For senior forward Kevin Felice, hockey is just part of the equation.

Majoring in secondary mathematics education, Kevin aspires to teach math in a high school setting. This fall, Kevin has been practicing teaching algebra, geometry and linear algebra classes, which will prepare him to take over a full-time teacher’s schedule in place of an established educator taking paternity leave.

Student-teaching — on top of serving as an alternate captain for the Blue Hens — is no easy task, but Kevin is happy to put in the extra work to make time for both of his passions and give his full effort to both. This semester, Kevin is shadowing the full-time teacher he will be taking over for, so he has been able to balance student-teaching and hockey pretty easily. Everyone on the team as well as the coaches understand that as a senior, Kevin has to put focus on his career in addition to his sport, and they have been able to accommodate him. Although balancing the two sometimes means staying up late at night to finish lesson plans, he is happy to face the time management struggles now, since he knows he will “have to be ready to adapt and change in the future.” Next semester, Kevin’s teaching schedule will pick up as he fully absorbs the teacher’s schedule.

Not wanting to leave hockey behind, Kevin hopes to either coach the hockey team of the school he teaches at or referee local youth games as he has done in the past. Kevin acknowledges how large of a role hockey has played in his life and never wants to lose touch with the game. Kevin believes hockey has made him who he is today. So, he plans on incorporating hockey into his life whatever capacity he can.

— Rachel Stamberg