This February, IHS hosted its first-ever media day. Sports teams came in full regalia to Bliss Gym and had their photos taken for social media promotion. I attended one such photoshoot and interviewed several varsity hockey players about their experience this past year.
Caedmon Sethupathy: How long have you played hockey?
Sam Holmes ’25: Man, I’ve been playing hockey all my life. I started when I was four and just kept playing so that’s about ten years now.
Owen Simons ’25: I’ve been playing hockey since I was four years old.
Stephen Yang ’23: I’ve probably played hockey since I was seven years old, so now it’s been ten years.
Louis Enns ’24: Probably about ten to eleven years.
CS: What position do you currently play
SH: I’m a center. I take face-offs and go to the corner of the D-zone.
OS: I’m a forward, specifically a center.
SY: I play defense.
LE: I play defense.
CS: How do you feel the season has gone so far?
SH: We have a young team. Our record, I think we’re 0.500 now and I think we’ve done a lot of growing through the season and can finish it out really strong. Last year we had a rough season and this year was to come back and have a good season and kind of rebound and show New York State that Ithaca hockey can actually play.
OS: I feel it’s been going pretty well. We’ve had some ups and downs but we’re on an up right now.
SY: It’s gone okay. We’ve won a few games that are really big. We’ve also lost a few games that we probably should have won.
LE: Pretty good. Certainly sometimes where games didn’t end how we’d like them to but at the same time there have been some games where we have impressed ourselves and surprised ourselves. I think we’ve definitely built off of last year and I’m looking to keep improving as a team for the rest of the season.
CS: What are your goals in hockey and what have you already accomplished?
SH: I get this is kind of clique but I just always wanted to play hockey for the varsity team. I had a lot of really great influences growing up that were part of the team and I just always thought that playing for the varsity team and wearing Ithaca on my chest would be my favorite part of playing hockey and it has been so far.
OS: My goals are to be able to continue to grow my [hockey] IQ. I’m living in the moment. Something I’d probably like to reflect on is being able to be on the team. Last year I got to play with my brother but just for them to help me grow up and accomplish things, to be successful at the sport.
SY: My goals? I think I’m kind of near the end of my hockey career. I’m going to keep playing hockey in college. I’m playing club hockey there [Brown University]. I don’t know about the varsity team. Maybe I’ll walk on.
LE: One goal for this season that I have and I think the team has is winning our regional game in the playoffs and that’s something that we couldn’t do last year.
CS: Do you like the idea of a media day, why or why not?
SH: I love the idea of a media day. I know Ava Thomas over there is taking the photos and she’s been such a huge part of Ithaca Athletics as a whole. I play soccer and unified basketball as well and I remember that she’s at more games than she’s not. I’m really glad the athletics department can come together and organize this for the teams.
OS: I love the idea of a media day. We get to expand our social media presence on social media, but also be able to have fun.
SY: I think it’s pretty fun. It’s like a change of pace. It’s a little weird that it’s in the middle of the season but I don’t know, it’s fun.
LE: I love it. I think this is great having the team all here. We all love getting pictures. I’ve got no complaints.
