Words from the Nest: Inside the Ravens Men’s Hockey

Blogs…we read them all the time yet if you’re anything like us, writing is reserved almost exclusively for papers assigned by a prof. So when two hockey players are asked to help create a blog that would be read by more than a single prof or TA, it was a daunting but exciting feeling, but maybe bear with us as we iron out the kinks.

My name is Adam Chapman, I am a second-year forward on the Carleton Ravens’ Men’s hockey team and am currently studying communications. Collaborating with me is David Weckworth who is in his fourth year with the team and finishing up a Bachelor of Commerce in accounting. We represent a portion of individuals known as “student-athletes.” Through hockey, we have lived in around 10 different cities across Canada and the US, but now both of us call Ottawa home.

Based on the great feedback received after the instagram takeover on @carleton_u, the plan moving forward is to present you with an inside look, not only at what’s going on over at the Ice house but also with a more genuine look at the day-to-day life of a student athlete. This will be done through a combination of write-ups, short video logs and hopefully a few more takeovers along the way.

Last season we lost a huge group of players to graduation, with several moving on to begin their professional hockey careers overseas in Germany, France and Italy among others. Then, in a flurry of events, we first said goodbye to assistant coach Ryan Medel and then long time head coach Marty Johnston as they took over coaching positions at the University of Toronto and the Manitoba Moose of the AHL respectively. As tough as these goodbyes are, it is the nature of the sport and with a new season fast approaching, we were lucky enough to bring in some amazing guys, stretching from Alberta all the way to Newfoundland.

We were lucky enough to start the year off with a roadtrip to Boston, where the team meshed instantly; picking up wins against Holy Cross and Sacred Heart. The boys rolled through much of October and November with six wins in a row before hitting the breaks and having to battle through a four game losing streak. However, with wins in the final weekend before the exam break, we were able to start the second half on the right foot.

The second half of the season always flies by as games come fast and the pressure is on to secure the best playoff spot. Now with only 8 games left, and the top four teams in the league all within five points, every game is treated like a playoff game – both the stakes and the energy in the rink are at all-time highs.

With 2018 starting fresh, and everyone now complete their incredibly brief team history lesson, we hope you are eager to follow along as we battle for the chance to face off against the best in the country this march at nationals in Fredericton, New Brunswick.

We are always looking to make the content presented as interesting as possible, so we would love if you have any questions, comments or suggestions for any upcoming content let us know!

Adam Chapman & David Weckworth