Grit, toughness, and heart.

These three words define senior Will Verstegen, the January student athlete spotlight. If there is a wall, he will break through it. Nothing gets in his way.

Will has been competing in hockey for 13 years through the Oshkosh youth teams including the Ice Hawks and Warbirds.

 “I have always loved hockey. There was no other contact sport like it,” says Verstagen. 

Verstagen has had a ton of personal success on the rink. 

“I think it’s a successful game when I can create scoring opportunities for my teammates,” says verstegen, who has 5 assists this year. 

Verstagen also bases his success around money and happiness outside of school.

“If I’m making money, then I’m happy,” says Verstagen.

The Ice Hawks have had a mediocre season at 3-2 thus fa,r but Verstegen is sure making it one to remember on an individual standpoint with 6 goals and 5 assists. Verstagen played on varsity since he was a Sophomore.

Similar to most athletes, Verstegen has a pregame ritual that for him includes taping his hockey stick and listening to music to put him in the zone.

“My favorite music to listen to would either be country or rap music,” says Verstegen.

Postgame, Verstegen and other players head to Buffalo Wild Wings. 

“Me and the boys are always at B-Dubs,” says Verstegen.

Due to Verstegen playing Hockey for over a decade he has played in many memorable games over the years including a game from his Junior year.

“We played the Fox Cities hockey team. We were the underdogs, and we ended up winning 7-4. I had 1 goal and 2 assists. It was a great team game, and it felt good to be the underdog winners,” says Verstegen.

Some of the people who have influenced Verstagen and helped push him along his hockey journey have been his parents and his older brother. 

“They have always been there by my side supporting me all the way,” says Verstegen.

Being coached by so many people  over the past 13 years often makes it hard to pick an impactful coach, but this wasn’t hard for Verstegen.

“Kirk [Olson] has always led me to grow my skills as a player and skills as a person outside of hockey, teaching me more than just the game,” says Verstegen.

Being a multi-sport athlete is hard but rewarding. Verstegen loves both football where he was the middle linebacker and a leader on the defense, and hockey.

“Hockey will always be my favorite there’s just something about it that I love more than anything,” says Verstegen.

Verstegen also plans on attending college at either UW-Stout or UW-Stevens Point, where he would study construction engineering. 

Whatever it takes, Verstegen will always push through his competition and any obstacles that get in his way.