Never Far from Home Ep. 256 - Chicago Strong

Bill McCoy joins the podcast after discussion about having him on for over two years. We dive into his St. Louis roots, explore a timeline that includes multiple stops in Texas, and find out how it was that his life changed in one week in November. We also explore another life-changing event, the loss of half his vision. Bill is a constant source of joy in the Yampa Valley, and we make deep dives into why it is he has fallen in love with the rink community so hard. Enjoy! https://www.beautyunis.com/ https://www.thegardensicehouse.com/ https://summitcustomsticks.com/ https://43degreesports.com/

Cade Bangs joins the show after we had gone back and forth trying to get him on for a while. He tells a great tale of falling in love with the game he continues to play to this day. He began his hockey in Craig, and played competitively through his high school days. While competitive hockey was done, at that point, he continues to partake in the game as a player in local leagues, and as a huge Avs fan. We also dive into the life side of Mr. Bangs, including a great rendition of how he found his now wife. Enjoy another wonderful episode! https://www.beautyunis.com/ - Tell them I sent you to receive 10% off your first team order! https://www.thegardensicehouse.com/ https://summitcustomsticks.com/ https://43degreesports.com/ - Use the code "Home" at checkout to receive free shipping!

Casey Nolan joins the show after being a big fan for most of the duration of Never Far from Home. He tells tales setting the scene for his move to Steamboat, from Maine. His soccer background helped with his transition to the game of hockey, though he didn’t start playing until his mid-thirties. He talks about a few of his favorite beer league memories, and of course we speak on the unique culture surrounding the game of hockey, the locker room, and the general bond shared even in the adult ranks. Enjoy a tale filled with passion for our game! https://www.beautyunis.com/ - Tell Casey I sent you to receive 10% off your first team order! https://www.thegardensicehouse.com/ https://summitcustomsticks.com/ https://43degreesports.com/ - Use the code "home" at checkout for free shipping in the US and Canada!

Sara Brayton joins the show, and we take deep dives on her love of family, her passion for the rink community, and the great lengths she has gone to, to educate todays skaters in her area as to the proper techniques. She grew up a figure skater, skating nationally and internationally, and winning some big championships. She has always felt the rink has been a constant for her, and a rock in some of her most challenging moments of life. We explore how and when those were, and you can truly feel the immense gratitude she has for her people that were so instrumental in her growth in the sport, and how she shaped her life. Enjoy a wonderful and passionate episode. https://www.beautyunis.com/ https://www.thegardensicehouse.com/ https://summitcustomsticks.com/ https://43degreesports.com/ - Use the code "home" at checkout for free shipping in the US and Canada!

Lindsey Hjelm joined the show, and we go through a storyline that is filled with ups and downs. As she was sharing her stories, it was evident quickly that she took the time to find her value, during her playing days, and even now, she continues to reflect on the rink, and what it has done for her. Enjoy discussions ranging from her time in youth hockey, through her playing days at Augustus. We even connect the dots with a few past Never Far from Home’ers. The connections grow, the stories are all acutely each guest’s, and Lindsey was no different. Enjoy another great episode full of wonderful tales, straight from the doctors mouth! https://www.beautyunis.com/ https://www.thegardensicehouse.com/ https://summitcustomsticks.com/ https://43degreesports.com/

Dan Webb comes on the show and we review a history of passion associated with the game of hockey. Dan found the love of the game, and let it thrive. We speak to his time playing competitively through his time in college. He ended up at Hobart, and played some club hockey there, which gave him the balance he was looking for between school and hockey. Dan and I talk about his process of decision making for the next steps in life, which led him to Hollywood. He enjoyed his near decade there, but has returned to Colorado, and with a new mission: to help hockey players (and other athletes) kill the germs and smells associated with wet gear. 43° Sports was born. We talk about the concepts connected to the business, and what types of ambitions he has to spread his bags around the nation and beyond. Enjoy! https://www.beautyunis.com/ https://www.thegardensicehouse.com/ https://summitcustomsticks.com/ https://43degreesports.com/

Matt Billman joins the show for the second time, and does not disappoint! We go over his recent coaching changes, and dive deep into his experiences over the last few years. There is some reflection on what has become of the project, but we stick closely to his recent days behind the bench. The tales include multiple trips to Nationals. Enjoy! https://www.beautyunis.com/ https://www.thegardensicehouse.com/ https://summitcustomsticks.com/

Nick Kent came on the show excited to share some stories, and he did NOT disappoint. We obviously talk about his involvement in the rink. When it started, where that was, and how it progressed. As always, it was a balancing act between storytelling, and exploring who Nick is as a person. This was a fun one with plenty of dramatic shifts inside of his tales. Enjoy! https://www.beautyunis.com/ https://www.thegardensicehouse.com/ https://summitcustomsticks.com/

Katie Baldwin was another great guest on the show. We dive into her time growing up in love with the game in the Ohio area, and how she saw, firsthand, the development of women’s hockey. Her tales range from a scary incident that almost left her without the ability to play, all the way through multiple National Championship runs in college, and through today, where she maintains her connection with the rink via work. She runs her own business that helps young hockey players with training. Enjoy her stories! https://www.beautyunis.com/ https://www.thegardensicehouse.com/ https://summitcustomsticks.com/ https://rinksystems.com/ https://otpsteamboat.com/

Mike Cochran, who was the original episode, at #1, comes back on for another “State of Hockey Address”. It has been four years since we last had one of these, and much has happened since. We talk about the Avs winning the cup in ’22, then catch up on some of the more recent moves. We also touch on the 4-Nations tournament, which has unanimously been considered a resounding success. And, of course, we talk about the show. There is discussion on the evolution of NFFH, and what has been going on lately. And there is also hope, that not too long down the road, we will see Jared Keeso on the show. We are willing it into existence… Enjoy! https://www.beautyunis.com/ https://www.thegardensicehouse.com/ https://summitcustomsticks.com/ https://rinksystems.com/ https://otpsteamboat.com/