Maddy Kessy wants ton continue success in hockey

Those who do not play hockey truly may not know how great of a workout it is. Hockey takes athleticism, physicality and a lot of skill. Hockey is an extremely popular sport in this area of the United States, and for good reason. Erie, Pennsylvania has the perfect climate and atmosphere for hockey. Whether it is watching the Erie Otters or the Mercyhurst men’s and women’s hockey teams, there is a lot of great hockey in this area. One thing I think a lot of students who go to Penn State Behrend do not realize is that Mercyhurst has a co-op agreement with Penn State Behrend for women’s hockey. This is wonderful because it allows students to not give up on their dreams of playing hockey, while also obtaining a degree from Penn State.

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One student who is a member of the Mercyhurst Women’s Hockey team who attends Penn State Behrend is first year student, Maddy Kessy. Kessy has had quite the journey that has led her to Penn State Behrend, and it is a story that deserves to be told.

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Kessy was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, which played a huge role in why she is such a fan of the game of hockey. She later moved to Pittsburgh and graduated from Pine Richland High School. Attending a large high school helped her in her transition to Behrend, but she credits being born in Canada on what has helped her get to where she is today. “I think that growing up where I did had a major impact on me as an athlete because hockey is big in Canada.  As a student, growing up in Calgary left a major impact on me because my dad is a chemical engineer, and this influenced my choice of study,” Kessy stated. It also  is easy to see that Kessy has a special bond with her father.

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She was influenced by her dad to pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering because of her father's background, and she was also influenced to pursue hockey because of her dad’s knowledge and passion for the sport. Her dad was the person she admired most growing up, and it is easy to see why. She said of her father “He was the one person who never gave up on me and was always there to help me with academics and athletics.  He always pushed me to be my best.” Her brother Connor has also played a huge role in why she picked Mechanical Engineering, as Connor is a Mechanical Engineer. One person she wishes she could be more like is her mother because her mother is hardworking and also very studious. While her family is important to her, there is another person that many know as “The Great One” who has had a huge impact on her life.

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Wayne Gretzky is undeniably the most gifted hockey player in NHL history, and he had a major impact on Kessy. “He was never the biggest player on the ice, but he found a way to be one of the best hockey players of all time. He is part of the reason as to why I wear number 99; the other being that my birth year is 1999,” she stated. Gretzky was a center in his playing days, and Kessy is also a center for Mercyhurst. While Gretzky has had an indirect role on her hockey career, there is one former hockey player who has had a bigger and more direct impact.

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Thomas McKinnon is the women’s Mercyhurst ACHA head coach, and he has helped her the most of anyone in her playing career. “He gives me great advice as to what to do on the ice and it really has improved my skills,” she said of Mckinnon. McKinnon found Kessy playing hockey at Nationals in her senior season of high school. Kessy thought her hockey career was over after high school, but McKinnon wanted her to play for the team. Kessy thought about attending Mercyhurst for veterinary and biomedical sciences, but later decided to give up on hockey and attend Behrend. A few months went by, and she received an email from McKinnon that he was able to get a waiver for her to attend Behrend and play ACHA hockey for Mercyhurst. However, this may be Kessy’s only season on the team because the waiver is only guaranteed for a player’s inaugural season of Mercyhurst ACHA hockey. Kessy is very grateful that McKinnon found a way for her to continue her hockey career, even if it was only guaranteed for a single season.

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Kessy may only be guaranteed one full season of college hockey, but she is thankful for the experience. “Playing a sport in college has helped me stay in shape, and it has also been a major stress reliever.  I have also met many new people at different colleges.” The time management skills being a college athlete takes will be extremely important for her moving forward as a Mechanical Engineer. She can look back on playing against Penn State and winning a game against them. This she credits as her favorite memory as a member of the Mercyhurst team.

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Kessy has had quite the journey to get to where she is. She has a fantastic support system who played a key role to help her get where she is, and she is grateful for the game of hockey because it has given her so much. Kessy hopes to find some way to continue to play hockey after this season is over, but as of right now, she will continue to enjoy the co-op this season. Whether Kessy plays hockey again after this season or not, she has a lot of great memories to look back on playing the game she loves. Perhaps more importantly though, she has a bright future as an engineer, provided she puts the time and effort in to be successful, which should not be too much of a problem.