In the midst of wrapping up his Tufts education and earning a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with an Entrepreneurship minor, graduating senior Max Resnick sat down with the Daily to talk about how his time with Tufts University Athletics has shaped his collegiate career.
“Hockey has shaped who I am, from the day I put skates on to now. It’s provided me with so many different opportunities that I never thought I would experience, and it’s introduced me to more people than I could have imagined,” Resnick said.
For Resnick, ice hockey is more than just a sport — it has been a blessing and a formative road map through life, shaping everything from his extraversion to his discipline. Resnick said some of the greatest gifts the sport has given him are his emotional intelligence and ability to read a room, being both a leader and a teammate when each is called for. These skills transferred into his time as captain.
“When you get named the captain, yes, you’re supposed to look after yourself, but in reality, you’re looking after the 30 other guys on the team,” Resnick said. “It doesn’t matter who you are or what type of day it is. You need to make sure that everyone’s doing okay … and walking into the rink with a smile on [their] face because in the end, that’s all that matters. It’s what you’re going to remember down the line, not the games and the goals.”
When asked about how his time on the team shaped his collegiate experience, Resnick said, “Tufts hockey, to me, means the world. I wouldn’t be here without Tufts hockey.”
He added that being on the team has transformed him as a person.
“Tufts hockey has shaped me into who I am now, walking in as an 18-year-old and walking out of here as a 22-year-old, I’m a way different person [because of the team],” he said.
Outside of hockey, Resnick credited the school with giving him his best friends and being an incredible college experience overall, in large part due to its proximity to Boston. Throughout the conversation, Resnick circled back to his love for the people around him. Resnick expressed a deep love and gratitude for his community in and outside of Tufts.
Resnick’s teammates shared similar feelings about him. In a message to the Daily, fellow graduating senior John Mulvihill shared that his favorite memories of his time with Resnick were “hanging out over the years, so many car rides to the rink, debriefs after our games and so on. It’s been really fun to see him develop as a leader and we’ve all had so much fun together over the years.”
Resnick had a hard time choosing his favorite memory at Tufts, but he fondly reminisced about the post-practice cookouts after particularly grueling weeks, getting to enjoy feelings of accomplishment and pride while relaxing over burgers and drinks.
“Overall [my] favorite memories are just hanging out, spending time with the guys. I know it’s cliché, but it’s definitely true,” he said.
For Resnick, that camaraderie has defined the sport for him since he was a little kid. Striving to win on a team where everybody cares just as much, whether they are a benchwarmer or a starter, was something he said he did not see as much in other sports growing up. The competitive spirit of hockey just goes deeper.
When you ask him about a specific moment during a game, Resnick’s mind goes to victories.
“My favorite win is probably our playoff win against [Connecticut] College at home my sophomore year. I think this year, [one that was] a little bit special to me as well was when we beat [State University of New York at] Geneseo, who was seventh at the time, in Tampa for a comeback win from behind. That was a really fun game, and it was at home for me,” Resnick said, being a Tampa native himself.
Resnick asserted that the community hockey builds lasts a lifetime.
“I stay in touch with the kids I was playing with when I was five. It’s a sport and also a family at the same time,” Resnick said.
He laughed when asked if he planned to play in a ‘beer league’ in the future, and said he had already started playing with a few players and an assistant coach on Wednesday mornings.
“I know my whole life I’ll be around the game, whether that’s coaching my kids or coaching the local high school team,” Resnick said. “I think I’ll definitely want to give back for the rest of my life, because of all the memories the game gave me. … It’s the greatest game in the world.”
As for the near future, Resnick is off to New York City to work in finance for a private credit shop, where he will be sorely missed by Tufts hockey.
