University of Minnesota Athletics
Ready for Action: Senior Defenseman Chelsey Brodt
10/11/2005 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
One of the three captains elected to lead this season’s team is senior defenseman Chelsey Brodt. A seasoned veteran, who ranked second in scoring among Minnesota’s blue-liners a year ago, Brodt brings an aggressive attitude and a blue-collar style of play to the table. Her attributes not only will help her to lead the 2005-06 squad, but also shore up a defense that is chock-full of experience.
“Having Andrea (Nichols) as our captain and Chelsey and Bobbi (Ross) as assistant captains provides a great combination of personalities and talents,” stated coach Laura Halldorson. She added, “We will definitely be the most experienced at the defense position.”
To Brodt the changes that have occurred, being a senior and being named assistant captain, haven’t changed her approach to the season all that much. To her, it is still hockey, and a little extra responsibility is something she gladly welcomes.
“Obviously being a captain, my leadership role is increased, but it’s not like I’m going to go change who I am,” commented Brodt. “I know that I have added responsibilities and have to step up and lead the team, but I want to lead by example, and remain how I have been in the past.” Taking her added responsibility nonchalantly is just part of who Chelsey Brodt is. She realizes the task at hand of winning again may be a bit tougher due to the departure of five seniors and four Olympians, but she’s not about to lose any sleep over it. Brodt’s moved on. To her, this season represents a new challenge, and a new chapter in Golden Gopher women’s hockey. Her approach is that there is no time to worry about what is gone, only to focus on what is ahead.
“Obviously it’s a new year, and we want to go day by day and game by game or practice by practice. If we stay focused, hopefully things will fall in to place as far as wins,” stated Brodt.
From experience she has learned that a key component to success is chemistry, and with many new faces joining this year’s team, bringing everyone together has become a main focus for the captains. Members of last year’s repeat champion squad frequently mentioned the team’s on and off-ice closeness, and Brodt is hoping that feeling is adopted this season as well.
“We want to have the same thing as last year, in terms of good team chemistry. It makes everything else easier when you get on the ice,” said Brodt. “It is very important and we hang out together a lot outside of hockey anyway, so it sort of happens naturally.”
If it seems like Brodt is more than ready to step up and lead, it may be because she’s been able to learn leadership skills from somebody very close to her. Her older sister Winny was as assistant captain during the 2002-03 year, Chelsey’s freshman year. After Winny graduated, Chelsey even changed her number to keep number five in the family. In fact Chelsey comes from what one might call a “hockey family.” Not only was Winny a star for the Golden Gophers, her brother Vic played at St. Cloud State, her sister coached the women’s hockey team at St. Cloud State and her dad is the coach of the Minnesota Whitecaps, a member of the Western Women's Hockey League. Coming from that pedigree and atmosphere, it is no wonder Chelsey has found success in the sport her family embraces.
“When I was growing up I was constantly getting advice on how to play, but now that I’m at the level that they wanted me to get to, it is more of me doing my own thing,” commented Brodt. She added, “I still get advice about things I can work on from them when I need it.”
Having such a close-knit family was a major reason that Brodt decided to follow in her sister’s footsteps and attend the U of M. Hailing from nearby Roseville, Minn., her family has been able to attend most, if not all, of her home games and many road contests, too.
Throughout her career, Brodt has experienced a great deal of success wearing the maroon and gold. Since she arrived on campus, the Golden Gophers have gone 93-14-5, made three NCAA Frozen Fours, and won two NCAA championships. The bar is set high to continue that sort of success, but if there is anybody up to that challenge it is Chelsey Brodt.
“I’m very pumped for our first game. Practice has already started, but I want to see how the team works in a game situation, how we will work together. Every game will be a game, we can’t just show up to the rink expecting to win,” said Brodt. “I’m not saying we were like that in the past, but everyone is going to have to step up and play their role more this season than any other.”
Just through talking with Brodt one can see the fire in her eyes, and realize she’s been ready for this season since the day she put on her first pair of skates. There is no doubt that her “leading by example” will rub off on her teammates, and 2005-06 will have another year to remember.
Story written by Dominic Ladd, Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant It’s a brand new season for Golden Gopher women’s hockey. There are some brand new faces, some brand new captains, but for the back-to-back NCAA champions, the goal remains the same: to win. To become a three-peat champion, something only achieved by archrival Minnesota Duluth, some key characteristics are necessary, the most important of which is leadership.
One of the three captains elected to lead this season’s team is senior defenseman Chelsey Brodt. A seasoned veteran, who ranked second in scoring among Minnesota’s blue-liners a year ago, Brodt brings an aggressive attitude and a blue-collar style of play to the table. Her attributes not only will help her to lead the 2005-06 squad, but also shore up a defense that is chock-full of experience.
“Having Andrea (Nichols) as our captain and Chelsey and Bobbi (Ross) as assistant captains provides a great combination of personalities and talents,” stated coach Laura Halldorson. She added, “We will definitely be the most experienced at the defense position.”
To Brodt the changes that have occurred, being a senior and being named assistant captain, haven’t changed her approach to the season all that much. To her, it is still hockey, and a little extra responsibility is something she gladly welcomes.
“Obviously being a captain, my leadership role is increased, but it’s not like I’m going to go change who I am,” commented Brodt. “I know that I have added responsibilities and have to step up and lead the team, but I want to lead by example, and remain how I have been in the past.” Taking her added responsibility nonchalantly is just part of who Chelsey Brodt is. She realizes the task at hand of winning again may be a bit tougher due to the departure of five seniors and four Olympians, but she’s not about to lose any sleep over it. Brodt’s moved on. To her, this season represents a new challenge, and a new chapter in Golden Gopher women’s hockey. Her approach is that there is no time to worry about what is gone, only to focus on what is ahead.
“Obviously it’s a new year, and we want to go day by day and game by game or practice by practice. If we stay focused, hopefully things will fall in to place as far as wins,” stated Brodt.
From experience she has learned that a key component to success is chemistry, and with many new faces joining this year’s team, bringing everyone together has become a main focus for the captains. Members of last year’s repeat champion squad frequently mentioned the team’s on and off-ice closeness, and Brodt is hoping that feeling is adopted this season as well.
“We want to have the same thing as last year, in terms of good team chemistry. It makes everything else easier when you get on the ice,” said Brodt. “It is very important and we hang out together a lot outside of hockey anyway, so it sort of happens naturally.”
If it seems like Brodt is more than ready to step up and lead, it may be because she’s been able to learn leadership skills from somebody very close to her. Her older sister Winny was as assistant captain during the 2002-03 year, Chelsey’s freshman year. After Winny graduated, Chelsey even changed her number to keep number five in the family. In fact Chelsey comes from what one might call a “hockey family.” Not only was Winny a star for the Golden Gophers, her brother Vic played at St. Cloud State, her sister coached the women’s hockey team at St. Cloud State and her dad is the coach of the Minnesota Whitecaps, a member of the Western Women's Hockey League. Coming from that pedigree and atmosphere, it is no wonder Chelsey has found success in the sport her family embraces.
“When I was growing up I was constantly getting advice on how to play, but now that I’m at the level that they wanted me to get to, it is more of me doing my own thing,” commented Brodt. She added, “I still get advice about things I can work on from them when I need it.”
Having such a close-knit family was a major reason that Brodt decided to follow in her sister’s footsteps and attend the U of M. Hailing from nearby Roseville, Minn., her family has been able to attend most, if not all, of her home games and many road contests, too.
Throughout her career, Brodt has experienced a great deal of success wearing the maroon and gold. Since she arrived on campus, the Golden Gophers have gone 93-14-5, made three NCAA Frozen Fours, and won two NCAA championships. The bar is set high to continue that sort of success, but if there is anybody up to that challenge it is Chelsey Brodt.
“I’m very pumped for our first game. Practice has already started, but I want to see how the team works in a game situation, how we will work together. Every game will be a game, we can’t just show up to the rink expecting to win,” said Brodt. “I’m not saying we were like that in the past, but everyone is going to have to step up and play their role more this season than any other.”
Just through talking with Brodt one can see the fire in her eyes, and realize she’s been ready for this season since the day she put on her first pair of skates. There is no doubt that her “leading by example” will rub off on her teammates, and 2005-06 will have another year to remember.
Story written by Dominic Ladd, Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant
