CHL Leaders: Former OHL blue-liner Mike Moffat mastering in kinesiology
Mike Moffat knows the importance of education.
After all, the former London Knights and Kingston Frontenacs defenceman is the son of a teacher who always stressed the importance of schooling. It’s a message Moffat recalls today as he completes his master’s in kinesiology at the University of Waterloo, where he’s also playing in his fifth season with the varsity Warriors.
“Going into my last year (of junior) I had a training camp with the Nashville Predators which was a really cool experience. Then I shifted midway through the year to put a little bit of thought into what I can do if a pro opportunity isn’t there,” Moffat told Junior Hockey Magazine as part of its CHL Leaders segment. “Luckily enough, my mom was a teacher so I was always heavy into school, and it was important to me. Probably halfway through my last year is when I really started thinking about what my next step was.”
Of course, the ability to perform in school requires excellent time management, one of the many life skills Moffat learned from his days in the junior circuit as it was always emphasized by both the Knights and Frontenacs.
“I had two years of high school during my OHL career. It ultimately teaches you really good time management with the road trips, practices, and workouts,” Moffat said. “It all adds up and you’ve got to make sure you put enough time aside, especially if you’re thinking about life after the OHL. You need the grades to get into university or college, so it’s important to manage your time well.”
Playing junior hockey is a big-time commitment, meaning many days at the rink for practices and games, not to mention travel. While many teenagers work part-time jobs to fund their future education, Moffat like many others accessed the CHL’s scholarship fund to cover his five years at Waterloo.
“It was big to have that money sitting in my pocket when I left, especially not to put that weight on top of my parents because they paid a lot for my travel, tournaments, and hockey equipment growing up, and then coming to see me play in the OHL,” Moffat added. “It was big to have that CHL scholarship because it offered me an easy transition for my next step in life.”
Listen to Mike Moffat’s full interview with Junior Hockey Magazine here.