Defenseman Luke Rowe is completely different from another participant who has ever placed on an Ontario Reign sweater.
He’s doing one thing solely a handful of hockey gamers have ever carried out, play professionally after attending a United States Service Academy.
Rowe attended the Air Drive Academy from 2019-24, suiting up for the Falcons throughout 4 NCAA seasons. Air Drive, together with Military, are the one two establishments within the US that subject Division I males’s hockey groups whereas additionally commissioning graduates as officers within the army.
Now as a member of the Reign, the blueliner is making the most of a coverage that was enacted in 2019, endorsed by the secretary of protection that made it doable for exceptionally proficient athletes who’ve graduated from a army service academy to pursue employment as skilled sports activities athletes following commencement.
To take action, athletes want a contract or a binding dedication from a sports activities group, just like the AHL deal Rowe signed with the Reign final February. He initially signed with Ontario for what was left of the 2023-24 marketing campaign however agreed to an extension for the 2024-25 12 months and has appeared in 15 whole video games to date, scoring a aim and three assists.
A local of Succasunna, N.J., Rowe performed junior hockey near dwelling for the New Jersey Rockets and Boston Jr. Bruins applications and knew he wished to proceed his profession on the NCAA degree.
“I undoubtedly had some room to develop,” Rowe stated of his thought course of as he was making ready to finish highschool. “I used to be speaking to varsities and simply hopeful that I may get someplace.”
Throughout that point his older brother was attending Florida State and visiting the massive college in Tallahassee was an eye-opener for him.
“I noticed the individual that it may make you change into and possibly the shortage thereof within the sense that you just simply have a lot free time,” Rowe stated. “It’s your first time away from dwelling and loads of youngsters make errors and I didn’t really need that. It was too unfastened for me; I wished extra regiment.”
He reached out to Air Drive and attended a prospect camp when he was 17.
“I fell in love with the place; it was superior,” Rowe stated of his first time in Colorado Springs. “You hear all the glory and legacy and custom behind it, and also you get the chance to serve your nation on the finish and it was only a slam dunk for me. To not point out the friendships that everybody talks about and the bonds that you just make and the individual that you change into on the opposite finish.”
When Rowe determined to move west and play on the blue line at Air Drive, he additionally dedicated to function a commissioned army officer instantly upon commencement. The coverage for skilled athletes didn’t exist but.
“I dedicated there totally figuring out that my hockey profession would come to an finish after 4 years and I’d go, and I’d serve,” Rowe stated. I used to be joyful to do it and I nonetheless am, I’m excited to serve, however when that modified I assumed ‘Alright, possibly there may be potential right here’”.
Then earlier than his senior season, which was his third because the group’s captain, Rowe attended an NHL Improvement Camp with the New Jersey Devils. The expertise bought him pondering {that a} skilled hockey profession was one thing he may pursue.
He proceeded to have his finest offensive 12 months, scoring 29 factors in 35 video games with six targets and 23 assists. On the time of his signing, his level whole ranked ninth-best amongst all NCAA defenders, and his assists have been tenth, in addition to the second-most on his group.
Although this new coverage is in place, it hasn’t been typically that Air Drive grads have both been supplied a contract or made the selection to pursue one. The final Air Drive hockey participant to signal with an expert group was ahead Brady Tomlak, who performed two seasons within the ECHL from 2020-22. Goaltender Billy Christopoulos is one other current grad who completed his faculty profession in 2019 earlier than enjoying 12 AHL video games and 80 ECHL contests throughout a three-year professional profession.
One other netminder, Shane Starrett, signed a two-year NHL entry-level contract with the Edmonton Oilers in 2017. Starrett remains to be energetic with the ECHL’s Maine Mariners this 12 months. No Air Drive participant has ever made it to the Nationwide Hockey League.
Rowe’s day-to-day routine on the academy consisted of a 6:15 a.m. wakeup name earlier than class started at 7:15. Throughout his senior 12 months, he added an extra position as a squadron commander, which included a morning accountability formation to maintain leaders knowledgeable on essential updates thrice per week.
Members of the hockey group are at school till lunch earlier than they’re launched for athletic duties. Rowe stated he’d be at school till 11:23 a.m., then would type up and march to lunch, with everybody getting round 20 minutes to eat family-style. Afterward there is likely to be a briefing for all of the cadets with a speaker of the day, after which the hockey group practices, has a exercise with weightlifting, medical therapy if obligatory and a group video session which Rowe stated would finish near 7 p.m. Then he’d nonetheless must eat dinner and work on homework earlier than attending to mattress and making ready for the subsequent day.
“You attempt to get in mattress as early as you’ll be able to, however it didn’t occur an excessive amount of the place I used to be in mattress earlier than midnight,” Rowe stated with a smirk after recounting what his typical day can be like.
Whether or not it’s a results of having gone by means of the coaching for a army place, or simply his pure vitality and enthusiasm, the best way Rowe approaches every day on the rink is in contrast to anybody else. That fervor can be obvious to his defensive coach, Chris Hajt.
“Properly, he undoubtedly has a routine,” Hajt stated. He’s so ready for all the pieces he does. He has his method of preparing for video games or making ready his each day routine within the health club or on the ice, and he’s keen to take course and hear. Not that the opposite guys aren’t, however you’ll be able to inform he’s so dialed in on it and really intense.”
At any time when Rowe’s time as an expert hockey participant involves an finish, he’ll head to San Antonio, Tex. and start coaching to function a drone pilot. His focus and depth Hajt talked about was heightened on the academy.
“They’re simply firing a hearth hose at you, and you’ve got a dixie cup,” Rowe stated. “And also you’ve simply bought to catch the essential stuff in that cup. You’re not going to get all of it, you’re not going to reach all the pieces, however that’s what they need you to study is that you need to prioritize. It’s all about time administration. Not doing all the pieces 50% however doing essential stuff 100%, ensuring that’s signed sealed and delivered. It’s correct, it’s skilled, it’s correct after which simply attempting to get all the pieces carried out and figuring out that you just’re going to fail.”
Hajt added that he can nearly see the wheels delivering Rowe’s head when he’s explaining an idea to him or going over video from a earlier recreation. And instantly he’s interested by how he can implement enhancements to his preparation after which use them in a recreation.
“He’s been by means of some real-life eventualities and been in a position to expertise various things that each one of us haven’t carried out,” Hajt stated. “He needs to have a plan. He needs to know the solutions. He needs to have the ability to take a look at issues and analyze it after which put it to place it to make use of.”
The Reign are getting set to acknowledge army members within the Inland Empire neighborhood on Friday evening, each energetic responsibility and veterans, throughout their annual Salute To Service recreation once they tackle the Texas Stars. With Rowe as a member of the roster, this 12 months’s recreation has a little bit further round it.
“It undoubtedly brings much more consciousness, having him on the group,” Hajt stated. “We’re so grateful for our army, our veterans and everybody who’s presently serving.”
Utilizing some ideas from Rowe within the design course of, the Reign will put on specialty jerseys on Friday which have a nod to the Air Drive. A becoming strategy to honor one of many rookies who’s nonetheless dedicated to serving our nation at any time when his time in hockey involves an finish.
“There’s a reasonably large army neighborhood out right here and persons are so supportive,” Rowe stated. “It’s humorous as a result of they arrive and present gratitude to look at you play hockey however your gratitude to them, you’ll be able to’t even verbalize it. I’m excited and it’s an honor for me to share that and categorical my gratitude to the people who find themselves serving, who’ve served, and who’ve sacrificed.”
