A hockey life

CEDAR RAPIDS - There's just something about hockey guys.

They're widely considered to be down to earth, approachable and hard working. Most of them check their egos at the door.

Chris Ipson buys into those stereotypes.

'They are honest people,” he said. 'They are tough people, mentally and physically.”

The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders head trainer and equipment manager has spent most of his adult life involved with a sport he never played competitively. It was merely by chance he found hockey in the late 1970s.

Once he did, he never let go.

'I was working on my master's at the University of Denver and ended up being a roommate of one of the players there,” he said.

Ipson, 58, eventually got an opportunity to be part of the team's training staff, and that was all it took. He was hooked.

His life in hockey has seen him at the junior, collegiate and minor-pro levels. He has drawn paychecks from long-defunct franchises like the Fort Worth Texans, Wichita Wind and Montana Magic and even the NHL's New Jersey Devils, where he was head trainer in the mid-80s.

Ipson then spent 23 years at Michigan Tech University and is in his fourth season with the RoughRiders, who host Chicago on Saturday night at 7:05.

'Travel is different, money is different, but the players have a lot of similarities, even with the difference in age,” Ipson said. 'You get some 35-year-old kids up in the NHL, and you get some very mature 18 and 19-year-olds here. You really do see a lot of similarities. More similarities than differences, I think.”

His days during the season are long ones, at least 12 or 13 hours. Game days are much longer.

Not only does he take care of RoughRiders players from a health standpoint, he tends to all of their needs equipment wise. That means things like washing and drying practice and game jerseys each day, sharpening skates and everything in between.

'It takes some time management,” he said. 'It takes a lot of hours. You kind of have to set your priorities, what they would call in medicine ‘triage.' Decide what is most important, what is least important. Arrange it that way.”

'He means so much,” said RoughRiders forward Dylan McLaughlin. 'He does everything for us. I don't think we can even (comprehend) what he goes through every day. Like when we get home at 4 in the morning from a road trip, and he still has to do laundry for us. Most teams have an equipment manager and a trainer, but he does both. It's just really awesome all he does for us. It means a lot.”

RoughRiders Coach/General Manager Mark Carlson said he feels fortunate to have someone of Ipson's experience on his staff.

'He is just incredible,” Carlson said. 'You talk about someone that loves his job, he just loves it. Whether it's here, or whether it's on the road, he is at the rink all day and all night. Selfishly, he really fits my personality. He just goes about his business and does his stuff, and I just do my stuff. It's a really good match. Rarely does he need me to do anything for him. It's just awesome.”

Ipson survived a health scare two years ago when he had a heart attack in January 2013 and subsequent bypass surgery. He said he feels better than ever now and is able to perform his innumerable duties without issue.

'The two things I was worried about when I was in the hospital was the team, (because) the coaching staff had to take on extra duties,” Ipson said. 'Then I was worried about my dog. But the players came over and walked him when I wasn't up to it. That helped a lot.

'I'll keep doing this as long as it's still fun, and I'm still enjoying it. As long as they'll have me, I guess, I'll be here.”

l Comments: (319) 398-8259; jeff.johnson@thegazette.com