photo credit: Grant Ruof
Lights blink on over the rink, and the early arrivals slip onto the ice, warming up for empty stands. Silence falls over the space aside from the scraping of skates into ice, making room for the noise of mounting expectations.
The Pioneers have set a clear goal, one they must now live up to: “We’ll be just as good, if not better, next year than we were this year,” Head Coach Dylon Gray said, “We’re going to be better every year.”
This momentum must begin with building the culture, something the players are already doing, according to their coach.
“Our team culture’s definitely changed the direction the team wants it to,” Gray said. “All the guys have come together and bought into what we’re trying to do here, and it’s really helped get us this far. So has getting the right guys into leadership, and [the team] pushing each other into that winning mindset of wanting to be at the rink, be at practice and give their 100 percent every time.”
Players also credit this shift to the staff change between this season and last. Gray was formerly the JV coach, a role filled by Coach Edward Miley when Gray moved up to be coach of the varsity team.
“Last year, our coach was a little stricter and wasn’t as laid back with the guys and didn’t interact with us as much socially as our new coach does,” junior Rylan Pfaff said. “So that plays into it. Plus, a lot of us have played with our new coach already since he did coach JV last year [which helps the team dynamic].”
This mindset change has certainly carried over to the team’s strategy.
“Last year, it was more serious, [whereas] this year, we’re a little more laid back, but we’re still trying to have fun and obviously win as many games as we can,” Pfaff said.
This approach seems to be working for the team— it now stands 19th in the state at 15-13-2, far above the 14-16-3 it landed at last season.
“I’ve been here for three years, and [this season has] been our most productive year across the board as far as the varsity and JV programs are concerned,” Gray said.
However, many coaches and players are also hyping the youth of the team as the program’s possible revival.
“This year’s [varsity] team is very young compared to last year,” senior Nolan Perry said. “We are mostly juniors and sophomores, so while we are not as experienced, we are all very closely bonded.”
But this season may have given the team time to mature, creating an asset for the Pioneers going into next season. Gray reiterated this idea, hinting at future success for the group.
“With our junior class, most of those guys are on varsity now, but I think they’ll make a big impact in the league going into their senior year, with all the experience they’ve got from the last two years,” Gray said.
Not to mention the underclassmen rising through the program, ready to fill the spots of graduating seniors on varsity. When asked about young talent, coaches and upperclassmen players were quick to mention freshman Landon Fry.
“I played club with Landon Fry. He’s obviously really skilled. Definitely one of the better players on JV right now,” Pfaff said.
Another freshman, Connor Grady, came up often too.
“Connor Grady has some really nice hands,” Pfaff said. “So he’s definitely one of the more skilled guys on JV [also].”
The mixture of young stars, upperclassmen poised to step up and positive leadership changes puts the team in a good place for the next season. But this does not come without expectations.
“Next year, the goal is obviously to win a championship,” junior Jackson Tiedje said. “And then maybe to buy in a little more [with this new group].”
But for now, the Pioneers are looking to maximize the season they have left, and capitalize on the growth they have already created.
“With the season coming to the final stretch, we [still] have the end of year tournament (CBJ Cup) and the playoffs,” Perry said. “Our goal is to make a deep playoff run.”
