Student manager Markuson also serves in Marine Reserve's
By LINDA BOUVET, LSSU Sports Information Director
While the Lake Superior State hockey team primed for the official start of the 2009-10 season, student equipment manager Corey Markuson spent the exhbition weekend with his Marine Reserve's unit preparing for possible deployment to the Middle East.
Most days, Markuson, a junior criminal justice major from Stoughton, Wis., is a typical college student. But has a member of the Detachment, Bulk Fuel Company Bravo, 6th Engineer Support Battalion, 4th Marine Logistics Group based in Green Bay, Wis., he carries himself with a reserved discipline acquired through military training. Most days, it's business as usual with the knowledge that his quest for a degree could get interrupted with orders to go to war.
"We're not 100 percent sure if we're going," said Markuson, whose unit has been training for security operations. "We find out next week. I'm sure when it gets closer I'll be a little nervous about leaving my friends and family, but I'm not afraid to go. I know that the training I've got will help me. I know we've got the right training to be there. It's a matter of leaving my friends and family."
Markuson began his military training after graduating from high school in the spring of 2006. After finishing specialty training in bulk fuels he enrolled at LSSU and began taking classes during the 2007 spring semester. His brother, Geoff, attended LSSU from 2002-06 and was a member of the Laker men's tennis team.
Markuson was attending a Laker hockey game in 2007 when he heard a public address announcement regarding the team's need for a student manager. He met athletic trainer/equipment manager Rick Mick and head coach Jim Roque and was offered the position.
"It's a lot more work than I thought it was," Markuson said. "Giving sticks out, repairing equipment, sewing things. There's a lot to do before practice. During practice it's more laid back. Same thing with games. There is a lot of work to do up to the games."
Markuson travels with the team unless he is obligated to go to his monthly military training. He enjoys the lockerroom atmosphere and the good-natured ribbing he shares with former LSSU equipment manager Roy Forrest, who spent his professional career in the Army.
"We give each other a little bit of flack, back and forth," Markuson said. "He's a good guy."
The sure sign of trust between equipment managers and hockey players is if the equipment manager is permitted to sharpen skates. Markuson practiced on old skates before trying his hand with Steven Kaunisto's. He passed the test.
"He is always asking me if he can learn something he didn't know how to do," Mick said. "He's eager to have more responsibility. Other guys tend take it as I give it to them. He is always asking for more work."
Mick is impressed that Markuson always shows up for work well-dressed and pays attention to detail. He makes sure that Markuson doesn't take on so much work that he jeopardizes his studies.
"The problem is he's volunteer," Mick said. "Other than the Gil Somes scholarship, he can't get much financial help. That in itself makes every kid who does that job special. It's up to them to manage their time. If they come to us and ask for a day off to take a test, that's great. The guys do like him. When we're looking for people, we're more concerned with the kind of kid he is than the ability to do the job. We feel they can learn the job. Having the right personality, that's the key. We've been fortunate that we've always seemed to find guys with the right personality."
Markuson's dream job is to work for the FBI as an investigator or U.S. Marshals on the fugitive recovery team. A career as a professional equipment manager, following in the footsteps of former LSSU student managers Paul Boyer (Detroit Red Wings), Dave Gilbert (Notre Dame) and Nic Meldrum (USA Hockey), is an option that he is leaving open.
