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<DOCID>Coach_Roque_Interview.doc.txt</DOCID>
<AUTHOR>Mackenzie Barrett</AUTHOR>
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Laker Hockey Coach Jim Roque has spent the past 11 years coaching at LSSU and is also the second former Laker to become head coach of the team.  Even though Roque has a job that he loves, the most important things in his life are his daughters Emma, age 11, and Abby, age 9 and his wife Julia.  Roque graduated from LSSU in 1987 with a bachelors degree in management and is a native of Northern Ontario.  When asked what he liked most about coaching at LSSU, Roque replied I am familiar with the program.  I can relate to the people and I know where I need to go to get the answers that I need.  Ive also been here when we have been at our highs and our lows.  Also on the Laker Hockey coaching staff are Tim Christian, Joe Shawhan, and Don Muio.  The key games this season are considered to be the first four games on the road which include games against CCHA rival Ohio State and Clarkson University where Coach Roque was an assistant coach for six seasons.  The reason that these games are key games is because it is important to see the reactions of both the players as well as the coaching staff to determine how things will be handled this season.  During his first season as the head hockey coach, the team finished sixth in the CCHA and gained national recognition in the polls peaking at number 11.  The stick is for the puck, said Coach Roque.  Lake State was the least penalized team in the CCHA last season.  It was hard for Roque to lose 12 players last year because when they came in as freshmen the program needed life and they brought it.  The guys brought the much needed leadership qualities that the program was looking for.  It was also hard because he knew all of them well because he helped recruit these guys and had formed relationships with each player.  Based on what has been seen of the team so far this year, Roque feels that the incoming freshman will be fine playing at a Division I level and they are all assets to the team but the older players need to step up and illustrate leadership roles to the players.  During the game against Lakehead University at Pullar Stadium, fans found out that defensiveman #18 Barnabas Birkeland was named captain and goaltender #1 Jeff Jakaitis and forward #9 Troy Schwab were named assistant captains.  Coach Roque said that when choosing captains, he looked at how the players performed socially as well as athletically and academically.  There can be up to four captains and he would like to have the option to add captains as the season progresses and not make any haste decisions choosing four this early in the season.  Some of the advantages that Roque feels LSSU has in the upcoming season are that we have an outstanding returning goalie, a great senior class made up of Goaltender Jeff Jakaitis, Forward Trent Campbell, Forward Jeff Rainville, Defensiveman Barnabas Birkeland, Forward Dominic Osman, and Forward Derek Smith.  And there are also guys who may be playing in the shadow of the seniors who, throughout the season, may blossom and emerge leaders.  Coach Roque said, The best thing about coaching at LSSU is watching the guys go through the same things that I did when I was a players here.  Its the best time of their lives and I love hearing their stories. When asked about this season, Roque responded We are in a tough, tough league and a lot of teams are predicted to be in the top and a lot of teams are predicted to be in the bottom.  We arent like other leagues where the same top four teams are always in the top and the same teams are always at the bottom.  Roque says that there are so many people that really care about the program that dont get paid and are helping and supporting the team, such as the official physical therapist of the Laker Hockey Team, Aaron Clark MPT of Superior Physical Therapy, because of their love of the game.  Coach Roque also has another passion other than hockey.  He is a self-proclaimed winter gardener.  For about 7 years he has had a neighborhood skating rink in his backyard and it keeps growing and growing.  When he comes home from work or from long trips he likes to go out, flood and scrape the ice and just skate.  Kids from the community come to skate on this rink during the winter as well as some of the Lakers.  Coach Jim Roque is a true Laker who takes great pride in his position as the head hockey coach and has been a key person in the continued growth and improvement of Laker Hockey since he started playing at LSSU in 1983.



 

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