Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/602910
DECEMBER.2015 // MINNESOTAHOCKEYJOURNAL.COM 13 nights. If something happens in the middle of the night, you get a 3 a.m. phone call and you have to be ready to work." Growing up, Brian Deutsch was given the choice between joining boy scouts or hitting the ice. It was a no-brainer. The Luverne native continued playing hockey through high school before hanging up his skates. But he wouldn't be away from the rink for long. "My first day of college I was a sports reporter for the Minnesota Daily, and eventually I started covering [Gopher] men's hockey," said Deutsch. "That's where I really fell back in love with hockey. It was the pageantry and the history of Gopher Hockey that reminded me how much I love the game." Prior to entering college Deutsch admits that he wasn't even aware a job like his existed. "I actually wanted to be a physical therapist because I had broken my arm my senior year of high school and became really interested in that—until I had my first anatomy class my freshman year," he said with a laugh. "I didn't really have the stomach for it." Deutsch has essentially been a fixture in the press box at Mariucci ever since. His day-to-day jobs include coordinating media requests for the men's hockey team and staff (as well as the primary media contact for men's track and field and men's cross country), preparing team media guides, game notes and stats, and write-ups and releases. On home game nights, Deutsch also goes into game mode with his job amping up hours before and after puck drop. Ironically, Deutsch admits his most hectic times are also his favorite perks of the job. "I actually really love game night, which is definitely the most stressful time of work for me," he said. "But when you're playing at home and you have 10,000 people at Mariucci Arena and the students and fans are into it, it really makes all the work that everyone in the program puts in worth it." CArly peTerS Media Relations Coordinator for the Minnesota Wild Hometown: Bloomington Years in the Position: 4 Favorite Part: "There's so much to love. Since I've been with the Wild, I've learned so much about hockey in the state, and not just the professional franchise, but from every level. It's cool to see the level of support for hockey statewide." Word of Warning: "Getting to watch hockey is a not a bad thing, but people have to remember the negatives of the lifestyle, because it is a lifestyle you have to be willing to accept. I wanted to do this because I could still handle the lifestyle, but I know that might not be possible down the road." Carly Peters was just 7 years old when she became hooked on hockey. Celebrating her birthday at the Minnesota state high school hockey tournament, she watched in awe as her hometown Bloomington Jefferson Jaguars competed for the team's third consecutive state title. The excitement from the crowd was contagious. "That one moment was so engrained into me," she recalls. "It's when I really understood and appreciated the Minnesota hockey culture and found my love for hockey." Though Peters never laced up the skates, her passion for the sport never waned. She majored in public relations at Syracuse University with the goal of working for a hockey team. Peters began networking, finding internships and experience anywhere she could. One of the connections she made was "I really love game night, which is definitely the most stressful time of work for me. But when you're playing at home and you have 10,000 people at Mariucci Arena and the students and fans are into it, it really makes all the work that everyone in the program puts in worth it." —BRIAN DEUTSCH, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS