University of Massachusets Athletics
Senior Captains Look for Improvement
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Oct. 21, 2002
Three years ago, Tim Turner and Kelly Sickavish had no idea what was in store for them or the young hockey program that they signed on with at the University of Massachusetts.
They were two of seven freshmen who joined the six-year-old program back in the fall of 1999, and they are the only two still remaining in the program today.
Head Coach Don Cahoon looks to them as captains to lead his young team of only five upperclassmen as he begins his third year at the helm of this ship he is trying to right to the top of Hockey East.
"They're successful people. The program hasn't been successful, but that doesn't mean they haven't been on an individual standing," said Cahoon. "Having known them the past two years, I know how committed these two are to the best interest of the team, so it was only natural for me to choose them [as captains]."
Turner, a native of Saginaw, Mich., has netted 32 goals and 40 assists during his career at UMass and garnered many Hockey East honors over the years. He hopes his hard work and dedication to the success of this team will pay-off on the ice and set an example for his teammates.
"It'd be nice to get some points," he said. "I hate to say that, but I guess if I'm scoring, the team's doing well. I just want to play and work hard every game, have a good year and show these guys what leadership is all about. But if something needs to be said, I'm certainly not afraid to say it."
Sickavish, a North Vancouver, British Columbia, product, plans to do the same.
"I'm a stay-at-home defenseman," he said. "I'm not one to put up big numbers so I can't sit there and rant and rave about what other guys should be doing. Everyone knows what they have to do. I just try to take care of what I need to do and hopefully others can feed off of that."
"They have strong personalities," said Cahoon. "Tim is very assertive physically on the ice and his personality really comes out in the way he exudes energy. Kelly is a little bit more laidback in his style of play so you don't see his leadership abilities that much on the ice, but he has a strong presence and certainly has a strong presence in the locker room and vocalizes himself extremely well. They both have their own styles of leadership and they'll mesh real well."
Having not made the playoffs the past two years, everyone is staying focused on that goal and taking it one step at a time.
"Playing hard in practice will help the younger guys know what playing in Hockey East is all about," said Sickavish. "If we don't work hard in practice, if we aren't physical in practice, then we do both them and ourselves a disservice because we won't be prepared for game situations."
Having had such a lackluster past, one of the challenges for this year's team is to believe they can do better.
"One of the biggest things we need to do is put everything that's happened in the past in the past and leave it there. Maybe use things as examples to learn from our mistakes, but we've been there, we've lost games, we know what it feels like and we don't want to do it anymore," Turner said. "Mentally it's tough to forget about that, but it needs to be done. With all these new guys we need to look at it as a fresh start and look towards the future and getting this team to the top."
Cahoon also wants his captains to keep the emotions in the locker room stabilized.
"I want them to keep people humble during the good times and keep them motivated during the bad times. So that no matter what our situation is they're keeping everybody centered and focused on winning hockey games," said Cahoon.
Along with being good leaders on the ice, both Sickavish and Turner look to fill a big brother role off the ice for the 24 underclassmen.
"Right from the start we've treated these guys as equals and not as people who are beneath us," Sickavish said. "We've welcomed them into our family, which I think was a little unexpected for them. But in order to build a team everyone needs to get along. So we try our best to make sure that happens."
Cahoon sees it as a simple math equation.
"They're out numbered. There's just so many young players that if they really want to be leaders on this team they have to bring themselves to the younger guys," he said. "They've been over in the dorms and made themselves available off the ice and have helped them get adjusted to Amherst and to college life as well as to this level of hockey. They've been there for them and I'm sure they'll continue to do that."
As far as what happens come Graduation Day for these two, neither of them as made firm plans yet.
Sickavish, a sport management major, wants to continue his hockey career in whatever way he can.
"I want to play hockey," he said without hesitation. "I'm not going to play for the rest of my life but I want to see how far I can go. When it's no longer an option for me, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it."
Turner, a sociology major, wants to fulfill a childhood dream of becoming a law enforcement officer. Whether that means becoming a local cop, a state trooper or an agent in the FBI remains to be seen, but he's looking forward to the challenge.
But until that day comes, they remain focused on the task at hand.
"There is no doubt in my mind that this program will be one of the best. If it will be this year, we don't know yet," said Turner. "Obviously our goal is to make it to the playoffs, but I would love to have playoff hockey in the Mullins Center and be one of the top four teams in the conference and I don't see why that can't happen."
"I think it's safe to say the good times of UMass hockey are fast approaching," said Cahoon. "We're not there yet, but we're beginning to show that we're headed in the right direction. And I believe the leadership qualities of Tim and Kelly will help us get there."