Behind The Grind
Breaking down the life and business of athletes—from NCAA to the next level.
Behind The Grind
Welcome to the Grind
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In this episode Beau and Dylan discuss day to day life as an NCAA athlete, the sacrifices that come with it, and discuss why knowing what it takes is so important.
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Hello, everybody. Welcome to Behind the Grind Podcast with your hosts Bo DePensier and Dylan Gorman. So just breaking down who we are. I'm Bo. I'm a sports management major here at Manhattanville University. Currently a freshman. Play NCAA hockey here. And yeah, so Dil.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, similar to Bo, I'm also a sports management major here at Manhattanville. I'm also a freshman and uh yeah, also on the hockey team. So just uh we came together, wanted to want to get this podcast going to talk about just life in sports, the business, uh, what what goes behind being an athlete day to day and um yeah, just how we uh how we operate and how other people operate. So yeah, just happy to be here.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it is I we obviously find this stuff pretty interesting. It's um kind of a niche that not a lot of people have have touched on or thought about, and um obviously us being NCAA athletes with a passion for sports and wanting to you know eventually work within sports, preferably. And I think I speak for myself, maybe maybe you, Dil, um hockey-based.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, for sure. I think whether that's being a coach, advisor, um, on the management side of things, whether that's you know, with the youth organization or potentially pro later on, um, I think that'd be be a good field for for me to work in. Uh it's something that I definitely do want to work in. And I think uh, you know, just learning more about it um and just talking about it is gonna help help that that dream come true. So what about you?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think for me, obviously, you know, agent or you know, the management side of a of a pro team, um, I think is pretty ideal for me. Um heavy, heavy interested being an agent. Obviously, obviously I've had a bunch, I've uh shouldn't say a bunch. I've had like two agents in my career, and just solely based on that, you know, there's a lot of pros, but there's also a lot of cons. And I think um I can switch that around and and kind of kind of be like there for the player, you know, like not a lot of agents are very personable with players because they have so many, right? Yeah, it's it's hard to manage that that many people and be personal with that many people. Um obviously with with um you know the big niche of being personable um for players and stuff, um, I I see a huge window of opportunity, and and that's something that I feel like I could um I could do for a career. Obviously, easier said than done, right? Like um, not a lot of people know how to get into that, where to go, and this podcast is gonna be a perfect opportunity for a lot of people to um listen in on you know tips and tricks. And obviously, we're we're hoping to have a lot of special guests too um within the the community, not just hockey, but sports. And um, I think it'll be very beneficial for a lot of people. So uh we're pretty excited about it. But um, yeah, so obviously, listeners, um, you're you're gonna learn life and business, life of NCAA and business of being in sports, how you go from being an NCAA player, because once you graduate, it's like, okay, what's next? So basically, just a lot of tips and information on how to get to that next step. Um you know, you'll be listening on what it's like being an NCAA athlete, the day-to-day grind. Dale, I know you know both of us are NCAA hockey players, and it's totally different from juniors.
SPEAKER_01Oh, yeah, definitely. I think uh with juniors you're you're left with a lot of free time, and um with here, you know, it's pretty much just juniors with with school added on. Um you're you have three, four classes a day, depending on on your course load, and and especially when you know it gets a little stressful in season, but when you're out of season, you're able to just mi focus more on your uh your academics and workouts and stuff. They're they're kind of in the morning where you're not doing them as much as you're you're you're not waking up six o'clock in the morning to go to practice. You're kinda able to sleep in a little bit, have that rest, uh, which I is is really important, um, especially because hockey, especially, I mean, it goes till October to March, um, which in or more so Halloween till March, but juniors it's September to April. So you're kinda your body's kind of more in intense uh in juniors when it comes to um you know dealing with with injuries and in college, you're kind of having to manage that, whether that's going to the trainer or shorter season, it's more of a sprint than a marathon.
SPEAKER_00So no, for sure. I mean, like you touched on, it's a shorter season. Um some and that being said, it is nice sometimes, right? Because like, you know, your body gets pretty beat up. Um, not saying it doesn't encourage, because it definitely does, but it's just nice to have that, you know, 25-game schedule, um, minusing playoffs to be able to really hone in on your craft, and um, you know, it's not too taxing on the body, which is nice. So that kind of leads us into our next our next subject here and topic, like schedule. Like, we might as well touch on this now. I think the NCAA schedule, at least for our team, like we have a pretty good schedule, like, and that that includes lifting, our practices, our schooling, and like us traveling. And then, like, we can also touch on just like the social life aspect of it too. Um, time management struggles, mental stress and pressure, and then just the sacrifices that NC doubleight players, not just hockey players, but athletes, have to make to do what they do.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean, normally um when it comes to in season, you know, you're waking up 6 30 in the morning, get to the rink um for a 7 30 practice, um, sometimes earlier, um, depending on whether who gets the earlier slot, us or the girls, and then we do our do our skate, and then uh then we kind of have just class after that. 1115, most guys have their first classes, and then um yeah, and then some lift sprinkled in, whether that's one o'clock, three o'clock, um, kind of not as many team lifts as out of season, but um, you know, you're able to just get everything in four skates a week mostly, and then obviously we play Friday, Saturday, so um two lifts on those days. So just gotta keep everything fresh, and um, every day is so much more valuable uh with a shorter season, um, making sure you're getting getting good days in.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, no, for sure. And I I'll touch on the so the social sacrifices a little bit. Like, you know, that being said, obviously when we're in season, we can't um go out all the time, we can't um party, whatever. Like the um the regular university life, so to speak, right? Like, there's definitely a lot of discipline that goes into it. Um, that being said, like for sure, there's definitely times where you know we will have those experiences. Like we are in college, right? But it's more or less just like Friday, Saturday, get get the job done. Like, you need to be there ready to go for games. So, like that means preparation from Monday to Thursday, and then you know, you gotta get after it. You have to you have to attack games like you attack the entire week. And then after that, it's like, you know, usually Saturday night, if we're playing at home, like, yeah, then we'll we'll go have we'll go have a social life, you know. But we're we're a family in that room, and it's everyone buys in, and it's just it's a lot of fun. Like, I don't know, for you you may have a um a similar um saying for me, but it's like we're all family, it's it's a brotherhood in there, and like when you have that and and everyone loves each other, it's it's unit's unbelievable. Like, it's a great time.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, for sure. I think definitely uh teams that love each other, they're able to have a lot more success than teams that kind of um separate mid-year over some petty stuff that happens, but uh one guy doesn't like another, that that stuff's gonna happen. But I think when a team uh is able to come together regardless of of where they're where they're from, who they played for, um I think that's important to know like that uh at the end of the day we all love hockey, we all go to the same school, we all live amongst each other, like where we have no responsibility but to just play hockey, get our school done. You know, we got no bills to pay, we got nothing else to do, no work, just just do what we've done our entire lives. So I think that's uh it's pretty special and and that that's what sets uh hockey other from from the other athletes.
SPEAKER_00So yeah, for sure. Obviously, like with regards to classes and stuff, like w where we're at is a smaller school, so our classes are a lot smaller, um, which I prefer, honestly. It's you get close with your professor, you get close with the other people at the school, which is always big because you know, those are people that are coming to your games, um, supporting you, you support them. We're kind of a community at this school, especially the athletes, in that sense of like, you know, we'll go to your games, you come to ours, like just support, right? Um, which I think is huge. But um the benefit for us is we have the ability to pick our own schedule, right? Obviously, we we practice in the morning, which sometimes can suck when you know we have to escape before the girls' team or you know, something regardless of that. But um the main thing is you get it done in the morning and then the rest of the day is yours. Like uh sometimes you'll squeeze a lift in, but you can create your own schedule. Um, what time your classes are, when you want to have lunch, when you want to like we have freelance to do that, which is great. And um obviously being so close at uh to the city, it's like there's so many opportunities, especially within being you know, sports management majors and wanting to get into that. Like obviously, you you have an internship. Um, if you want to speak a little bit on that, it's sounds like an amazing opportunity.
SPEAKER_01For sure. It's definitely something uh it's with Prosper Sports Group. I think um, you know, I've been working with AJ, I've known him for two two years now. He was my advisor going into my HIR junior, um, helped a lot with my college commitment um to Manhattan. So he was able to kind of help me along the way. And I've always wanted uh when when I started getting into the sports studies management um kind of field, I I reached out, I said, Hey Jay, like hey, can you help me out? Um so when it comes to my internship, it's pretty much just recruiting kids, uh working with them. Um haven't started that side of the thing yet, but um making sure you know they're taken care of, start start working with them, advising them. Obviously, uh played juniors, um, all that, so I kinda know know a couple coaches, and um I'm think I'm able to help those coaches out, uh, the the way that they help me out too. So um kind of pay it back. So I think that's uh that's pretty cool that uh thing I got lined up for this summer.
SPEAKER_00So no, that's huge. And I for all our listeners, um, you know, internships are huge. Um just reach out. That's the main thing. Obviously, using your connections is a big part of that. Um but just just reaching out and seeing if any opportunity arises, that's all you can really do. That's half the battle, really. Um, you know, even if it is not gonna work out, the worst they can say is no, and then you move on to the next thing. Um for me, I'm uh I just got a job. I'm hockey development coordinator uh at the hockey mill in uh Collingwood, Ontario. Um, so it's a training facility. Uh synthetic ice, you know, they have a uh hockey treadmill and shooting areas, and you know, it's uh it's a really good opportunity for me to kind of get into that whole hockey business and you know play a pretty decent role in it. Obviously, I'll be making uh a lot of the programs for for kids to be to be using this summer, um, with regards to shooting and um on the ice, skating, all that type of stuff. We're looking to get the mental side of the game incorporated. Um, so I think it's gonna be a really good opportunity for me. And um, I'm really excited about it. But again, like I just reached out. I didn't even know um anyone there. I just reached out and said, hey, this is like something that I'd be very interested in, like you guys hiring them. I they had me make a six-week program, shooting program um for them just to kind of see like what what I can do essentially. Cause I was just like, I'll oh, this is what I can bring to the table. That's essentially I kind of like in a sense sold myself, but like genuinely when you're passionate about something, like it's easy, you know what I mean?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, for sure.
SPEAKER_00I think it's a really great opportunity for me um to have the title of hockey development coordinator. Um and I'm going into my sophomore year, like it's huge.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that's pretty big, especially because um, you know, uh up in Canada, I think development is something that uh the you know, the especially the United States, they I mean all of North Amer North America is a total um they development is viewed at as um you know paying skills coaches, all that stuff, and I think being able to help kids develop um at a young age, and and whether that's skills uh or you know, just playing, I think that's that's pretty big.
SPEAKER_00So it's yeah, I mean I you have you played in Canada?
SPEAKER_01No, I've not.
SPEAKER_00Okay, so I've obviously I've played in Canada, I've played in the States. Like, in my personal opinion, no shade on Canada, but I think the development in the in the USA is is 10 to none like better than than Canada. Like, and I can't speak on behalf of Major Jr., but Junior A in Canada compared to the US, like it's it's unbelievable. Like I I just I want to touch on that because like you would be you would think like our development system is absolutely absurd, which like don't get me wrong, it is, but most of these teams, like you're not like you're not scheduled lifts, you know, it's like all right, you have to work out two times a day, but it's like you have to do it on your own. Or even when you do team lifts, it's not like taken serious. At least that's from my experience. Um I can't speak for everybody, but from my experience, I think the USA is is they're they're going somewhere in hockey, and as a Canadian, um obviously I don't like that, but it's it is true you can't face you can't fear the facts, right?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, for sure.
SPEAKER_00So we're looking to have some really cool guests on. Um working in hockey is uh probably gonna be one of our first guests, uh, which we're very excited to have on. Um gonna collect a lot of insight for everybody on kind of what to expect. Like obviously, we're we're new to this too, like we are kind of going through this journey with everybody, and this is just a way for everyone to be a part of it and learn, just like we are, um, and and kind of network from there. Um, but he's a really cool guy, he's from he's from Ontario, actually, and he um he does a lot for the for the hockey space and the hockey community and and giving people opportunities for jobs and in that sense, which is really cool. I don't I don't see a lot of that on social media, um, and he's a pretty uh big one in that space.
SPEAKER_01So yeah, for sure. I think uh Bo um and I and and our other roommate, we actually went to one of his networking events at uh the Islanders Blackhawks game a couple weeks back, and it was it was a blast, got to meet a lot of cool people. Um just trying to do the same thing as us, just you know, get to know people in the space. We were able to to meet Alex Herman from the Hockey House podcast. He gave us uh a lot of good information on um just how to run a successful podcast. He's a pretty big producer in the in the hockey or club hockey space. So um, yeah, just got to learn a little bit about that. And um, yeah, a lot of a lot of really cool people there. So um definitely I I recommend going to his uh the events they put on. I think they've put on a couple in uh Pittsburgh, uh of course Long Island, but I'm not sure uh where he's done elsewhere, but it's all been been good stuff.
SPEAKER_00So yeah. Um yeah, so we're pretty excited to have him on, um, you know, in the in the near future for sure. Um just for us, like NIL deals, we can touch on that a little bit. A lot of people think like, oh, you're playing NCAA, NCAA, you have a lot of opportunity to get NIL deals. Um that's not always the case, especially in D3. Um the opportunity is there. It's definitely there, but it's really about how you sell yourself, how um vocal you are on the social media platforms. Um there's definitely opportunity, and it's great. Like obviously, we see Gavin McKenna sign an IO deal for $700,000, but that's just because he's an unbelievable player and they wanted him to be get there and then come, right? Like that's that is the facts of everything.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I think uh definitely you see a lot of just I mean, outside hockey, you you see a lot of that in um football teams getting kids getting cars. Um I think uh LSU, they gave uh a big, big NIL NIL budget to Lane Kiffin, uh their new head coach. Um so yeah, you just see a lot of that stuff, you know.
SPEAKER_00How much did they give him?
SPEAKER_01Um I'm gonna look I'm gonna pull that up right now. Yeah, please do. Above above 25 million per year, I think.
SPEAKER_00Um 25 million?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean his uh his recruiting budget is over 40 million um for NIL and roster management, meaning um he's able to invest in in kids. Um, you know, the portal is so big in in college football, and I think uh you're seeing a lot of that in college hockey too. You got Yeah, for sure.
SPEAKER_00Definitely more than than the past, for sure. It's definitely ramping up, especially when McKenna signed on for seven hundred thousand at an AL deal. I think that's like really the starting point for it to just skyrocket.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. I mean, right now I'm looking at the NCAA portal uh for Division I it says there's 210 um players, which is uh pretty crazy. Um with I mean with the fact that the national championship game was was two days ago. Um so yeah, it was pretty pretty wild.
SPEAKER_00Um yeah, that's crazy.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, for sure.
SPEAKER_00Um shout out um shout out Denver for the win.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it was big uh big win. Um Johnny Hicks, goalie, who actually was initially committed to Tennessee State. Um, and due to the fact that they couldn't have gotten their program up and running for this year, he ended up flipping to Denver, and uh the rest was history, so he was able to get a national championship out of that.
SPEAKER_00So nice that's Denver. So uh life after sports, you know, long-term thinking is really what we're trying to touch on here. Like, what happens after the NCAA? Like, a lot of people have a great time for four years, do their school, play their sport, are in the mix of everything and loving life, and then all of a sudden it just ends. You know, obviously we are in the middle of it, but it is the truth. We see our our teammates and they have no idea what they what they want to do. Um, they're trying to find that thing, you know. Um so for us, it's like we are trying to take those steps now so that eventually when we get to that that point, we we have a plan, we know what we're gonna do, and we have everything in place.
SPEAKER_01Um yeah, for sure. I think just making sure you're getting on it early. Obviously, um our seniors, they they're all doing a little bit of everything we got. Um couple guys going over to Europe, um, and then a couple guys are just applying to jobs now. Um, and I think being so close to the city, um, Manhattanville allows us to kind of get that head start, getting internships.
SPEAKER_00Um oh absolutely, dude. That I'll be honest, that's like it definitely had something to do with me coming here for sure. Because like the opportunity is endless. I mean, you're in New York City, man.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, for sure. It's it's the Mecca, you know, whether that's whether you're a business major, finance major, um, sports studies. I mean, I think there's there's eight teams in the metropolitan New York area. Um, you know, you have two for each sport, um, pretty much. So there's countless a lot. Yeah, you have a lot of opportunities. Um, so yeah, I think uh after sports, I think just making sure you're you're getting on top of things early. Um one thing that I learned is juniors kind of allowed me to find myself and figure out what I want to do in life. Um, you know, I didn't really know what I wanted to do. I kind of floated the idea of being a teacher and then I teacher business. Yeah, I wanted to be a teacher for a little bit. Um whether that was teaching uh in the education space or going into business. I kind of picked sports studies uh going into the second semester this year because I just realized like, I mean, it's it's what I love. It's it's kind of what I love doing. Um talking about sports, playing sports, um yeah, just everything. So there's no rush to figure out what you want to do, but it definitely does help. Um but yeah, so that's just the advice I got.
SPEAKER_00And yeah, it definitely helps to just take steps to just not only meet people, just have connections because you don't know where you're gonna be by the time you're done. And and to have those connections to be like, hey, what what are you up to now? Or how's this going? You know, that could be an opportunity for a potential job. Like you don't know where people could end up or where they're even at. And building those connections early on and throughout your entire NCAA career is only gonna benefit you as soon as it's over. Um going pro or getting a job. There's this debate, right? Like, in my opinion, and this is just me, I think you have to really enjoy your time when you're playing. You have to, especially in at the end of the NCAA level, you have to enjoy it, and then as soon as you're done, I think you have to just be honest with yourself at the end of the day. I think it's am I good enough to go play pro? Like, you have to sit down and have that conversation. And if you are, I mean, there's a ton of different pro leagues in Europe, like there's a ton, and you and you could go. You may not get paid what you want to get paid, but the opportunity's there. I think for me, like I would enjoy doing one or two years playing pro just just to say I get it and and see that side of the world, right? Like, yeah, when are you gonna be able to do that? Like, the perfect time is now. Um, and then you know you always have your major um to fall back on and and the connections that you've built throughout your career to kind of lean on that and get a job.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I think I mean sorry to cut you off, but uh for me, I think uh it's kind of what you value more. It's do you wanna you know dip your toes into the real world um as soon as you graduate college, or if you love it so much, do you wanna you know experience something new? Um playing hockey over overseas is something that seems pretty cool. Um, but it's it's hard for people to let go of what they've known for their whole lives. I mean, by the time I'm graduating college, I would have been playing hockey for close to 20 years. So um it would definitely be tough, and I don't think not right now. Um I'd be if I graduated today, I would want to, you know, keep playing hockey for as long as I can. Um, and then at the end of the day, there's always beer league too.
SPEAKER_00Um that's something that a lot of people if like you're really not really letting go of the game, right? Like your passion is sports, your passion is hockey, and that's what you want to do after college, whether that's working or still playing. So like you're really not out of it. You just may not be playing, but you can still play, like you said, beer league, there's pickup leagues, like you're not fully out of it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so there's different uh different career paths for everyone, and uh just because you know you choose a job um once you graduate doesn't mean you have to stay there or be in that field for the rest of your life. You can always always change career paths and um adjust to the to what's being thrown at you in life.
SPEAKER_00So for sure. There's definitely gonna be opportunities and there's gonna be missed opportunities. Um I think a very important thing that ties into everything is is your education. You're looking at now with obviously the the uh major junior um leagues letting guys come play in CLA and get scholarships um to get an education and play. Like you're you're seeing a lot of that now, which I think is massive because a lot of these major junior guys, like as soon as they are done playing major junior, it's like okay, they get they got a school package to play in Canada, but like, you know, what are they doing with that? Like most people don't even go, they they just enter the trades, which is fine. That's a it's a perfect um thing, there's nothing wrong with that. I just think it gives a lot of guys more opportunity now to play hockey, go to school, and have that second kind of backup. Um, you know, like I have a degree now. Even if you wanted to still go do trades, you could, but you have that as like, all right, if I want to do this, I can. So I think it's huge.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, for sure. Definitely uh, definitely an important.
SPEAKER_00No, for sure. I just I can't believe they waited this long to make the rule, to be honest with you.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it was definitely pretty big when it happened, and I think they uh they just passed a new rule um or a proposed rule um saying that uh it's a proposed NCA regulation that would allow college athletes to play five seasons of competition within a five-year period, um starting uh at your 19th birthday or um high school graduation, which uh would pretty much you know may potentially um you know affect junior hockey. Um so it it would threaten to to shorten junior hockey careers and change development path for players, so you wouldn't see as many uh 21-year-old freshmen. So it's definitely yeah.
SPEAKER_00I mean, it's definitely a trickle-down effect, right? Where a lot of these leagues that are you know good junior leagues, but it's it's not as easy to get a scholarship now. Yeah, and that's the unfortunate part. And I unfortunately, it's gonna lead to a lot of people not ending up playing hockey past minor hockey because there's no opportunity or anything, right?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean, there's always leagues with like uh like the USHL and then obviously Major Junior that are typically younger, have a younger average age. Um, but t uh leagues like the the NA, uh NCDC, and then all of Tier Three are pretty much gonna be uh B feeder leagues, or they're gonna struggle to to keep age outs um with this league. So it's definitely definitely pretty pretty interesting times now, and uh it'll be interesting to see how this all unfolds.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, definitely. Um so let's talk about building building something outside of sports. That's a perfect example is is what we're doing right now. You know, we've created this podcast, this platform for people just like us to to come on, listen, and and learn on what to do, what not to do, you know, just different experiences, connections, like just putting yourself out there. Um you have to be confident in this space. You do um you have to be confident in a lot of things in life, but it's it's massive, and it's evident that to build something outside of sports, you have to just you have to grind, you have to want it, you have to put yourself out there. Um it's it's massive. It is a massive world we live in, but it's an even smaller hockey world. And and that is that is the truth because you hear this a lot. I hear this a lot. The hockey world is very small, yeah. It's very small, it's massive, but it's small. And that's I'm assuming it would be the same for a lot of sports, but just putting yourself out there, use your connections, talk to people. Uh it's everything. So I think there's a lot of opportunity outside of sports. You just have to you have to find exactly what you're interested in and go for it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, making sure you obviously truly believe in yourself, uh, have confidence. Um, you're not gonna get a job if you're you know nervous or um struggling to make eye contact or shaking a guy's hand, um, or not shaking a guy's hand. Um you're you're gonna get the job by showing this guy, hey, I believe in myself, this is what I can do. Um similar to playing hockey, um, I think a coach is gonna believe in a guy that is confident and in going out there and and you know getting a goal for him rather than a guy who's you know hesitant to play, gripping the stick a little too tight.
SPEAKER_00So I think Yeah, I I think the thing with that is like you know, you have to essentially be like, you need me, but in a confident, not cocky way. Yeah. You know, if that makes sense. Like that's kind of the approach that we're taking um in this whole journey of everything. It's like, you know, we want a job, we're trying to extend our career, and it's essentially selling yourself.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And once you get good at selling yourself, that that brings confidence in, and that makes people believe in you, which will only make you believe in yourself and create more doors of opportunity than you could even imagine. So I it's it's massive.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, for sure. And I think uh we'll uh we'll wrap things up soon and uh you know just uh thank appreciate you guys uh for taking your time out of your day to listen. Um, you know, a lot of a lot of good episodes coming soon. Um follow our social medias, um BTG Central on uh on Instagram. Um and yeah, we'll uh we'll keep keep you guys updated for uh new episodes coming soon.
SPEAKER_00So thank you guys for listening. Uh we look forward to uh you guys coming back and joining us uh for the next episode, um, potentially having a guest on. And um yeah, so just keep working and grinding.
SPEAKER_01Yep.