Headline: Crowley tends to lofty goal
Publish Date: 03/03/1995
Matthew Cross
Staff Reporter
 
Rookie defenseman Mike Crowley dreamed of playing hockey for the
Gophers back in the days when center Corey Millen established himself
in the Gophers record books in the early 1980s.
 
And realizing that dream was only a matter of time for the winner of
the 1994 Minnesota Mr. Hockey Award.
 
At Bloomington Jefferson High School, Crowley was one of the most
highly touted recruits in the state, and his coach, Tom Saterdalen,
knew that he was dealing with a future star.
 
``I don't ever remember a defenseman coming in and controlling things
like he does,'' Saterdalen said. ``You don't see him make a bad play.
``(He) makes so many great plays that average hockey fans don't
realize because he makes it look so effortless. You can't coach that.
 
``As a player he's probably the most intense guy I've ever coached.
He knows the game very well, and he's a great competitor. He hates to
lose -- he despises it -- and he never gives up.''
 
And coming from a coach that has eight of his former players in the
WCHA, Crowley has garnered high expectations.
 
Despite his prospects, Crowley feels no pressure outside of his own
mindset.
 
``I've always tried not to worry about what people say because the
pressure is nothing more than what I put on myself,'' Crowley said.
``I always put a lot of pressure on myself, but in a positive way.
``I like to be nervous (because) I think I play better when I'm
nervous and tense.''
 
Gophers coach Doug Woog said Crowley's intensity for hockey and his
pride are the driving forces behind his game. Saterdalen called it a
burning desire to improve.
 
But Crowley said his opposition for a spot on the team drove him most
in high school.
 
``There's no question it was competitive,'' Crowley said. ``At that
high school, hockey is the premier sport.
 
``It helped me out a lot because a lot of teams stress the
individual, but at Jefferson it's always the team first. You're
playing with a lot of good players there, and it teaches you
unselfishness. It's similar to playing here. It's a different level,
but it's team-oriented.''
 
And in a game where passing is key to winning, Crowley thrives. He
has 23 assists and eight goals in his first season with the Gophers.
 
Crowley said his ability to see the ice and pass are his strong
points. But when Woog recalled the first time he saw Crowley play as
a first-year defenseman at Jefferson, he noticed Crowley's skating
ability.
 
``Man, he could skate,'' he said with a glint of excitement.
``Lateral, backwards, his hockey instincts were phenomenal.
 
``He has the innate ability to process information quickly and
respond. You could say he had good teachers at Jefferson, but a lot
of people have the same coaches with less result.''
 
Instinctive is a good adjective for Crowley, and Saterdalen believes
that the favorite for WCHA Rookie of the Year has that keen sense.
 
``He's not thinking about the next play, or the play after that,''
Saterdalen said. ``He's thinking three steps ahead of everybody else.
His mind works faster and better than the others'.''
 
But Crowley disagrees with his former coach.
 
``I think that once I'm on the ice, I'm pretty intense,'' Crowley
said. ``You have to be at this level (because) it adds focus to your
game, but I don't see myself as knowing three plays ahead. I don't
even know the next play, but it's a nice thing to say.''
 
Dan Trebil, Crowley's partner on the Gophers starting defensive corps
and a fellow Jefferson graduate, said Crowley is deserving of his
high acclaim.
 
``He doesn't play like a freshman, at least like I played when I was
a freshman,'' Trebil said. ``He's really mature on the ice.''
 
The one thing that leads many to believe Crowley will go far in
hockey is that he has the desire to improve. He is concentrating on
his shot and his physical strength right now, so he's spending a lot
of time lifting weights.
 
Crowley is only 5-foot-10 and 175 pounds, which is small for a
defenseman. That might be one of the few things that could keep him
from going to the professional hockey ranks early.
 
Still, the rumors continue to fly that Crowley will not last four
years with the Gophers, and to that, Crowley is keeping a level
attitude.
 
``Going to the NHL is everyone's dream, so I can't say that I don't
think about it,'' Crowley said. ``When you're here (at the
University), you think about here or you'll lose count of what you're
trying to do.
 
``(However) if the opportunity were to arise, I'd be very
interested.''
 
It remains to be seen what lies in Crowley's future, but Saterdalen
said: ``I'd like to be his agent. I've been saying that for a while
now.''
 
Carol S. White                            BITNET: c-whit@uminn1
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