Never Far from Home

Mike Randolph joined the podcast as the fifth guest from the Minnesota Chronicles: 2.0. We head through a timeline that includes growing up in a large family, falling in love with the game of hockey, and playing competitively into his early twenties. Mike then talked about how he came into coaching and how important it was that his support staff, mostly his wife, was on board with his passion. With her support, and so many others, he has continued to coach hockey for many decades, helping shape future generations. Enjoy a wonderful episode!

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Dave Almquist joined the podcast as the fourth guest from the Minnesota Chronicles: 2.0. We dive into his tales of growing up in the Duluth area. He speaks of a poignant memory of being left on the sledding hill, and how that led him to hockey. We talk of family, both siblings and parents, and also the family you make in the locker rooms. Dave found success on the ice over the years, ended up playing some collegiate hockey, and has moved into new roles as he has aged and become a father himself. It would not be a podcast with Dave if we didn't talk on Team Tucker, and we delve into that story as well. Enjoy another wonderful episode!

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Alex Frecon joined the podcast as the third guest from the Minnesota Chronicles: 2.0. The stories he shares stem beyond the game we love, and the rink community we are all lucky to be a part of. He shares his experience inside the game, never finding his own love for it at an early age. Alex then speaks of a certain friend who brought him back to hockey around his junior year of high school, and how he has not stopped skating since. His travels were outside the norm of the Minnesota culture of hockey, but very personalized to his own family, a mixed bag consisting of a French father and an American mother. The roots he sowed in his own cultural experiences led him to a road that few have taken. He has skated in North Korea, Turkmenistan, Egypt, and other great places around the world. We dive into tales of the hockey, of course, but more so, the human experience he got from his travels. Enjoy a special one.

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Emily West joined the podcast as the second guest from the Minnesota Chronicles: 2.0. We took a trip all around her rink life. She was born into it, with a brother nine years older who loved the game, and she found herself chasing him around wanting to be like him. We go through her time in Colorado Springs as a youth player, finding her own love for the game. Her reflection on her career comes through in many ways, but most notable was her appreciation for her coaches and mentors who helped push her forward. We dive into some of her time at University of Minnesota, capped off by a National Championship. We then get into her life, post-competitive hockey, and how that led to another National Championship as a coach at Ohio State. Enjoy a wonderful collection of tales, and appreciation.

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Emma Sobieck joined the podcast as the first guest from the Minnesota Chronicles: 2.0. We dive into her stories, including growing up playing at the same rink the Mighty Ducks was shot at. SAhe talks about how certain coaches helped shape her intensity for the game, and eventually how she found herself behind the bench as well. Enjoy the many tales she shares, of family, love for the game, love for food, and of course, community. We dive into that very community and how she fostered it in Germany before landing herself a job back in MN. Enjoy!

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The Oak Creek Kodiaks came on a very special episode. Coaches Chris Hagen (Episode 65), and Kyle Pastor (Episode 10) approached me about the idea of highlighting their team. They expressed how this squad had captured all the good the game of hockey has to offer, and wanted to share some of their experiences. It was a novelty, for Never Far from Home, but we endeavored to highlight the kids and their experiences the best we could. Enjoy the quick dives into the 10U Oak Creek Kodiak team members, and the reflection on the season by the coaching staff!

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Graysen Cameron joined the show from Canada, and we wasted no time in jumping right to his timeline within the game. He was born into it, with a brother who was 10 years his elder who loved to play, but Graysen soon found his own passion for the game. We talk family dynamics, and how much his parents and siblings mean to the young man. We touch on his developing years, and some challenges that helped shape him. And we dive into his story within the tragedy of the Humboldt Broncos, and how he managed to come out of the incident as a better version of himself. We end up chatting about his next steps he has taken, and where his life has led him. Enjoy!

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Lowen Epstein came on the show to talk about his odd connection to the rink. We delve deep into his rich love of sport, and the many ways he has connected to different games. Lowen played sports as a youth, graduated to broadcaster, and has always been a fan of a wide array of sporting worlds. Enjoy some tales wrapped in victories and celebrations, as well as some tribulations that led to growth. We also do touch on his new show starting soon on a local radio channel in the Yampa Valley!

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Sara McClanahan joined the podcast, and we talk about her time growing up in Minnesota, falling in love with the game at different times, and the reasons that led her to find such a passion for hockey. She speaks to finding her own path within the game, and how she handled it over the many different years, in different roles. We go through her whole competitive youth hockey days, through college, and into her first tastes of coaching, within hockey and soccer. Enjoy the many tales!

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On Never Far from Home today: Kelli Standekar! Kelli came on to the podcast, and shared about a wonderful timeline. Her stories span her youth where she found herself involved in numerous sports and activities, to her teenage years when she finally found the rink. We dive into some competition, and round it all out talking about her coaching arc as well. Enjoy the many tales she shares!

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