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Honeybaked’s Laura Danforth earns Female Scholar Athlete of the Year honorsGrosse Pointe South senior does it all on and off the iceBy Linley Wartenberg It’s not easy to maintain a 3.6 GPA when you’re traveling across Michigan and Canada for 70 games, but Laura Danforth found a way. “The schedules forces you to do your homework when you have time so that helps you,” she said. “I’m used to doing homework in the car.” For her efforts, Danforth, who plays for Honeybaked’s Girls U19 AAA
team, was named Michigan Hockey’s 2006 female scholar-athlete of the year,
which honors a player who has achieved at a high level, both in the
classroom and on the ice.
Her non-varsity sports pursuits include travel soccer, softball and
inline hockey. Hockey is Danforth’s favorite sport and her goal was to play in college while earning her degree. “Hockey’s always come first but I make time for my other sports,” she
said. Danforth has demonstrated leadership ability both on- and off the ice and next fall she’s headed to Cornell, where she’ll play hockey for the Big Red. “I went to a camp this summer in Colorado where I met the (Cornell) coaches,” Danforth said. “I went out there and saw the campus and met the entire coaching staff.” Danforth plans to study biology at the Ivy League school with an eye on the future. “I’m thinking about med school,” she said. “There are a lot of doctors in my family.” One’s her father, who doesn’t miss any of his daughter’s games if he can help it. “My dad goes to almost everything,” she laughed. “Even when I started driving, he still comes later just to watch.” Her parents, though supportive, don’t push her. “They’ve always been there to help me,” Danforth said. Another dad, Mark Miller, has known Danforth since daughter Margo teamed up with her on Honeybaked at age 12. Miller nominated Danforth for the award, saying that when he read the description, she was the first person he thought of. “I have seen her mature into young women that is an accomplished student and athlete,” said Miller. Danforth, no stranger to Michigan Hockey Banquet of Champions, had
heard of the award but didn’t have any idea her best friend’s dad had
nominated her. She wasn’t quite as excited about accepting the award and giving a short speech to the crowd of hundreds, though. “Laura was mad at me because she had to go up there and say things,” Miller laughed. Last year, Danforth struggled somewhat on the ice, but she sprang back this season. “Laura obviously had a goal to play Division I hockey,” Miller said. From what Miller saw, Danforth came back her senior year to play even better than before. “I think she played her best – the best I’ve ever seen her play since 12-and-under,” Miller said. “What it comes down to, she succeeded in her goal to go to school and play hockey. It’s a real academic and athletic achievement.” L'Anse Creuse’s Tresick is Michigan Hockey’s Male Scholar-Athlete of the YearLancer senior has had great career on and off the iceBy Linley Wartenberg On the ice, Joe Tresick’s choices are simple: shoot the puck or pass it. Off the ice, the L’Anse Creuse senior’s life gets more complicated: head to work at Viviano’s Flower Shop, help coach girl’s softball, run down to Detroit and work with young students or volunteer for the Salvation Army? Whichever he chooses, Michigan Hockey’s 2006 Male Scholar Athlete of the year will probably wind down his day in a familiar fashion: studying to maintain his 3.62 GPA. “He stays up late doing his homework,” said his mother Lynn Tresick.
Tresick’s hard work in the classroom has paid off, but leaves him with more choices – like which college to choose. He’s looking at Western Michigan University, and a group of his friends intend to go to Michigan State. But Lake Forest College near Chicago has offered him a $50,000 academic scholarship - and has a club hockey team. “As a mom, I’m going to miss him,” Lynn Tresick said. “But as a parent, I want him to get the best education he can.” Whichever path her son chooses, the future liberal arts or chemistry major is up for the challenge. “I like a challenge. I like to get things done,” Joe Tresick said. “I don’t like to fail.” The four-year varsity player has enjoyed as much success on the ice as he has academically off it. Tresick, the Lancers’ captain, earned the team’s top forward honors as well as the MVP this season. “His coach said at the banquet that Joey makes everyone on his line a better player,” Lynn Tresick said. Joe earned a spot on the All-League team and also was named the team’s Hobey Baker Character Award winner for his efforts off of the ice. “I do it for the challenge,” he said. “Hockey’s fun to me.” Although he’s succeeded, it’s never been an issue his mom has pressed. “I’ve seen parents do that and they wind up hating the sport,” she said. “I just say, `It wasn’t your best game but you did your best.’ Everyone’s going to have a bad game now and then.” Tresick knows his strengths as well as his weaknesses, and he knows how to use them to benefit himself as a player. “I don’t have the best skill. I’m better than average, but I use my smarts,” he said. “That’s my biggest asset. I know where to be.” Come fall, it’ll be as a freshmen pursuing the pharmaceutical field. “No matter where he goes, he’s going to do well,” Lynn Tresick said. He’s a low-key individual and only recently does his mom say he “came out of his shell.” “Two years ago, you would have never seen this kid up there giving a
speech,” she said, crediting hockey and Joe’s teammates for her son’s
now-outgoing nature. “He has best friends, and they’re all good students.
I think that’s it.” What matters to her is that both Joe and his sister, who plays softball, do their best. “I tell them, `If you do something stupid and didn’t turn in an assignment, I’d be mad, but if you get a C or a D and you’re trying you best, I’m not going to say anything,’” she said. Tresick’s school counselor called him a great choice for the scholar athlete award. "He's a top student with a challenging curriculum,” said Anne Mueller. “He's has good moral character, integrity and is a well-rounded kid. He has my highest recommendation." At Lancer games, Tresick’s got one of the larger cheering parties: his mom, sister, grandparents and his father’s whole family, including his two young half sisters. “My grampa is my biggest supporter,” Tresick said. “He said he coached football for years and never had a problem, but he’s been kicked out of three hockey games in my lifetime.” Hodges named Michigan Hockey’s 2006 Coach of the YearNorthern Leafs bench boss knows the game and gets the most out of his players By Sarah Zientarski As always it’s important for kids to have positive adult figures to
help guide them in their lives. That’s why Michigan Hockey, a
Farmington Hills-based youth hockey publication, chose Cadillac’s Mike
Hodges as its 2006 Coach of the Year. Hodges has such a passion for coaching that even his job couldn’t pull him away from it. When his company, Hayes Lemmerz International, wanted to transfer him to their central offices in Ferndale because the Cadillac plant was closing, Hodges took a new job and a pay-cut to be able to stay in Cadillac and keep coaching.
“I am still loyal and honored to have worked there, but I had to keep coaching,” Hodges said. “My life’s happiness is coaching kids. The worst day of the year is the last day of the season.” The parents of the Northern Leafs are grateful for that decision. Hodges believes giving equal playing time to all of his players no matter their skill level, which he says helps establish a positive self-concept in his players. “He’s a very fair man,” said Reed City’s Christine Cox, whose son Matt plays for Hodges on the Leafs. “He really cares about the boys and they see it. He listens to what they have to say and he’ll help them to make good choices. He believes in playing everybody, so the whole team gets better together.” No matter what the situation, Hodges makes sure his players play a fair amount of time. He even swapped his goalies halfway through the LCAHL championship game at Joe Louis Arena. “For them to play at Joe Louis Arena is a life experience that these kids will never forget,” Hodges said. “How could you play there and not let everybody play?” Hodges also feels equal playing time could lead to a dominating
team. Along with coaching for 12 years, Hodges is a student of the game and the effects it can have on players. He has attended three International Coaches’ Conferences in Canada and loves to learn from other coaches. The conferences have helped him come up with ideas of his own that he would like to teach other coaches in any sport. He urges coaches, as well as parents, to understand who their kids are before pounding them with drills and punishing them for making mistakes. “It is critically important for us as coaches to understand the age of the child and their capabilities,” Hodges said. “I see younger coaches and parents yelling and screaming at these kids and you can’t go past these kids’ limits. You need to understand what you can get out of them or you will end up losing them mentally and won’t be able to teach them anything about the sport.” Under Hodges, the Northern Leafs have won five out of six tournaments this season. The Northern Leafs relied on only one two-hour practice a week to keep up with teams that skate more frequently. And its Hodges’ hard work and dedication that helped the Northern Leafs’ continue their success. “Every season I want to give (the team) the absolute best program at the least cost at the highest level I can,” Hodges said. His coaching methods don’t go unnoticed. “He’s taken a group of kids and taken them to a higher level on and off the ice,” said Dr. Jim Whelan, the president of the Cadillac Hockey Association. “He’s been everywhere and done everything coaching wise and the kids respond to him.” And Hodges’ coaching ways are not taken for granted from his team. His players are happy playing for a coach as understanding as he is. “He’s nicer than any other coach I have had,” Northern Leafs’ center Matt Cox said. “He’s the fairest. We respect him because what he does is for us and he knows a lot about the game.” Hodges is grateful for being named Coach of the Year but he feels he is not the only one deserving of the honor. “I had no clue any of this was going on,” Hodges said of him being nominated and winning. “Why me? There are some fabulous coaches out there. To me every coach is the Coach of the Year as long as they use their time wisely.” From Michiganhockeyonline.com Kraemer is Michigan Hockey’s 2006 Hockey Person of the YearMAHA Vice President is involved in a lot of what goes on in amateur hockey in the stateBy Philip Colvin It only seems like it takes a while to catch up with Clinton Township’s Ray Kraemer. What is certain is that it takes a lot of energy to keep up with him. Whether it’s the Adult State Tournament in Lansing, the Adult Nationals in Florida or a youth District playoff game at points in between, the MAHA Vice President has his hands in a lot of different things hockey wise and always seems on the go. Kraemer has a passion and a love for the sport, and has shown an unwavering commitment to get involved at all levels of the game to help further the growth of amateur hockey in Michigan.
For all he does for hockey in the state – and it’s a lot – Michigan Hockey chose Kraemer as its 2006 Hockey Person of the Year. “Wow, I am honored,” said Kraemer. “I accept this on behalf of all the hockey people of the year out there - all the local people from associations across the state who take time off from work to volunteer.” “We should all give our heartfelt thanks to everyone who works hard so everyone can have a good district and state tournament season.” Kramer has been involved in the game for over 25 years, and as anative of Detroit, he’s old enough to remember playing at Olympia Arena and at several outdoor rinks around metro-Detroit. He’s coached both kids and adults, he’s managed teams, ran an association and is a past-president of the Adray Community Hockey League. “Ray has done it all and he is so valuable to our organization,” said MAHA president Mickey Jesue. Currently a USA Hockey Director and the MAHA Vice-President - Adults, he focuses mainly on adult hockey and has worked tirelessly to help grow and promote that segment of the game. But he’s also active at the District youth level, scheduling games and serving as director of state tournaments across the state. “It helps keep me abreast of what’s going on day-to-day in the rink,”
he said. “The Disabled Festival, now that was something,” Kraemer said about the weeklong event that drew hundreds of disabled players from all over the country to metro-Detroit. “Every player had a smile on their face. It’s the best thing we’ve ever done.” A respected voice of reason among MAHA members, Kraemer sits on numerous committees and is known for his humility, his friendly, laid-back demeanor and for always diving in and trying to make a difference. “Every year I see him at more places doing more things,” said Suburban Ice Macomb’s Julie Pardoski, who serves on the District 3 Council. “He’s really an invaluable part of hockey in this state.” Kraemer was named the 2005 USA Hockey Volunteer of the Year and since his retirement from his day job as an automotive engineer a few years ago, he has only taken on more responsibility in the amateur hockey community and shows no signs of slowing down. “I just have added a couple of items every year,” he said. “It keeps me
going.”
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