Matthew Hodge is from Rochester, NY, but was born in Boston, MA. He is a graduate student working on his Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership with a concertation in strategy and innovation. In this past year with the ACHA D1 Hockey team, Hodge was the equipment manager and handled all off-ice responsibilities. With this interview, we get an inside look of how Hodge keeps the team in check and how this team reciprocates that sentiment to him.
MM: “I think one of your major signifiers besides equipping the team is your infectious spirit. Where does your drive come from?”
MW: “Well my spirit comes from who I’ve always been and all the different practices I’ve been involved with throughout my life. When we implement that (spirit) through the team, it didn’t necessarily just influence me, but it helped our entire organization have a successful year.”
MM: “What lead you to becoming the equipment manager for this hockey team?”
MW: “My time with the team goes back to the Fall semester, which was my sophomore year. I knew that Tom (McKinnon, head coach of the ACHA D1 team) was looking for a manager to handle all of the off-ice responsibilities after I was referred to him by a friend of mine. Ever since that day it has been one of the greatest joys of my life to hold that role here.”
MM: “Do you have a background with hockey?”
MW: “Well, I don’t have much experience with hockey as a kid, but from living outside of the Boston area before I moved to Rochester, I do come from a whole family of Boston Bruins fans. Being around the hockey atmosphere was enthusiastic. Then once I got to my sophomore year here, and Tom gave me the opportunity to work with this team, hockey has sewn into the fabric of my professional experiences and background now.”
MM: “What is your favorite highlight from this past season?”
MW: “Well if you not only ask me, but everyone else on the team too, it would by the Oklahoma trip we took in the first couple of weeks in January. Even though it was a eighteen hour bus ride there, and twenty hours back, we had the greatest time.”
MM:” Have you worked with other sports teams?”
MW: “Yes, this is my first collegiate team that I’ve had the opportunity to work with. I’ve been a part of different hockey teams as well, such as different AHL teams, and couple different college teams too such as the tennis team.”
MM: “What makes this different than the other’s you’ve managed?”
MW: “What was so unique about working with this team here, is the time, dedication and commitment went in to every day, every practice and every game. It makes you feel apart of something than any other team. The amount of time I’ve gotten to spend with this team made me feel like I was in a brotherhood.”
MM: “Do you have a funny moment to share from your experience here?”
MW: “During a home game here, one of the opposing players took a shot at the coaches’ side of the bench. I ducked the shot, and the puck hit the glass right behind me. Then the EMT guy looks over at me and form his perspective, all he could see was me bent over while the puck dropped to the floor and he thought I got hit. He comes over and sits next to me and says “Bud, all I saw was the puck hit the glass, you were bent over, and I said to myself “(rolls his eyes) here we go”. But everyone was fine”.
