Putting the student back in student-athlete
When you think of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), it’s very easy to forget that the primary responsibility for these athletes doesn’t involve a court, field or rink. It’s the work inside the classroom, as students, that often consumes the majority of their time.
It’s a role that usually gets overlooked, especially when you can watch NCAA competition every weekend on television, and see the massive crowds that gather to support their school.
But the importance of academics for student-athletes is not lost on Ottawa Senators winger Erik Condra.
A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Condra credits his time with the Fighting Irish for helping him mature not only as a player, but away from the rink as well.
“It was huge for me. Coming in there are so many things you have to learn about time management and getting your work done and playing hockey as well,” he said. “There’s times when you would have to stay up 12 hours at night studying for tests and then you have a big practice or a game the next day, so it’s a hard thing to balance but it makes you grow up pretty quick.”
Those long nights certainly paid off. Condra graduated from Notre Dame in 2009 with a 3.55 GPA, along with degrees in psychology and pre-professional studies.
He said the university did everything possible to ensure that he had the best chance to succeed, both in the classroom and on the ice. Whether it was providing tutors or mandatory study hours, Condra said athletes were given all the right tools to thrive.
“Notre Dame does an unbelievable job in that regard,” he said. “They really teach you great time management skills. When you’re free you can’t be screwing around because you have to get your work done, or else you don’t get any sleep, and that was one of the main things for me.”
Condra wasn’t the only athlete to benefit from Notre Dame’s attention to detail academically.
A 2009 NCAA study showed that 98 per cent of student-athletes at the university went on to graduate. At the time of the study, that was the highest rate amongst American schools, matched only by the United States Naval Academy. All-time, Notre Dame has 216 Academic All-American honourees, second only to the University of Nebraska.
Success in class breeds results on the ice
When he was on the ice, the 6’0” right-winger led the team in scoring in each of his four years, and left the Fighting Irish as one of the most decorated players in program history. Condra is the only player from Notre Dame to ever be selected to both the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) and ESPN The Magazine’s All-American teams in the same season. He was chosen to represent the second All-American team in both instances.
Condra captained the team in his fourth and final year with the program, and ranks 13th on the all-time scoring list with 158 points in 159 career games. His total of 110 assists puts him in seventh all-time in the team’s record books.
The Trenton, Michigan native said the added experience is the main reason why he decided to complete his four year term at Notre Dame, even after the Senators selected him in the seventh round of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, 211th overall.
“I don’t think I was ready to make the step right after I was drafted,” he said. “The good thing about college is that it gives you a few years to develop and become a better player.”
That experience certainly seems to have helped the 24 year-old in his first season with the Senators. In 23 games with the big club, Condra has six goals and five assists, including a pair of two-goal games against Philadelphia and New Jersey, respectively. He has also been an important part of head coach Cory Clouston’s penalty killing unit, which has killed off 81 of its last 85 shorthanded situations.
Condra said playing hockey for a Division I school also helped him learn to deal with the added attention that goes along with being a professional athlete. Regardless of the situation, he said people never passed up a chance to speak with a member of the famed Fighting Irish.
“It’s unbelievable. You’re always in the limelight and it’s a lot like playing at the pro level because there is so much media attention,” he said. “Coming from such a nationally known school as Notre Dame, sometimes it’s tough, but there are perks to it too. It’s a fun place and there is just a great atmosphere around the university.”
NCAA well-represented with the Senators
Condra is not the only product of the NCAA system currently playing a key role for the rebuilding Senators. In light of recent injuries and pre-deadline trades, general manager Bryan Murray has revamped the roster with players from the American collegiate system.
Former University of New Hampshire forward Bobby Butler has appeared in 33 games this year, and forward Jesse Winchester is now in his third full season with the team after attending Colgate University.
Highly-coveted French centreman Stephane Da Costa, who just completed his second season with Merrimack College, is also in the line-up. He made his NHL debut April 2 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. In addition, the Senators currently have nine players in the organization with an NCAA background who have yet to make an appearance at the NHL level.
“I think [Bryan Murray] realizes that we’ve had a few more years to mature,” Condra said. “As a college recruit, you’ve grown up a bit and have been on your own so hopefully that maturity carries over into some character. When you have a team full of character you have some building blocks to start a good squad.”