Mike Williamson accepts that an on- or off-ice career in hockey is likely no longer in his long-term prospects. He hopes to become a general-practice dentist, although the door is open for other specializations in the field.
“I’m hoping to start with just dentistry,” the Penn State undergraduate senior told Pucks and Recreation this week. “It’s four years of more school, so I’ll see where I’m at after that.”
If nothing else, Williamson has a little more certainty on his horizon than he did at the start of the calendar year.
This past January, the PSU hockey team announced that the junior defenseman and Vancouver Canucks prospect would curtail his playing pursuits due to injury. He had managed only six appearances in PSU’s first 22 games of the 2015-16 campaign, and had logged but 49 games in his two-and-a-half-year collegiate career.
Nonetheless, his abrupt and permanent withdrawal from competition came as a shock to many in the college hockey universe. As one of only two would-be senior defensemen, opposite David Thompson, Williamson was expected to play a much larger role for the Nittany Lions this autumn.
The injury was previously not disclosed to the media by head coach Guy Gadowsky, but Williamson was willing to share.
“It was a recurring lower-back injury, and there were going to be long-term effects if I kept playing,” he explained.
When asked whether rehabbing was too difficult, he seemed to brush it off as a nonfactor. “It was always difficult, but didn’t really impact the decision. There was potential for long-term damage. I might forever have a bad back.”
The decision did not come easy for Williamson. He consulted his family, team trainer Justin Rogers and team physician Phil Bosha. Left out of the decision making process was the professional team that held his rights, who had selected him in the sixth round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
“No, the decision was up to me and my family,” Williamson clarified. “With (the Canucks), it was more of an ‘it happens’ kind of thing.”
For Williamson, the volunteer assistant coaching role has been “a good way to see the other side of the game.” (Photo courtesy of Penn State Athletics)
The effect was more apparent among his Penn State associates, especially his teammates. Williamson made sure that they knew what he was considering and that he had their support and understanding when it came time for the decision.
Since the 2016-17 season has begun, he has also had more of their company than he initially expected, serving as a volunteer assistant coach. This position came up out of nowhere for him, but Williamson was happy to take it.
“With our volunteer assistant from last year, George Lewis, graduating, the position opened up,” he said. “Obviously, it interested me, because I get to stay around the team a little bit, and help out in any way I could.”
Williamson admits coaching was never really on his radar. Since he was an NHL draftee, he was always looking forward to a career playing the game he loved. However, coaching has been an enlightening experience for him.
“It’s been a very good experience to start with,” he said. “I’d never really considered coaching because I was hoping to be playing. Now that I’m doing it, I really like it, and it has been a good way to see the other side of the game.
“I run the game-day skate, and help the guys with whatever they need to get ready. Other than that, I just take stats during the game, and try to stay out of the way, let the guys do their thing.”
Moving forward, Williamson is going to have to adjust to life after hockey, a life he has not led since he was barely old enough to retain any memories. Not going to practice every morning is going to have a huge impact on the Leduc, Alta., native.
“It’s different, a big adjustment,” he said. “What I eat, how much I sleep. I’m still getting used to it.”
When he is staying true to his effort to stay out of his playing peers’ way, the kinesiology major is focused solely on graduating. When asked about having any other hobbies that would take the place of hockey, he was not really sure.
“School takes a ton of time,” he said, “so it should keep me busy.”
Busy enough to ensure the maximum four-year fill of enrichment in Happy Valley, with or without his role on the blue line. From the time he first stepped foot on Penn State’s campus, Williamson says he has had no regrets.
“I had an excellent three years (as a player), and I still help the team where I can,” he said. “I would do it all again in a heartbeat.”
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