Episode 91: From B-Level Hockey to Brown University Head Coach w/ Tom Upton

From B-level youth hockey in Texas to running a Division I program at Brown University.

Scott and Jamie sit down with Brown University head coach Tom Upton to talk about his unconventional hockey journey, coaching philosophy, and what he looks for in players at the college level.

Tom shares how he started organized hockey at nine years old, played B-level hockey in Austin, and showed up at a USHL tryout without knowing what junior hockey even was. After getting completely overwhelmed, he returned the following year, made the camp's All-Star Game, and eventually played juniors, Division III college hockey, and professionally before finding his calling behind the bench.

The conversation also gets into why hockey IQ matters more than flashy skills, why recruiting timelines are different for every player, the importance of youth coaching, and what Tom has learned as both a Division I coach and hockey dad.

In this episode:

• Going from B-level hockey in Texas to a USHL tryout
• Why getting humbled became a turning point in his development
• The path from D3 hockey to coaching at Brown
• Why recruiting at 16 isn't necessarily better than recruiting at 19

This one is a reminder that where your kid starts in hockey doesn't have to determine where the game takes them.

Brown Men's Ice Hockey IG: https://www.instagram.com/brownu_mhockey/
Brown Men's Ice Hockey Website: https://brownbears.com/sports/mens-ice-hockeyhttps://brownbears.com/sports/mens-ice-hockey
ECAC IG: https://www.instagram.com/ecachockey/

Partners:

• https://www.pacificrink.com/
• https://hockeytraining.com/
• https://sparxhockey.com/
• https://www.instagram.com/bigjohndangles/
• https://www.titanbattlegear.com/crazyhockeydads
• https://howieshockeytape.com/
• https://www.athleticperformanceinsight.com/

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