Badgering: Grant Besse
November 29, 2016 | Men's Hockey, Andy Baggot
Senior alternate captain discusses his senior year and what advice he’d give to his freshman self
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BY ANDY BAGGOT
UWBadgers.com Insider
MADISON, Wis. — Grant Besse's debut with the Wisconsin men's hockey team in 2013-14 was mostly satisfying and memorable. The goal-scoring phenom from Benilde-St. Margaret's (Minnesota) High School carved out a role on a senior-laden club and helped the Badgers win the inaugural Big Ten Conference playoff title. That high was followed by a two-year downer in which UW won only 12 of 70 games, a swoon that prompted a change in coaches from Mike Eaves to Tony Granato. Besse, now a senior assistant captain, leads Wisconsin in scoring after 12 games heading into a non-conference series with Omaha at the Kohl Center on Friday and Saturday night. Besse, an agricultural economics major, weighed in recently on his new comfort level, what he learned attending a UW football practice and that time he played a game on a broken kneecap.
You seem more outgoing and talkative this season than you were in your first three. True?
"Maybe in some aspects. Being one of four seniors that kind of comes with the territory. It's such a younger team and being one of the oldest guys, that's something I have to do whether I want to or not. In the past we've had vocal (captains) like Eddie (Wittchow) and Chase Drake and Frankie (Simonelli). I tried to learn from them and be more outspoken than in past years."
There's a new coaching staff and you have an old high school line mate and friend, Dan Labosky, on the team as a first-year player. Does that fit in there at all?
"With Tony coming in, one of the first things he spoke about was that he wants feedback; he wants everyone to give their opinions; he wants everyone to be involved. Yeah, having Dan here brings back some good memories."
When's the last time you were surprised by something that happened on the team?
"I don't know if I have been surprised yet. I knew coming into this year that every guy was going to give 100 percent of their effort 100 percent of the time. Onlookers and bystanders might be surprised by our record (7-5) based on what happened over the past few years, but personally I'm not. I thought both the last two years our team was better than we showed. This year it's all coming together and we're starting to produce."
Is there a class you'd take again — without getting credit for it — just because you liked it so much?
"Maybe marketing. I took it last year and I found it really interesting how people reacted to things."
Is there something you wish you knew about Madison before you came here?
"Probably all the restaurants up by the Capitol. Freshman year I kind of lived farther away from State Street, so I didn't get up that way too much. So you had your basics like Chipotle and Subway or whatever. But some of those restaurants up by the Capitol like Old Fashioned, that kind of thing. Those are things I found with my time here that I wish I would have known earlier."
You and your teammates went to a UW football practice with the coaching staff recently. What was your biggest takeaway from that?
"When I first got there, having however many guys they had on the field, it kind of looked like organized chaos. Obviously those guys are listening at all times and know where to go and are very attentive to what's going on. If not, you're going to stand out pretty quick."
What's the most difficult part about adjusting to a new coaching staff?
"I don't know if there's anything I'd say that's difficult. When those guys (Tony Granato and associate head coaches Don Granato and Mark Osiecki) came in they were very welcoming. They wanted to get to know you as soon as possible. I don't think there was anything difficult. Obviously we're playing a different style of hockey. That wasn't difficult to get used to because it's more up-tempo and that plays into my strengths. So it's not necessarily difficult, just change for, in my opinion, the better."
When's the last time you played hurt?
"Probably my sophomore year. I played in the Big Ten championships on a fractured kneecap. To be honest, I probably shouldn't have played. In the moment I felt I could help the team in some way. Whether or not I did is up for question. It was a game (a 5-1 loss to Michigan) I wanted to play and I did the best I could."
Did you keep that injury to yourself?
"I actually didn't know about it until after the game. I had an X-ray (before the game) and it didn't show anything and they didn't think anything of it. Afterwards I had an MRI and it showed a fracture in my kneecap."
Best piece of advice you'd give your freshman self?
"Just stick with it. Obviously I was thankful for an opportunity to play my freshman year. Coming into (college), I was the top guy wherever I went, so at times it was frustrating not playing a whole lot, playing on the third and fourth lines. I had my moments playing (on the top lines) with Mark (Zengerle) and Tyler (Barnes) and Michael (Mersch) and Nic (Kerdiles), but for the majority of the year I was kind of left on that third line. Not that it was a bad thing. I think I learned a lot playing that role, but at times for me it was frustrating thinking I could give more here and give more there. So I'd say just stick with it. Control what you can control and excel at what opportunity you're given."
Can you give me an example of something you've learned the hard way?
"I'm still dealing with this. Not waiting until the last minute to do things. I've had instances where I've done that and it's come back to bite me. I still find myself doing it. Procrastinating. It's been a struggle for me."
