For some, sports are a pastime or a hobby. For senior Michael Hunebrinker, they are a way of life. When he isn’t at school, he can most often be found at the rink.

lhsimage.com took the time to find out where his passion for hockey took root, and how far Huntebrinker plans to pursue it.

Q: How long have you been playing hockey, and how did you get started?
A: “I got started because for my third birthday I got a pair of roller blades and I tried to skate with them in the basement and I couldn’t stand up, so I threw them and said I never wanted to skate again. But my parents made me keep practicing so I started playing inline hockey when I was four and then I switched to ice [hockey] when I was five.”

Q: How often do you travel for hockey, and when does the season start and end?
A: “During the season, we normally travel three weeks out of the month. We have our tryout camp in June, and then we have summer workouts until August, then we go from August until April.”

Q: Why do you like playing hockey?
A: “I like playing hockey because it’s fun to be around the guys when you play, you spend a lot of “bro time” in the locker room with the boys, long bus trips, you listen to a lot of Sugarland. Linger by the Cranberries is a team favorite.”

Q: How often do you practice?
A: “We have practice four times a week if we don’t have games that weekend, and then we have workouts two nights, but if we have an off weekend then we practice five or six times a week.”

Q: What are your plans for next year, after graduation?
A: “It depends on the United States Hockey League Draft. It depends where I get drafted, so we’ll see. I just have to wait on that. I have a visit to Ohio State, I might play there. And, I’m going up to British Columbia to try out for a team, too, so I’ll just weigh my options.”