Hopkinton senior Kipling Hedquist has torn apart Division III hockey defenses all year. He has scored 20 goals, four of which were game-winners, and has assisted on 13 others.
He’s a two-time captain of the John Stark-Hopkinton-Hillsboro-Deering General Hawks. The General Hawks have grown into a powerful team this year and are second in the division with a 12-1 record.
Hedquist’s leadership and performances have come at the right time for the team, which is playing under new coach Thomas Zervos.
“Kip is a student-athlete that any coach would be blessed to have. He is a highly skilled player with an extremely high compete level and personal drive to always be better,” Zervos said. “Kip is a role model in both school and on the ice.”
The Monitor asked Hedquist about his journey from Denmark to New Hampshire, how hockey has played an important part in his life and where he’s going next.
Q: When did you start playing hockey and what has made you stick with it?
I started playing hockey in Copenhagen, Denmark, where my family was living. On my fourth birthday, my parents gave me the choice of starting soccer or hockey. I chose hockey, and I never looked back. From the start, I loved the feeling of gliding on the ice and the movements involved in skating. I wasn’t always that focused on the other parts of the game. My parents tell me that I used to chat with the refs more than chase after the puck. But over the years, I grew to love every part of the game.
Q: Who has mentored you and how have they helped?
My dad has always been my best mentor and biggest fan. He started coaching my teams early on, and he’s continued through most of my hockey career. I definitely have to give him credit for helping me understand the importance of skating mechanics and technique. That’s the foundation of the game, and I owe a lot of my skill to his patience and effort in teaching me. But most importantly, he has always reinforced the idea that I should play hockey because I love it, and he’s there only to support me in my aspirations. He’ll be an extra set of eyes and help me see where I can improve, but he’s mostly there to cheer me on. After almost every game, win or lose, the first thing he tells me is “I love watching you play.”
Q: What makes playing for the General Hawks special for you?
I have loved playing for the General Hawks, even in years where we struggled as a team. There is something special about playing hockey with the people I go to school with and having that shared experience. It builds a real sense of camaraderie that you don’t always find on a club team. I especially love playing in front of our hometown crowd. The students and other members of the community bring such an amazing atmosphere to the games, and it makes me proud to represent our schools and towns.
Q: How do you balance hockey and school?
Although I would love to devote all my time to skating, at the rink or on my ODR (outdoor rink), I’ve always recognized that school has to be the priority. Hockey is my passion, but school is what will define my future. It helps that I really do love learning, so I generally enjoy both. It’s not always easy to balance early-morning practices with late-night homework, but I find it helpful to use hockey as an incentive to stay productive and focused on my schoolwork.
Q: You are a two-time captain. In your opinion, what makes a good leader and how do you try to lead?
I’m grateful to my teammates for giving me the chance to be their captain, and I feel a responsibility to be a leader both on and off the ice. I think part of leadership is showing up every day and giving it your all, motivating your teammates to perform their very best. But as a captain, you also have to create a team dynamic that is positive and fun, not stressful or demoralizing. I think I’ve had to learn how to do this over the past two years, but hopefully I’ve improved, and luckily, my teammates have been patient with me.
Q: What are your goals for the future and why do you want to pursue those?
I’ve always thought it would be amazing to play hockey at the college level, but my ultimate dream is to become a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force. I applied to the U.S. Air Force Academy this past fall. My backup plan, if I didn’t get in, was to take a year to play juniors hockey and see where that took me. However, I received an appointment to USAFA in December, so I’m very excited to take on that new challenge starting this summer.
Q: How do you feel like you and your team can keep winning and make a deep playoff push?
We have a very talented team with a lot of depth and a first-class coaching staff. I think the key to a deep playoff run will be our defense continuing to shine every single game and our forwards sticking to our systems and playing with intensity. Most of all, we need to keep having fun together out there on the ice. When we enjoy playing together, that’s when our on-ice chemistry is at its best.
Q: What interests you outside of your sport?
I wish I had more time for all of my other interests! I love aviation, skiing, mountain biking, and most of all fly fishing – this might be the only thing that can even come close to matching my love for hockey. I also get a lot of satisfaction out of the volunteer work I’m involved in and being part of my church community. Lastly, I love supporting my friends and teammates on other Hopkinton sports teams.