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38 // JUNE/JULY 2020 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM PHOTOS COURTESY OF Pete Maro Even after dental school, hockey remained a part of his life. The Ice Hawks landed in Louisville as an East Coast League team and Maro served as the practice goalie and also rode the bench when some- one was called up. He did the same in Baltimore for the Skipjacks while doing his orthodontic residency. Maro also played for the Molson Ice, a team sponsored by the beer company, traveling around the country on the weekends. He eventually moved back to New York and opened his first practice in Rye, which interestingly enough, is where Rangers training camp was back in 1987. "It was as if I had come full circle," Maro said. Even then the circle didn't close. It wasn't long before he was playing hockey for the Hudson Valley Bears. "The only problem was we were playing against guys who were younger and doing it for a living," Maro said. "We'd hang for two periods and then the wheels came off the bus. But it was fun. I got paid like $100 a game. I was 42 at the time." Maro runs his dental practice like a team. Fun is a large part of the equation. "Because of my hockey background and what I've done in life, I do not take things seriously," he said. "I have a full arcade, music is blasting. I tell jokes and sing. It's just like hockey. If you aren't going to have fun doing it, why do it?" He continues to coach youth hockey in addition to playing when he can. His latest focus has been on a web site he's creating that assists players in their effort to get noticed by submitting videos along with stats and academic info to a central location where coaches can search through a database to find the right fit for their program. "You have to promote yourself, and this makes it easy for parents to get as much exposure for their kids as possible," said Maro, who hopes it opens doors to give other aspiring players that same opportunities that he's had. "Everyone should have a place to play," he said. "Everyone thinks their kid is D1. Some are, but a lot of them aren't. But there is nothing wrong with D3 hockey or club hockey. The most important thing is having fun." He is certainly proud of all he has accomplished both on the ice and in his dental practice. As he likes to say, he's made the most of his opportunities. And as much as he's enjoyed the ride, he hopes others do as well because the ultimate destination is the same for every player. "You can play forever, but you can't play pro for- ever," Maro said. "We all end up in a men's league at some point." P Brian Lester is a freelance writer based in Pensacola, Fla. Pete Maro revels in the opportunity to rub elbows with Mike Richter, who led the N.Y. Rangers to their first Stanley Cup in 54 years back in 1994. "Everyone thinks their kid is D1. Some are, but a lot of them aren't. But there is nothing wrong with D3 hockey or club hockey. The most important thing is having fun." — P ET E M A R O SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT