Hi Fans, I got to interview THE Mr.Vecchione, father of Hershey Bears center, on what it’s like to be a parent of a pro hockey player.

As a big Hershey Bears fan, I love learning more about the players.  That’s why I was so excited to have the chance to do an email interview with Joe Vecchione, the father of Bears center Mike Vecchione!

Here are the questions I asked Mr. Vecchione

What do you think helped Mike become so good at hockey
I think trying to keep up with his older brother and his friends when he was younger made him become good at all sports.

What’s Mike like when he’s not playing hockey?
He likes to come home and spend time with his family and friends, that he’s away from so much.

What’s it like watching Mike play pro hockey? Do parents see stuff fans don’t?
It’s very rewarding to see all the hard work and sacrifices he has made to get to be a professional. Yes we can tell if something is off like maybe a nagging injury or line chemistry just by his mannerisms.

I’m the first one in my family to play hockey. Was hockey a big thing in your family?
Yes, we used to plan vacations around hockey. We spent New Year’s in Ottawa at the Bell Capitol Cup one year. From the age of 10 years-old to now we still work our schedules around hockey.

How did you help Mike follow his hockey dreams? Did your family have to give up anything for it?
We encouraged him to be the best he could be every time he played the game. We enjoyed being there, so we gave up nothing.

What did you do to help him keep trying even when things got tough?
There’s been a lot of doors closed and nay sayers though the years, high school, college and pro, during his recruiting process and still happens today.  I look at recruiters like, used car salesmen,  Very few give you an honest answer. We have always told believe in yourself and prove them wrong and he does at every level.

What do you think about Mike’s “ROAR” celebration and that he has his own brand?
The roar is a great story and it gave the Bears an identity. The brand I encouraged a lot were so proud of it.

Do you have any tips for hockey parents like mine?
Yes, most important is to have fun, enjoy the moment with family and friends, it goes by way too fast.

Thank you Mr.Veccchione. Maybe next season I can interview Mike!!