Scholar Stories: Becker Seeks to Improve Upon Solid On-Ice, Academic Debuts
12/12/2018 11:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey, Features
By Steve Kornacki
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Jack Becker had a great debut year both on the ice and in the classroom.
The rugged hockey forward received the University of Michigan's top male Rookie of the Year award, a high honor that goes to the student-athlete who best exemplifies excelling in academics and athletics in the freshman class.
"There are so many gifted student-athletes here," said Becker. "So, I was a little bit surprised, and pretty humbled. I put in a lot of work last year, but had so much help from our coaching staff to my academic advisor to all the professors who make it all about a combination of excellence in academics and on the ice here.
"I'm just trying to use my resources at Michigan to the best advantage I can, and I was really excited about the award. It was really cool."
Becker scored two game-winning goals among eight total last season, when he came on strong in Big Ten play and ended up with 15 points, including an assist in the Frozen Four national semifinal game played in St. Paul, Minnesota, a short drive from his hometown of Dellwood.
"Things really kind of came full circle there," said Becker. "It was really cool to go back to Minnesota and play in the Xcel Center -- I played in the state tournament there for high school hockey and went to so many (Minnesota) Wild games there.
"My family got to watch me compete there for Michigan in the Frozen Four, and it was something I'll always remember. It was a surreal experience."
Then, after the hockey season ended with a loss to Notre Dame on a last-second goal in St. Paul, he was accepted into the prestigious Ross School of Business after a strong first year focusing on economics studies. He plans to follow in the footsteps of legendary Wolverines hockey coach Red Berenson, who graduated with a degree in business before earning his Master's in Business Administration at Michigan while playing for the Montreal Canadiens.
"I was talking to Coach Berenson the other day," said Becker, "and he told me that when he went through the business school here, you find out how much you don't know. I've had that same experience. I've learned so many things, and there are so many smart people in my classes. I've learned so much from just my classmates. I'm so lucky to be surrounded by those guys and the professors, too. The business school is just flat-out phenomenal."
Jay Basten, a lecturer of Sport Management in the School of Kinesiology, has impacted Becker.
"I took a couple classes by Dr. Basten in sport management," said Becker. "I was trying to figure out what to do with my major. It was fun, because I got to know him and visited on his office hours a couple of times.
"He helped me a lot with my presentation skills, and how to present is so important in the business world. You have to be able to talk in front of people, and I took a public speaking class with him. It's important to have eye contact with the people you're talking to, and I learned a lot in that class."
Becker said "time management" is essential to succeed in both hockey and academics, and he's careful not to "push to exhaustion" in studying because it's difficult to retain information that way. He tries to get most of his work done Sundays through Wednesdays in order to focus on hockey during weekends and have the proper balance and focus.
"All my life," said Becker, "I've been really interested in business. My dad's the CEO of a company, and I always wanted to eventually start my own company or run a company. I work well with people, and want to make a positive difference. That's just one of my goals. Being surrounded by business every day is fun and exciting. It's easy to pick up on something new every day."
Becker said he isn't sure what direction that pursuit will take him some day, but he noted that his father is in the "construction business" and oversees 52 other companies with the APi Group, which supplies services in energy, life safety, infrastructure and specialty construction, and is a multi-billion dollar parent company, according to its web site, apigroupinc.com.
"My dad was really involved in coaching me and both of my (younger) brothers, even though he's a really busy guy," said Jack. "The biggest thing he taught me was to love the game and work as hard as you can. The best thing I got from him are the intangible qualities."
Russ Becker played hockey at Michigan Tech from 1984-88.
"My dad was coached by Coach (Mel) Pearson," said Russ, "and so I've known Coach Pearson for a while. Coach Pearson's always had a lot of belief in me, and I've always loved Coach. He's such a great guy."
Jack was headed to his father's alma mater, where Pearson had become the head coach, until Pearson was named to succeed Berenson in 2017.
"After he got the job at Michigan," said Jack, "he asked me to come along and said there was an opportunity here. It didn't really take me a long time to decide to follow him to Michigan."
Becker credited the entire coaching staff for making him a better player. The Boston Bruins selected him in the seventh round (195th overall) in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, and he's attended four of the NHL team's summer development camps, adding that he "can dial up Jamie Langenbrunner," who played in the NHL and talk to the development coach about his game as well.
Becker had one goal through 15 games as a freshman, but then scored a pair, including the game-winner against Penn State on Jan. 18 at Yost Ice Arena. That was soon followed by a stretch of five games with four goals, during which he got another game-winner against Wisconsin.
"I knew it was going to take a while to get going," said Becker. "Coach Pearson talked about trusting the process, and trying to skate a little bit better every day. I think it just started clicking when I got some goals, made some good plays, and had a lot of good chemistry with my linemates. I started playing with the Pastujov brothers (junior Nick and sophomore Michael) and got that confidence and didn't look back."
Becker (6-foot-4, 205 pounds) has four goals and eight points after 17 games this season.
"I think my all-around game has gotten better," said Becker. "I think my skating's gotten better, and I know I have to continue to work on that. My first two steps are a little better. My stick skills also are getting better.
"I'm just trusting the process and trying to get a little bit better each and every day in hockey and in school. With that attitude, you get to where you want to go."
