Seven Questions with Alex Power ’25, president of Middlebury Club Hockey

In this edition of Seven Questions, Alex Power ’25 told The Campus about his hockey career, the growth of the club team from just a few players skating around to a team that plays games against other schools and the team’s goal this season. 

Jack McGuire: What is your background with hockey?

Alex Power: I've been playing hockey ever since I was about four or five. I started playing in New York City, over in Central Park, and then when I got older, I upgraded to a travel team. Then, I played for my high school team. I now play club hockey for Middlebury. I'm the president.

JM: What has your experience with Middlebury Club Hockey been like? 

AP: It’s really a place where people who played in high school can still be able to play somewhat competitively. Obviously, hockey is a really difficult sport to play on the varsity level in college, given that most hockey players will take one or two gap years just to play hockey. So it's a place where people who don't necessarily want to play at the varsity level can still come out and skate and have some pretty competitive practices, and we have a generally very high level of play, so it’s quite enjoyable.

JM: How is the team looking this year? 

AP: We're deep right now. I thought we had a good fall, and then we had a couple people go abroad, but I'm surprised at the amount of talent we had this spring. So I think we have a pretty strong roster from top to bottom. We're not overly dependent on one or two people, but we've got talent all over the board.

JM: What has it been like leading the club as president?

AP: It’s a treat. It was fun. Our last couple months have been a little bit more casual, given we have been IM playing hockey during J-Term, but we're ramping it up a little bit slowly, trying to finish out our season strong, and it's fun. I don't have to do all that much as club president. I put in the forms to schedule the ice, but otherwise, everyone's a good skater. We kind of come out and play some casual pickup hockey, so it's not too much of a burden on me and I still get to come out and enjoy everything.

JM: What are some of your all-time favorite memories with club hockey?

AP: Well, we had our first game last fall — that was pretty special. We hosted Skidmore sometime in the beginning of December. I believe we didn't win that one, but it was pretty exciting to actually be able to strap on full pads and play at a high level, you know, like we're used to doing in high school. That was probably the best moment we've had in my four years here. But we've really made a lot of progress with the club since I was a freshman. I remember when I was a freshman, we would come out and have maybe five or six skaters skating on very chopped up ice that was just left over from whatever varsity had just done. And we've really grown a lot to the point where we're getting some more competitive practices with a lot of people showing up.

JM: What are the team’s goals moving forward?

AP: I would like it to become a well-established club, such that people who have grown up playing hockey will actively seek it out and come out consistently. So right now, we have a pretty strong team, I think, but there are still plenty of people around campus who are really good hockey players, but don't come out for one reason or another. So I think it would be pretty awesome to expand the club, to include those people, and make sure that people are coming out on a consistent basis.

JM: What’s your favorite restaurant in town?

AP: It's gotta be Two Bros. You know, there are only so many. I do like the Korean fried chicken sandwich. I like the poutine. The burger is okay.