Renaissance coach: Mo Stroemel

"When this opportunity came up I was thrilled," Stroemel said. "This is my eighth year with the team, and I still feel privileged to be doing this."

In his youth, the 43-year-old West Chester, Pa., native often traveled with his father, Maury Stroemel, who was involved in sales for the New Jersey Devils of the Eastern Hockey League. They would drive down to the Cherry Hill Arena and watch the games.

"The league was bloody, tough, and absolutely wild," Stroemel said. "I have some really great memories of those games."

Stroemel began his hockey career as a high school freshman at West Chester, where he eventually worked his way onto the varsity squad as a defenseman. After high school, he came to Penn State and tried out for the team in 1976, but didn't make the cut.

"I played IM's (intramural ice hockey), but I broke my skates halfway through the season and couldn't afford to get them fixed, so I hung up my skates for the next 13 years," he said. "In fact, I never skated during that time."

After his daughter Sarah was born, Stroemel began playing ice hockey again at a small rink near Atlantic City, N.J., where he lived.

"I think he just missed skating," his wife, Joan Stroemel, said. "He missed the game, and he signed up to play in men's league there."

Stroemel returned to Penn State in 1991, and began playing for the Blues of the Nittany Hockey League, a team he still plays for. At that time, the Ice Lions were just a few years in existence under coach Vinnie Scalamogna. Stroemel joined Scalamogna as an assistant for two years before taking over the reins as head coach.

Stroemel cites his father and Penn State Icers head coach Joe Battista as being key influences in his role as a coach.

"My father coached a hockey team called the Morgantown Flyers that was made up mostly of Amish guys he recruited," Stroemel said. "They were tough, real tough. They used to beat the crap out of some of the small colleges."

Stroemel's father also instilled in him a great sense of drive and respect for ice hockey.

"One of the important things he taught me that I try to teach my players is that sports, and hockey in particular, can be an important part of your life," Stroemel said. "He was a great student of the game, and he respected all the coaches who taught me."

Stroemel also has a great deal of respect for Battista.

"He is incredibly well-rounded and understands his role as both coach and educator of the young men in his charge," he said. "I can't stress enough how much I have learned from his guidance."

In turn, Battista has gained from knowing Stroemel.

"Over the years we've gotten to be very good friends," Battista said. "I think that we've worked very well together; I really admire his dedication, because he's doing it for the love of the game, and I think we both share a passion for the game."

Aside from his position as head coach of the Ice Lions, Stroemel has a 12-year-old daughter, Sarah, and a 7-year-old son, Tom. He works for Penn State as the Faculty Technical Director for the School of Theatre, and he will also be receiving a degree of Masters of Fine Arts and Theatre in August. In addition, Stroemel has recently released his first folk music album entitled The River Runs, which contains seven songs.

"Keeping a balance is very difficult," Stroemel said. "Outside of coaching, I try to make sure that I do things with my wife and kids when I can, because that's very important."

"He's got a real love for the game, and he wants to do his best for the guys," Joan Stroemel said. "He always has irregular work hours, yet he still manages to have time for his family; I personally admire him for that."

On top of it all, Stroemel is the only coach the Ice Lions have. There are no assistants. The Ice Lions (9-11-2) have been playing well as of late, but they have also been plagued with injuries. Even though the Ice Lions are virtually out of the playoff hunt, they understand the many demands placed on their coach.

"He really does have the toughest job of trying to balance the playing time," Ice Lions junior goaltender David Levine said. "He's done a nice job of working with the younger guys and veterans by keeping them together."

"He's trying to run the offense and the defense and trying to call lines, because he's got to let the guys know who is going up next," Ice Lions assistant captain and junior forward Mark Jenkins said. "It's not an easy thing to do."

Despite the difficult conditions he encounters, Stroemel still maintains the desire to be involved in Penn State ice hockey.

"In hockey, the handshake at the end still gives me goosebumps," Stroemel said, "because it epitomizes everything that is good and pure about the game."