University of Minnesota Athletics
Tommy Serratore on Minnesota, Medtronic & More
2/10/2020 5:10:00 PM | Men's Hockey
Tommy Serratore gave everything he had for the Gopher Hockey program, and in return, he celebrated three conference championships (2012, 2013, 2014) and an NCAA runner-up finish (2014).
But after giving pro hockey a go for one season in the East Coast Hockey League, he faced the agonizing decision all hockey players eventually encounter.Â
"It was a tough year. I played on four different teams and had some injuries," said Serratore, a winger who tallied 22 points in 140 games for the Maroon and Gold. "At one point you realize hockey starts taking advantage of you and you have to look towards the next step. Thankfully I had a degree to fall back on, so I thought I might as well get this process going now and pop into the real world."
Now, he's on a different team, but with a familiar Gopher Hockey face. Serratore is selling spinal implants for Medtronic with 'M' Club Hall of Famer Mike Crowley (1994-97).
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"We have a good team – we grind it out together," Serratore said. "I think that's made the transition from hockey a little bit easier for me. You're still in a team atmosphere. It's just a little bit different."
Gopher Hockey: Was that transition difficult?
Tommy Serratore: It's hard once you're done. From the minute I was born, it was hockey, hockey, hockey. You live out your dreams. You play at Minnesota. You get to play pro hockey. Then you get to a certain point where you have to make that transition, and it's not easy. With the Gopher Hockey alumni and getting everyone together, I think it would help guys in the future who end up in similar positions. Let's network a little bit and try to figure out what interests them.Â
Gopher Hockey: What's it like working with Crowley?
Tommy Serratore: We hit it off right away. He is a great salesman and even better person working for a great company. I have been extremely fortunate to work with him and get to know him on a personal level. He has two younger sons playing in Eden Prairie so it's fun chatting about his experience with that and being on the other end of things as a parent. I'm also trying to recruit some back-end skill for my beer league team so hopefully I can sign Crowley to a contract here soon.
Gopher Hockey: Did hockey help prepare you for the business world?
Tommy Serratore: Yes, for sure. The skills that we learned through hockey – hard work, teamwork, leadership, dedication, grinding and going to battle every day. It prepares you for the real world and for life. Working as a team you just know how to treat people.
Gopher Hockey: Do you still keep in touch with your teammates?
Tommy Serratore: Jake Parenteau (2010-2014) and Justin Holl (2010-2014) are two of my best friends. Both of them got married this summer, and I was in both of their weddings. But it's kind of hard when you get done playing and you start working. I think it takes a couple years to get those relationships back. You have to really make time to see each other because everyone is so busy now.Â
But having that alumni event earlier this year, it was so awesome because you get to see everybody from John Mayasich to all the newer guys. I brought my girlfriend and you get to live in the past a little bit. It was just fun to talk with all the guys and network. If we could do something like that every year, I think that would be huge.
Gopher Hockey: What's it like to see former teammates get married after getting to know them so well in the locker room?
Tommy Serratore: You grow up with these guys always giving each other a hard time about who's going to be the last one off the market. Well, I have officially earned that honor this past summer after seeing two of my best friends go. It's great to see them both with their college sweethearts. It's been a long time coming for both of them. The best part about these weddings is getting the band back together with old teammates and reminiscing about the past.
Gopher Hockey: How often do you get back to campus?
Tommy Serratore: Another great thing that we started two years ago is an alumni skate on Monday nights at Mariucci. It's great to see the guys. There's still a handful that I wish would participate, but maybe it just takes a couple years for some of them to want to get back into it. Jordan Leopold (1998-2002), Derek Peltier (2004-08), Nate Condon (2010-14) and other guys filter in every week. It's a competitive game. We play 3-on-3 cross-ice, 7-minute games. They keep track of points. It's pretty funny – the guys get into it. Jake (Parenteau) and I rollerblade around the lakes in the summertime together. We have championships to win in the wintertime now, so we can't get too rusty. There's for sure some openings for guys to sub in if they're interested.
Gopher Hockey: What kind of impact did the coaching staff have on you?
Tommy Serratore: I am very fortunate that John Hill and Grant Potulny recruited me. I walked on because they didn't have any money at the time but it had always been my dream growing up to wear the Maroon and Gold. I also have to thank Mike Guentzel and Don Lucia for giving me the opportunity to play. As an older guy coming in at 21 and walking on, it was definitely an uphill climb grinding for ice time, but it all worked out in the end. I think my story is a great lesson about not giving up and finding a way to bring something to the table that others might not be willing to do. My coaches told me early on what my role was and I embraced every single minute of it.
Â
But after giving pro hockey a go for one season in the East Coast Hockey League, he faced the agonizing decision all hockey players eventually encounter.Â
"It was a tough year. I played on four different teams and had some injuries," said Serratore, a winger who tallied 22 points in 140 games for the Maroon and Gold. "At one point you realize hockey starts taking advantage of you and you have to look towards the next step. Thankfully I had a degree to fall back on, so I thought I might as well get this process going now and pop into the real world."
Now, he's on a different team, but with a familiar Gopher Hockey face. Serratore is selling spinal implants for Medtronic with 'M' Club Hall of Famer Mike Crowley (1994-97).
Â
"We have a good team – we grind it out together," Serratore said. "I think that's made the transition from hockey a little bit easier for me. You're still in a team atmosphere. It's just a little bit different."
Gopher Hockey: Was that transition difficult?
Tommy Serratore: It's hard once you're done. From the minute I was born, it was hockey, hockey, hockey. You live out your dreams. You play at Minnesota. You get to play pro hockey. Then you get to a certain point where you have to make that transition, and it's not easy. With the Gopher Hockey alumni and getting everyone together, I think it would help guys in the future who end up in similar positions. Let's network a little bit and try to figure out what interests them.Â
Gopher Hockey: What's it like working with Crowley?
Tommy Serratore: We hit it off right away. He is a great salesman and even better person working for a great company. I have been extremely fortunate to work with him and get to know him on a personal level. He has two younger sons playing in Eden Prairie so it's fun chatting about his experience with that and being on the other end of things as a parent. I'm also trying to recruit some back-end skill for my beer league team so hopefully I can sign Crowley to a contract here soon.
Gopher Hockey: Did hockey help prepare you for the business world?
Tommy Serratore: Yes, for sure. The skills that we learned through hockey – hard work, teamwork, leadership, dedication, grinding and going to battle every day. It prepares you for the real world and for life. Working as a team you just know how to treat people.
Gopher Hockey: Do you still keep in touch with your teammates?
Tommy Serratore: Jake Parenteau (2010-2014) and Justin Holl (2010-2014) are two of my best friends. Both of them got married this summer, and I was in both of their weddings. But it's kind of hard when you get done playing and you start working. I think it takes a couple years to get those relationships back. You have to really make time to see each other because everyone is so busy now.Â
But having that alumni event earlier this year, it was so awesome because you get to see everybody from John Mayasich to all the newer guys. I brought my girlfriend and you get to live in the past a little bit. It was just fun to talk with all the guys and network. If we could do something like that every year, I think that would be huge.
Gopher Hockey: What's it like to see former teammates get married after getting to know them so well in the locker room?
Tommy Serratore: You grow up with these guys always giving each other a hard time about who's going to be the last one off the market. Well, I have officially earned that honor this past summer after seeing two of my best friends go. It's great to see them both with their college sweethearts. It's been a long time coming for both of them. The best part about these weddings is getting the band back together with old teammates and reminiscing about the past.
Gopher Hockey: How often do you get back to campus?
Tommy Serratore: Another great thing that we started two years ago is an alumni skate on Monday nights at Mariucci. It's great to see the guys. There's still a handful that I wish would participate, but maybe it just takes a couple years for some of them to want to get back into it. Jordan Leopold (1998-2002), Derek Peltier (2004-08), Nate Condon (2010-14) and other guys filter in every week. It's a competitive game. We play 3-on-3 cross-ice, 7-minute games. They keep track of points. It's pretty funny – the guys get into it. Jake (Parenteau) and I rollerblade around the lakes in the summertime together. We have championships to win in the wintertime now, so we can't get too rusty. There's for sure some openings for guys to sub in if they're interested.
Gopher Hockey: What kind of impact did the coaching staff have on you?
Tommy Serratore: I am very fortunate that John Hill and Grant Potulny recruited me. I walked on because they didn't have any money at the time but it had always been my dream growing up to wear the Maroon and Gold. I also have to thank Mike Guentzel and Don Lucia for giving me the opportunity to play. As an older guy coming in at 21 and walking on, it was definitely an uphill climb grinding for ice time, but it all worked out in the end. I think my story is a great lesson about not giving up and finding a way to bring something to the table that others might not be willing to do. My coaches told me early on what my role was and I embraced every single minute of it.
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