The Neumann men’s hockey team defines stewardship by maintaining the Knights’ reputation and record of success and fair play.  Stewardship manifests itself in the commitment of each player to excel individually and as a member of the team.  We know that we are responsible to the team, each other, and Neumann to be good stewards of our resources and reputation by exemplifying excellence both on and off the ice. Stewardship holds us to the highest standards and requires accountability for all our actions. 

The Neumann men’s hockey team has a long and significant history of stewardship.  In 2009, the team reached the pinnacle of success of D-3 hockey when it won the national D-3 championship. This outstanding achievement has set a high bar for our team. We are stewards of our reputation as champions and must continuously strive to perpetuate our prominence in the world of college hockey.  To do so, we must always work our hardest and also push each other to our limits in order to make each other better.

But success on the ice is not the only measure of our stewardship. The men’s hockey team also seeks to build and maintain the culture of stewardship on campus.  To do so, we work hard in the classroom and share our knowledge with others.  Our team has consistently maintained a high GPA.  At the end of this past season, 20 members of the team were named to the All-Academic team.  That figure represents two-thirds of the team’s roster. 

In addition, members of the men’s hockey team are good stewards on campus not only because of their academic success, but also because they bring unique qualities to the Neumann community.  Many of our teammates have had a long journey to collegiate sports. Before coming to Neumann, we left home, some of us during high school, to play junior hockey for several years often far away from home.  We bring a wide range of different backgrounds ranging from our age, maturity, experiences, and our hometown.  Last year, we had players from 4 different countries and 12 different states. It is part of our stewardship to bring these diverse backgrounds to Neumann in the hope that it will enrich the school community.

Respect is the Pillar that most exemplifies our team.  Stated on the Respect Pillar, “According to Sigmund Loland, in his book Fair Play in Sport, sportsmanship emphasizes “conformity to the rules, respect for the officials and their decisions, and respect for the fellow competitors. In addition, ‘fair play’ is associated with showing generosity in play, modesty in victory and graciousness in defeat.” First, we respect the game of hockey and the rules that govern the game.  We also respect each other by our commitment to the team and by maintaining a high team academic record.  We show respect to the Knights logo by never allowing our jerseys to touch the floor and by never treading on the Knights logo in our locker room.  Every member of the team plays for the logo on the front of the jersey, not the name on the back.  Our respect for the team and each other is also manifested by the intensity of our practices and by our commitment to play hard for all 60 minutes of each game whether we are ahead by 5 goals or down by 5 goals.  Stewardship is a responsibility.  Through respect, we will work our hardest and never quit as we try to live up to that responsibility. We pray for a healthy and successful 2018-19 season.