a gradual progression," Angell said. "The most memorable moment was getting to the NCAA Regionals. We lost to Maine but the experience of playing in the NCAA Tournament was really exciting. The games are so competitive during the regular season, but there (NCAA's) it was so much more. To see how the players pushed themselves that extra inch to gain a goal was incredible."
What is the one thing that makes Nick Angell tick? What is it about hockey that puts it above everything else? "I like hockey because it is fast. There is a little bit of everything in it. The quickness, speed, and of course, the physical contact is really exciting. Just the whole intensity of the game. I mean, players can't be out there for more than a minute without feeling like dying. The whole ferocity of the game is what it is all about," Angell commented. "I am not a big fan of watching hockey and not being able to play it. The game is so much fun and to see someone else having fun and not being able to do it myself doesn't make me happy."
Okay. We now know how Angell feels about playing for the Golden Gophers and what drives him to be the type of player he is, but what about the actual game? What is it like for the senior defenseman when game time comes? "Before the game I always check to see if my parents made it. It is a long trip for them and they really mean a lot to me. They have always supported me through everything, all the ups and downs, throughout my whole career. Not only do I play for the Gophers but I also play for the people that mean the most to me, my parents and myself," Angell remarked.
"Other than that, I don't have any pregame rituals. A lot of guys tape their stick a certain way, but I don't. I take my equipment out of my locker put my jersey on and I am ready to go. I don't really have any special ways of pumping myself up before a game. Some of the guys are hooting and hollering in the locker room but I guess I am a pretty laid-back guy," Angell admitted. "I look at it this way, you are a college player, you are not getting a paycheck but you are still a professional. If you are a professional, you shouldn't need anyone or anything to pump you up before a game. You should be excited to go out there and play in front of 10,000 people, have fun and be proud that you can wear the `M.'"
Yes, being professional is a big part of playing collegiate hockey, but what about the behind-the-scenes stuff? What about the non-professional stuff, everything you don't see at a Gopher hockey game? "I like to sit on my couch and watch TV. If the team were to vote me most likely to be something, I think it would be most likely to be fat. Our team is really cool. They will just tell you what they think of you. Everyone here is so open and everyone here gets along so well. Some of the guys are your really good friends and others you just see at the rink, but I think that everyone gets along and that is part of the reason why we are having such a successful year." Angell said.
After hearing Angell say that about his teammates the question had to be asked, most of the world is wondering, what is with the hockey hair? "Some guys really like it. They like their hair to come out of their helmet, but not me. I look like a rat with the `hockey hair.' I had it in high school and I look back at the pictures and just laugh because I just looked atrocious. I think I resemble David Spade in Joe Dirt," Angell said laughing.
Noticing that the interview was turning a different corner, asking about the locker room smell didn't seem out of the question. "It is BAD. My stuff is fine, it smells like sweat but a clean sweat. Some of other guys smell absolutely rotten. I guess I am used to it by now, but on some days I just think WOW! It sure hits you when you walk in," Angell commented.
All jokes aside, the senior from Duluth undoubtedly has made an impact on the Golden Gophers. Angell is not certain what his post-college plans will be, but one thing is for sure, he will be leaving a team and a school that will hardly forget him. With all seriousness, Angell commented on how he wants to be remembered by his teammates and his school. "I want people to remember that I am someone who went out there and had a lot of fun. Not many people have the opportunity to play for a team like the Gophers. It is like actually living a dream. So many people would give anything for the opportunity to play hockey at Minnesota. I want people to remember that I have made the most of what I have been given and have had a lot of fun doing it."
Written by Men's Athletics Media Relations Student Assistant, Alison Schiefelbein
