A look back at Babcock's athletic career
Mike Babcock on the COVID vaccine shot, high school sports and a lost CFL opportunity
Mike Babcock's Saskatoon roots included a passion for long-distance running, an undeniable love for hockey and, maybe, just maybe, a lost opportunity to play football in the Canadian Football League. We'll never know.
“Almost got him to quit hockey to play football but he didn't, luckily for him,” recalls his former Holy Cross high school physical education teacher, Dave Hardy, now the chief athletics officer for the University of Saskatchewan, who was instrumental in getting the former NHL coach on board as the Huskies' head coach for the next year or two.
“I talked to him and his dad constantly for him to quit hockey to join football. I think I was trying to sell him on being a CFL (Canadian Football League) safety, because I think he could have been.”
Babcock also excelled in long-distance running, setting city and provincial records in high school. In fact, he was able to beat future Olympian Carey Nelson and future CFLER Marshall Toner in the city junior 3,000-metre final.
Babcock took time earlier in the week to talk about his COVID vaccine shot, high school memories of long-distance running, a missed CFL football career and more:
Q I hear you got your second COVID-19 vaccination shot today. That's got to be a big relief, no?
A Next to my home in Detroit, there's a hospital called St. Joe's and they have this program when they have too many vaccines and they're going to have to throw them out, they put you on a call list if you can get there in 20 minutes. They call you and you race out there and they book you in for the second so I got it. I was fortunate to be close enough to that hospital to be on the list that I got the vaccination, which is really nice and, a couple of weeks from now, a guy should be up and running.
Q Huskies chief athletics officer Dave Hardy tells me he nearly convinced you to quit hockey and play football. He figured you'd be a future CFL safety. Is that wishful thinking on his part?
A Obviously, it's a good thing I didn't listen to Dave. I wouldn't have been in hockey. Both basketball and football, I liked to do both. I've known Dave since forever, but hockey was a precedence for me and, obviously, it's worked out well for myself and my family.
Q And you also did some track and field?
A Yeah, I was a track athlete, especially before I put on any weight (for hockey). I was a long-distance runner. Actually, that was probably my best sport. I loved the 3,000, 800 metres and 1,500 metres. When I started putting on the beef, and I didn't want to be as light, I didn't want to run as much. That's the way it goes, but I was into that big time.
Q So why the Huskies and not Mcgill University, and do you have a lucky green tie?
(Mcgill alumnus Babcock has often sported a lucky red tie behind the bench as a tribute to the Mcgill Redmen, who won their one and only U Sports national title in 2012.)
A No, I don't have one (green tie). Why the Huskies and not Mcgill? Because my in-laws don't live two and a half hours from Mcgill. My family isn't there. I didn't grow up there. Don't get me wrong: I'm a
Mcgill Redmen for life — I loved my time there and my buddies are there, and all that stuff — but Saskatchewan's my home. That's why we went home every summer. Great people. So this is a chance to give back. I'm excited to be involved with Kinger and the committee and hire the next head coach (to mentor), get him on staff for us and get him working and keep the program going at the level like Dave (Adolph) had going.
Q Do you think your return to U Sports will be an adjustment, going back to that level? Do you think you maybe have to change your coaching style? Will we maybe see a kinder, gentler Mike Babcock?
A What you're trying to do is you're trying to get everyone to maximize their potential. In order to stay in it the whole time, and have success, I've had good working relationships with people I've worked with and a lot of fun with the players. Have I pushed players? Absolutely. Do I want the team to get better? Absolutely. Do we train hard? Absolutely. But we also have a ton of fun and do a ton of winning — and that's what it's all about.
Q So what do you say to your critics out there, those who have vilified you? (Babcock has been accused, by a few of his former NHL players, Chris Chelios, Mike Commodore and Johan Franzen, of alleged mishandling and mental abuse.)
A There's always going to be some players on your team that are going to be unhappy, that's just the way it is. I'm a good man. I've got a great wife. I've got a good family. I've got lots of good friends. And I'm fortunate to have been in hockey for such a long time. I've been lucky to be around good players and do a good job. I've got tons of good relationships with players I've coached. I've had, over this time I've been in this business, I've had lots of guys reach out and it's been spectacular that way. There's always going to be naysayers in anything you do. If you're worried about that, you shouldn't get involved in leadership at all.