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THE MCDONAGH MODEL FIVE MINUTES WITH McDONAGH On the Olympic Announcement… McDonagh wasn't notified beforehand, so he didn't know he'd be an Olympian until the little kids skated up to the camera one by one after the Winter Classic on New Year's Day on national television. "A little nervous and exciting at the same time. You truly never know until they announce it, so I was very thrilled. I found out when the rest of the world did." On Youth Hockey in Mounds View… "It was a lot of fun looking back on it. We had a couple neighborhood kids that we were always playing with. I remember going up to the outdoor ice in the parks and playing and scrimmaging." On His Father… Ryan's father, Sean McDonagh, coached Ry.an and his older brother for several years growing up. He's now serving as an assistant coach for the youngest son, Quinn, who is a first-year A-Bantam goalie at Mounds View. "He loves doing it. I think he could say he had some great memories coaching." Ryan knows his dad is a great youth hockey coach, not because he has helped developed an Olympian, but because he makes the game fun. "In Squirts and Peewees the kids can get a little off track. They're looking at their parents in the stands or goofing around in the corner and he does a really good job of just making it fun for the kids. He keeps them engaged. He gets everybody involved in drills and games and it keeps everyone involved." On Playing Multiple Sports… McDonagh started playing football in third grade and continued all the way through his sophomore year of high school. He played baseball all the way through his senior year of high school, when he helped Cretin-Derham Hall win the state championship. "You can sometimes get bored pretty easily as a kid. You want to always be excited and looking forward to something new. That was the best. When football season ended, it was like, OK, let's go on to the next sport. And there was hockey. That was the mentality we always had. When it was hockey season, we'd work on that. When spring came around, we'd grab the baseball gloves and play baseball after school in our culde-sac and get ready for tryouts. Being able to play all three sports helps you become much more athletic while keeping you fresh." RYAN McDONAGH BY THE NUMBERS (through Jan. 8, 2014) Height: 6'1" Weight: 213 pounds Shoots: Left Born: June 13, 1989 Drafted: 1st round (12th overall) by Montreal in 2007 Mounds View Youth Hockey Association Cretin-Derham Hall 2007 Mr. Hockey 2006 MSHSL State Champion 38 goals, 77 assists, 115 points On 11 Minnesotans in the Olympics… "I think it's pretty cool. There's a sense of pride in that. It's known as the State of Hockey. There are tons of kids playing outdoor hockey or pond hockey in their backyard. It just becomes the nature and the culture of your childhood. I don't think it's any coincidence there are a lot of Minnesotans on the roster. It's part of who we were as kids and I think it sets a good example." in 79 games University of Wisconsin 14 goals, 32 assists, 46 points in 119 games New York Rangers 20 goals, 73 assists, 85 points in 251 games Plus-49 rating USA Hockey 2014 Men's Olympic Team 8 MINNESOTAHOCKEYJOURNAL.COM // FEBRUARY.2014 2011 Men's World Championships 2009 World Junior Championships 2007 Men's U-18 World Championships PHOTO: USA HOCKEY "Being able to play all three sports helps you become much more athletic while keeping you fresh."