Interview with SHS Hockey Senior Alternate Captain Tyler Conte

The Panthers spent most of this weekend on the ice. After losing on Friday night, they bounced back with a 3-1 win over Alter on Saturday, and they took St. X to overtime on Sunday, ending in a 1-1 tie. Goals this weekend came from Tyler Conte, Tristan Schroeder, AJ DeRosa, and Ryan Schroeder. This week, I sat down with Alternate Captain Tyler Conte to talk about everything from hockey injuries to Red Bulls. 

Meet #13 Alternate Captain Tyler Conte...

Hockey story:

Tyler started playing hockey when he was six years old. He was playing soccer at the time, but he quickly became more interested in hockey while watching his older brother on the ice playing for the Panthers. Tyler didn’t think he was very good when he first started skating with Timbits Hockey. He even considered quitting but stuck it out and skated every year since. This year, he’s earning his fourth Varsity Letter as a Panther. 

Tyler’s injury:

Tyler played with an injured shoulder for almost two seasons. He waited to fix the problem until the end of his junior season, and his surgery in March was just days before the pandemic started. This worked in Tyler’s favor because it allowed him to take time off and recover. I asked him how he was feeling this season after surgery, and he said, “Oh, I’m golden. Absolutely golden.” Along with his family, friends, and teammates who helped him stay mentally strong when he was injured, it was Tyler’s love of the sport that kept him going: “I just kept looking ahead and [thinking] about all the years I’ve played before. It was stupid to quit now.” 

Player that Tyler looks up to the most:

Tyler looks up to Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins the most because “there’s just something about the way he plays.” Tyler said that he has respected the way Crosby plays since he was a kid watching Penguins games, saying that Crosby’s “always got a purpose with the puck, no matter what.”

Gameday routines: 

Tyler’s pregame ritual is straight and to the point. He shotguns a Red Bull energy drink right before every game.

Playing youth hockey and high school hockey with Coach DeRosa:

Tyler played youth hockey for the Dayton Stealth with Coach DeRosa, and he is playing for him again as a Panther. It’s not uncommon in Southwest Ohio hockey for old teammates to face each other as opponents in high school games. This weekend’s contest with Alter is a perfect example: Tyler faced off against former teammates, some from teams that DeRosa coached years ago. I asked Tyler what it was like to have him on the bench, and he said that after all these years of working together and being on the ice together, they have a special bond. Tyler said of DeRosa, “He’s just a good role model. Easy to look up to.” 

The iconic hockey flow:

I would be remiss if I didn’t ask Tyler about the plans for the hockey flow we all know and love. Don’t worry. After his senior season comes to an end, Tyler said it’s unlikely that he’ll do anything more than a trim, joking that he looks“like a squirrel without long hair.” 

Forward versus Defenseman:

In any given game, you can catch Tyler playing as both a forward and a defenseman. I asked him if he prefers one over the other, and he said he likes them both for different reasons. He enjoys being a forward because there are more scoring opportunities, and he can show his speed. On the other hand, Tyler said, “I love defense because I can take clappers from the blue line.” Wherever Tyler’s needed on the ice, he’ll be there. 

Hockey’s impact off the ice:

Hockey has changed Tyler’s life off the ice by teaching him discipline. He talked about how decisions made in other aspects of his life could potentially have consequences that affect hockey. In his words, “You mess up in a game or practice or off the ice, then the team and coach know about it... You gotta own up to it.”

Tyler’s advice for young hockey players:

Tyler advises young players not to take any time on the ice for granted. He said, “[You] never know when it’s your last game, so just put it all out there no matter what.” These words hold even more power in the midst of the pandemic. If you’ve ever seen Tyler play, you know he’s a team player, and his last piece of advice just proves that: “Play for the boys sitting next to you.”