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Story ArchiveWest Point Hockey
Duty, Honor, CountryThe motto at West Point and throughout the United States Army is Duty, Honor, Country. The Army hockey team lives by that same motto of course, because after all, the players are Cadets first and foremost. Like the Air Force Falcons, they have the honor of being members of two teams, their military team, and their hockey team. If coach Brian Riley were to adapt the motto when the players switch from their green uniforms to their Black, Gold, and Grey uniforms, it probably wouldn't change much; it might be Duty, Honor, and Hard Work, because those are the qualities that Coach Riley has instilled in his team since his arrival as head coach in 2002. In fact, those qualities have been instilled in West Point hockey players for over forty years and by a trio of hockey coaches who share the last name Riley. Brian Riley's predecessors behind the Army hockey bench have been his older brother, and his father. It's a legacy unlike any other in the world of college hockey. I sat down with Coach Riley in Ohio State's Schottenstein Center the day before they were to face off against the Buckeyes in their annual holiday hockey tournament, the Ohio Hockey Classic. Coach Riley shared his thoughts on the history, tradition, and bright future of Ice Hockey at West Point. What brought you to Army?"My family has been at Army a long time; my Dad has been there for 36 years and my brother Rob, who I had the opportunity to go and work with, has been coaching at Army. Also, growing up at West Point has given me strong ties to the Academy. Obviously, it's a very special place. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would have the opportunity to be able to go back there as a coach. So I consider myself very lucky; I've told many people that I truly have my dream job." "Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would have the opportunity to be able to go back there as a coach. So I consider myself very lucky; I've told many people that I truly have my dream job."
For hockey prospects, what tips the scales in favor of choosing West Point over other Division One programs?"I think that most kids that are playing hockey today have the dream of playing Division One College Hockey. With West Point not only do you afford them that opportunity, but most importantly you give them the opportunity to get one of the best educations in the world." "West Point is the kind of school that once you make the decision to come here, you'll certainly reap the rewards from the day you arrive, until the day you die. It's one of the premier leadership schools in the world. If you want to make the military a career that opportunity is here for you, and for those that decide to get out, they can take the experience of a West Point education, the experience of being an Army officer, and go out in the world and do very well for themselves." What are the special requirements for a player to be considered as a West Point candidate?"It's obviously a little bit different than most schools. Just the application process is special; you have to get a nomination from your congressman or senator to be a candidate at West Point. Then beyond that you have to pass a medical test, and then beyond that a physical test which involves running and push-ups and those types of things. So just at the start you have to do some different things than you would at an Ivy League school or some other schools." "Academically, these guys have had to have done well in school. They have had to demonstrate strong character throughout their high school careers and been involved in other extracurricular activities, not just being a hockey player. West Point and all the service academies are looking for well-rounded individuals, individuals who have shown that they have the potential to be great leaders. When we go into a rink, it's easy to identify who the best players are, but we have to identify who the best people are. Once you do that you hope that they are good hockey players because being at West Point is so much more than being a hockey player; that's just a small piece of the puzzle." "West Point is the kind of school that once you make the decision to come to here, you'll certainly reap the rewards from the day you arrive until the day you die. It's one of the premier leadership schools in the world."
What else are you looking for in a prospect?"Well, maybe we don't get the NHL draft picks that some of these teams get, so we're looking for a person who plays with intensity. An Army player may not be the biggest guy out there but he plays as big as the biggest guy. We want guys who are willing to compete, guys that are willing to block shots, and do all the little things that will help give us an edge and compete against some of those top-notch programs. On paper maybe we don't have as much talent, but we certainly have guys that show that they have a strong work ethic and all those other little things that make a difference." "When we go into a rink, it's easy to identify who the best players are, but we have to identify who the best people are. Once you do that you hope that they are good hockey players because being at West Point is so much more than being a hockey player..." What advice do you give to young players who aspire to play college hockey?"First and foremost I want to tell a young man to do a good job in school. Hockey will get you noticed, but your ability to do the work in the classroom is what's going to get you into those schools and keep you in those schools. Make sure you have a good balance between your sports and your education and don't forget that." "The other thing is, some sports now are played year round, I know it's a big issue and there is a lot of talk out there, but for me personally, all that matters is that a player is doing something in sports in the off season. I don't necessarily believe that somebody has to play hockey twelve months of the year. If they are playing lacrosse or doing strength training they will be fine. Strength training has changed and is something that is so much more evident in sports today." "Being a committed athlete and understanding what goes along with that, and making sure that academically you don't lose sight of the fact that your work in the classroom is going to be what gets you into good schools and keeps you in school. My own kids play other sports and people say, "Aren't you worried about scholarships?" Number one, the opportunity for a scholarship is so remote; there are so many kids playing. Play other sports and develop athleticism. I'm a firm believer that hockey is something you don't have to play twelve months a year if you're playing soccer or lacrosse or other sports. Maybe that's an old school way of thinking, maybe things are changing, but I still believe in that."
How do opponents describe your Army team?
"Hopefully they will have a lot of respect for how we play the game as far as being a hard working team, a team that battles, a team that never gives up, and a team that plays for the whole sixty minutes. I think when you talk to other team, that's what they expect from Army, no matter what the sport is." "It's very important that we establish that after the first period. If we don't, then we lose any type of edge. That's the expectation that I think any team have when they play against West Point in any sport; we have to make sure that we are playing a blue-collar type game. Ultimately when the game is done, we hope that people will respect how we played for all 60 minutes."
Highpoints in the History of the Program"The highpoint would have probably been in 2008 when we won the Atlantic Hockey conference in the regular season. It was the first time that they have ever won a championship at West Point. To be a part of that was very special; it was certainly something that I, the other coaches, and the players will never forget." "These young men are difference makers in the world we live in... It's a very humbling and rewarding experience." "But on a personal note, for me to say that I'm the coach at West Point and on a daily basis be around what I believe are truly special young men is incredible. These men ultimately decided to come to West Point during a time of war; these young men are difference makers in the world we live in, so it's a very humbling and rewarding experience at the same time." "I get emails everyday from players that are in Afghanistan and Iraq, and they talk about their experience of being a hockey player at West Point and what it's meant to them and how it's put them in a position to be the leaders that they are. To know that in some small part you've played a role in that is very, very rewarding. And now that I'm going through it I can understand why my dad stayed 36 years when he had opportunities to leave, and why my brother Rob would stay here for seventeen years as well." "I get emails... from players that are in Afghanistan and Iraq, and they talk about their experience of being a hockey player at West Point, what it's meant to them, and how it's put them in a position to be the leaders that they are." Home Ice at West Point - Tate Rink"We have a fantastic facility. We've had a lot to NHL teams come to West Point the last couple of years and they just kind of shake their heads. Many of those players were from high-end D1 programs and say what we have there is better than their former facilities. They really are taken back by it, not only the rink itself, but also the team room setup there. We have an outstanding weight room facility that is second to none. Usually if we can get a young man to come up for a visit and he sees the facilities that we have, he is certainly very impressed."
Final thoughtsCoach Riley has a final piece of advice for future prospects. If you don't get recruited and make that jump to Division 1, find a school that you love and play hockey there. "Playing college hockey is an unbelievable opportunity. I was very fortunate to have played college hockey as did as my three other brothers and my sister. To have the dream of playing D1 is great, but I think the most important thing for young men and women who want to play college hockey is finding a good place where you can play, even if you don't get to play D1" "I tell people all the time, if you score a big goal at the club level or at the D3 level, it's the same feeling as at the D1 level. Finding a school that is the right fit, a school where you'll go and you'll play, is the most important. Ask yourself, if you're on that campus and your hockey career was over, would you still want to be there?" "Ultimately hockey is going to be over some day, so your experience at that school, and that degree that you earned are going to be the things that make you successful after you leave college and get out into what we call the real world." Attending West Point and playing hockey for Coach Riley is an experience that prepares you to face the real world challenges he is refers to. It's not for every player, but for those who are driven to excell in a wide range of areas, it's well worth a visit to Coach Riley, and the school on the Hudson. "If you score a big goal at the club level or at the D3 level, it's the same feeling as at the D1 level. Finding a school that is the right fit, a school where you'll go and you'll play, is the most important. Ask yourself, if you're on that campus and your hockey career was over, would you still want to be there? " Links
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