Each Friday, the Alaska Nanooks will be publishing blog posts from one or more newcomers from each of Alaska's 10 varsity sports throughout their preseason. More sports will join the blog following their first official practice.

Hockey
By: Max Newton (Fr. | F | Vancouver, B.C.)

"What's up Nanook Nation!? Max here and I'm back for my last blog of the year. Things are really starting to pick up for the hockey team here. Last week, we had our first and only exhibition game of the season with a convincing 6-0 win over Simon Fraser University. The team looked really good with lots of different players contributing offensively. Special shoutout to fellow freshman Steven Jandric for the two-point performance.

This week we have our first regular season games at home against the Air Force Academy. It should be a really fun weekend so make sure you all come out and watch us Friday and Saturday at 7:07pm. Students get in free with their Polar Express Card.

We've had a really good week of practice, really high pace and competitive as everyone is getting excited for Friday's game. The team is really coming together nicely and we all believe we're going to come out flying and prove the doubters wrong. We need your support to do that though!

This week's freshman feature is our goalie #35 Tony Rehm. Tony is from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin and he played for the Victoria Grizzlies in the BCHL last year. Tony's family owns an egg company that supplies eggs to major fast food chains and whatnot. So, during the summer when Tony isn't playing hockey, he is an egg farmer for his family company which is actually a pretty cool fun fact.

As this is my last post for the year, I want to thank everyone that stuck around and read my posts for the last few weeks, I really enjoyed getting to share my experience in my first few weeks here at UAF. I'm really enjoying my time here and hope all of you are, as well. Enjoy the rest of the year and make sure you guys come to the Carlson Center to support us and be loud!

Go Nooks!"

Swimming
By: Oda Bydgnes (Fr. | Harstad, Norway)

"I started swimming when I was five years old. My father became my coach when I was eight and has been up to until the collegiate level. He saw that if his children were going to improve and make something of the sport, he would need to step into the coaching position. Swimming has always been a big part of my life. Both my parents were previously competitive swimmers, as well as my younger brother, who is involved in the sport, as well. I have done several sports previously, but when I started high school, I decided to specialize in swimming because I noticed swimming was the sport I could go farthest with. I swam all through high school and when I graduated, I realized that if I were to continue with swimming and pursue a college degree at the same time, I would need to look outside of Norway and that's what drew me to UAF.

Now I have been swimming at UAF for five weeks. At first, it took me a while to get used to the pool measurements; I hit the wall several times, literally. Except for some cruises and major jet lag, I have come to realize how the team helps each other, both in and out of the water. The connections that I have made with these girls, in such a short amount of time, is nothing I have ever experienced back home. Back home, I usually swam with boys because not many girls competed in my age group.

Compared to the rest of the world, the USA is known for their outstanding coaching and resources. I knew that if I really wanted to improve and succeed in my goals, here would be my best option to do so. I have had the benefit of having my dad as my coach most of my swimming career. My dad and I both agreed that if I was going to evolve my swimming any further, I would need to make changes. I knew that, "progress is impossible without change." And this is the most change I have ever experienced."

Rifle
By: Spencer Jacobs (Fr. | Gresham, Ore.)

"Hey Guys!

My name is Spencer Jacobs and I am freshman on the rifle team. I am from Gresham, Oregon, where I lived my whole life until I came to Alaska. I have been shooting for about eight years and I have wanted to come to Alaska ever since I learned it had a shooting team. Of course there were other schools in the mix that were closer to home, but the people on the team and the winning environment is what sold me.

Now that we are a couple of weeks into the season, I have grown accustomed to the ways of the team. We are all about family and that carries into every aspect of the team, including the practical jokes. Between the inner team competition and the practice matches on the weekend, we really have taken ourselves to the next level.

As the first match of the season approaches, I am excited to see how the team as a whole will perform. I know we will do great because UAF promotes excellence. Go Nooks!"

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