Never Far from Home

Allan Marini is a huge hockey fan, and since finding the podcast, he has become a fan of the trip as well. It was an absolute pleasure discussing some of his favorite memories, most hockey related, others are not. While we talked on many major moments, some of the names and dates may be off a little, but bare with us, because the journey is the destination. Allan talks about time in Hamilton, Toro...

Kira Ripley has been in the rinks since she was a little girl. Her older brother of two and a half years was a hockey player, so Kira has many memories of being in the car with the whole family heading to his games. She shares a few of those, and we get into when she became a mom of three boys, and the difficulties, and of course the triumphs, of all three in the sport. Kira also tells about some...

Cathy Lapointe grew up on the East Coast with hockey ever-present in her peripheral. She was enamored by the sport, but didn't fall in love with it until she had two boys who began playing. She shares some stories of camaraderie, on the teams, and in the stands with the other parents as well. We go into what makes hockey so special for her and her kids. A big thank you to all the mom's of hockey....

Doris Donley has played a wonderful games of hockey. Period 1: Falling in love with the sport, and her now husband. Period 2: Learning more about the rules, and watching her son fall in love with the game. Period 3: Finally picking it up herself, and finding different aspects to adore. Overtime: volunteering, and giving back to the game which ended up giving her so much. Enjoy her many tales amids...

Olga Chase grew up in What is now the Czech Republic. She is also my mom. I was lucky enough to have her on as a guest, and hear some of her incredible stories, including some about hockey in the 1972 World Championship, and others about life. Many of her younger days were spent under the Communist regime of the Soviet Union and she shares some of those experiences. Enjoy her many tales, and I hop...

Lori Mitchell became involved with the game of hockey when she was dating her now-husband, Paul. When they moved to Colorado and had kids, they were quickly introduced to the sport, and finally, Lori began playing as well, becoming the fourth in the family to partake. She shares stories of how she fell in love with the game in the many different capacities, and how she found a family in the locker...

Lori Walsh was introduced to hockey in her later teen years, when she started dating a hockey player. As fate would have it, she married him eventually, and their journey through the hockey world has taken them from Detroit to San Diego, then Knoxville and eventually Colorado. We talk about her favorite memories of the game, and how it has helped shape the family she has now. Enjoy, and many thank...

Lesli Cochran was first introduced to hockey when she was a kid, but didn't truly begin following the sport until she was a mom. Her oldest, Mike, is one of my best friends, and was the hockey player in the family. Lesli talks about putting off hockey as long as they could, and inevitably, giving in and letting Mike play a sport that has shaped his life. We talk about some of her favorite memories...

Chris Garner grew up in Niagara Falls, Ontario, and watched hockey as a kid, but he didn't find himself playing until his late thirties. We talk about his childhood, growing into a musician, and some fun stories come up about some of the traveling he has been lucky enough to do. Things transition into a more sporty realm when Chris began playing hockey, volleyball, and golf, and we chat about the...

Taylor Cook was born into hockey. She grew up in a very supportive family, and in her mid-teens, she shifted gears, and became more serious within girls hockey. We talk about her youth days, some of her favorite memories and people she encountered, and then we get into her overseas experience. Taylor has been lucky enough to find a great home now, but there were some interesting times in getting t...

Ed Belfour grew up in Manitoba, and was born into the hockey culture. He tells stories of his youth days, playing on some very competitive and strong teams, and his unlikely happening into being a goalie. We talk about his path to UND, and helping the Sioux capture the National Championship in '87. And of course, we get into his NHL career. Wrapping up, we are able to discuss Belfour Spirits, and...

Sawyer Lorenz got involved with hockey in his teenage years. He was a fan first, and talks about how and why he was watching the '07 Finals. We go through his timeline of involvement within the sport, which includes some playing, some scorekeeping, and at every turn, love for the game. He tells stories about his first goals, and shares moments and passion with regards to the Jr. team that called S...

Chris Thorburn grew up in Canada, and was born into the hockey scene. we talk to him about his journey through youth hockey, to juniors, to eventually making it to the NHL. We gather stories along the path, and also take a different direction for a piece of time, exploring autism, and the personal connection it has for Chris. Enjoy his many tales, including some from the Stanley Cup run he went on...

Alex Coffey did have a few years of hockey when he was young, but stopped playing in second grade when he decided to pursue skiing. He was a member of SSWSC, but has always been a huge hockey fan, and for some reason, a Red Wings fan. We forgive him of that, and talk about his life, from early playing days, to soccer and skiing, so coming back to the sport in High School. Enjoy his tales.   www.be...

Sady Tobin was involved with the rink from a young age, as her brother played hockey and was three years older. She didn't start playing until she was a teenager, and loved the sport. We talk about her days in youth hockey, then her time at prep school playing both hockey and soccer. Her tales she shares include some post-college days, when she became involved with RMHS. Enjoy.   www.beautyunis.co...

Ian Anderson spent most of his youth days in Steamboat. He started playing hockey at a young age, and fell in love with the sport because of a former Avalanche superstar. He shares that story, and many others along his career. We played many seasons on the same team, so it was a great experience to sit down with an old friend, catch up, and share some war stories. Enjoy.   www.beautyunis.com www.d...

Ellen Tully grew up around the rink. She was the youngest in a hockey family, and though she did not ever play organized hockey herself, she fell in love with the game. That love and passion has stuck with her as she has traversed the hockey landscape, and the journey has led her to being the first female owner of a professional hockey team. We talk about the Bobcats, who enter their first season...

Gary Whiteley became involved in the game of hockey in his early twenties. He fell in love with the game, and wishes now that he had gotten involved at an earlier age. He tells stories about how he fell in love with it, some of his favorite stories of learning to play the game, and then, inevitably, we talk about his goaltending. He has played standing hockey, and some sledge hockey. Enjoy his man...

Bob Joyce was born into the hockey world. His father was a player himself, and Bob quickly found a love for the game. We talk about his early days, and some of his favorite memories from growing up in Winnipeg. We touch on family, the impact they had on him, and continue to have on him, including his mother. Enjoy the many tales he shares, including some from his National Championship run in '87,...

Martin Peters was first introduced to the game of hockey with a family name that many know, the Gretzky's. He met Keith and Walter, and shares that brief story. His life took him away from the sport for a few years, but he has since returned, and in a big way in the UK. We talk about his renewed love of the game from the perspective of a father, and also talk at length about the whole Sheffield pr...

Zack Slezak began playing hockey shortly after he could walk. He shares stories about growing up in the Chicago area, falling in love with the sport and the community surrounding it, then moving to Tampa. Now in Florida, a non-traditional hockey market, he has continued to find himself happening in to great stories, and great experiences. Enjoy.   www.beautyunis.com www.danostequila.com

Jacquelin Zimmerman began figure skating in her youth days, as she was exploring the many sports available to her at the time. She fell in love with skating, and progressed through the ranks. She talks about some of her favorite memories from her youth, under a few different coaches. We also get into the community aspect of the sport, and how lucky she was to find some camaraderie in a sport that...

Connor Lyons began playing roller hockey, and a few years later got into the realm of ice hockey. His journey has taken him all around the world, playing and coaching. We talk about some of his favorite stories of playing, and get into some strength coach stories as well. Enjoy the many tales he brings to the table in this episode.   www.beautyunis.com www.danostequila.com

Jordan Mackenzie began playing roller hockey, and has been able to stay involved with the rink since he was eight. He now is participating with the Lightning street teams, and shares some of his stories, from his time biking to the local roller rink, to his first experiences with ice hockey. Enjoy the tales of a guy who has a real passion for giving back to the communities he lives in.   www.beaut...

Ryan Cronin grew up in upstate New York, and was introduced to the hockey world by his grandpa at just three or four. He was fixated on the game when they went, even as such a young age, and his passion stuck with him. We go into stories from some of his more formative relationships in the game, including a high school player five years his senior, and his high school coach. Enjoy.   www.beautyuni...