Imagine this: You’re standing in the middle of Little Caesars Arena, the crowd screaming at the top of their lungs. Your teammate drives the biscuit right under your stick, and you start sprinting to the offensive zone, and the only thing between you and the net is the goalie. You raise your stick and slap it right above the goalie’s right arm and into the net. The crowd jumps, your teammates and coaches rushing over. You raise the Stanley Cup above your head and celebrate. This moment, this fever dream, is one where everyone wants to be part of, whether they’re a paying fan or sitting on the bench. Like the Head Coach of the Schoolcraft Men’s Hockey Team, Dan Phelps, said: “Hockey isn’t just a game; it’s a lifestyle.”

Phelps fostered this mentality when he started forming the Schoolcraft Men’s Hockey program last year. With his two coaching assistants, he aims to create a strong program where his student-athletes have the opportunity to participate. Phelps is committed to creating a good environment for his players where they feel they’re enjoying themselves and having fun, but also being put in a competitive atmosphere, where we can be a team that challenges our opponents every time we go out on the ice. 

To achieve this, he takes time to understand who the players are as individuals, not just as athletes. He facilitates respect between coaches and players allowing the players to have feedback in the program.

Phelps also understands that respect comes with an acknowledgment of who the players are: students. He knows that their educational component is the most important aspect of their lives. “When we met with the players and their parents during the recruiting process, we wanted them to understand that the players are student-athletes: school first, athlete second,” said Phelps. He recognizes the importance of getting a proper education and enjoying college life. 

“Being successful in the classroom prepares them for training, education, and knowledge to move forward in life. Being here at Schoolcraft, we want this to be a positive time in their lives that they look back on,” said Phelps.

He constantly reminds his players to be a student of the game all the time. The players also have access to Trinity Elite Sports Performance, located inside Trinity Elite Sports Center on campus, where they work with sports performance and strength and conditioning coaches to ensure they’re physically fit to perform on the ice. These coaches also prepare the players for injury prevention, so they’re less susceptible to injuries throughout the season. If they do get injured, they have rehabilitation options and work with athletic trainers. “We have the ability, under the umbrella of the athletic department, to access some very nice amenities,” said Phelps. Dan effectively uses these amenities to condition his athletes, stating, “The better-conditioned teams are the most prepared.”

The 2024-25 Ocelots hockey season started September 22, and the biggest challenge the team will face is the pressure on the ice. The team will be playing university level programs throughout the season, however, Phelps reassures his players that pressure and adversity are something we see every day in life. 

He understands that the team will make mistakes because hockey is a fast-paced game. He wants them to move on and learn. That’s what makes individual athletes better and builds the team up. 

Phelps believes that the team will support each other throughout the season. He is a strong believer in chemistry and expects the players to have a sense of ownership, which comes with a trust factor that each of them will be there for each other.

Coach Phelps’ main focus is building the hockey culture at Schoolcraft and creating a solid program. He’s thankful for the players who chose to be part of this new program rather than opting for another institution with a more established program. 

“This team are pioneers of this new program,” said Phelps. “As pioneers, his goal is for players to help build the culture, our identity, and everything of that nature, so that one day, they can come back and look at something that’s bigger than all of us.” 

For now, the players are working hard daily, and that’s all Phelps could ever want. He is very excited for this season and looks forward to the journey of the program.

For more information on the program, go to schoolcraftocelots.com.