Entering his second season as the starting goalkeeper on the South’s men’s hockey team, junior Matt Grinde says he has been involved in hockey for most of his life.

According to Grinde, he started playing hockey at the age of five, and became a goalie at eight when he started showing talent in the net. Grinde’s older brother was also a hockey goalie, and his dad was a catcher for baseball. Grinde believes that blocking runs within the family.

According to Grinde, his family first got the idea to become involved in hockey because of one of Grinde’s classmates in preschool.

“When I was in preschool, I went to school with an NHL player’s son, and that’s what influenced my brother to start playing, which is kind of what got me to play,” Grinde said. “I think really just being in the same class as somebody whose dad was on the Olympic USA Team was probably the biggest influence that kind of made my family be like, ‘Oh, well maybe we should let our kids play hockey.’”

According to Matt’s father, Bill Grinde, Matt has always been very competitive and a  talented athlete. Bill said Matt shows a lot of perseverance and focus when playing hockey.

“[Matt] kind of  wanted to follow in [his brother’s] footsteps, and he was certainly encouraged by his brother,” Bill said. “He’s a very talented athlete and everything is pretty natural.  I think if he had decided not to be a goalie, he’d probably be a really good forward or maybe even a defenseman.”

According to Matt, he tries to stay on the ice as much as possible during the off-season so that he can grow as a player. He says one of his favorite parts about playing is going outside in the winter and having fun outdoors.

“I think the atmosphere [hockey] brings is really different from any other sport because you can bring [different kinds of people] together, and it doesn’t matter if they’ve played before,” Matt said. “They can go out in the winter when the ice freezes outside; it’s just the fact that it brings people together and makes people happy, and it’s just a fun sport for anybody.”

Matt said he also plays trumpet in South’s band. According to Greg Wojcik, South’s Band Director, Matt is conscientious, a fine leader and a good teacher. He leads through example by doing a good job, and the younger kids like him because he truly cares about them.

“[Matt will] stop what he’s doing, he’ll take time, he’ll talk to [younger kids], and he’ll work with them to become better players,” Wojcik said. “Talking to a freshman in a nice tone of voice, and taking time for them, is worth a lot more than playing five double high E’s, so those personality traits he’ll carry with him until he’s 100 years old. He’ll still be Matt Grinde.”