Profile: Senior hockey forward finds excellence on and off the ice

Twelve players flying around the rink with reckless abandon, using their physicality and sticks to hit each other at full speed into hard plexiglass boards, crashing into each other in front of the net in hopes of scoring – hockey is not for the faint of heart. 

But Liberty senior forward Jordan Bochinski can be described as anything but the aggressive hockey stereotype off the ice. Head Coach Kirk Handy said Bochinski’s positive energy and attitude separates him from any other player.

“He is a ball of energy, a real passionate guy who loves people,” Handy said. “Loves social interactions and tons of fun to be around.”  

Although many may not see Bochinski as a tough-guy hockey player, the hardworking senior exceled as one of the most productive players on the team last season, finishing with 10 goals and six assists. Handy believes the energy Bochinski brings helps him perform so well.

“He is a guy who shows up every night with his work boots on to come and play,” Handy said. “I think that you see a lot of players go up and down with the way they play, but he is consistent with how he plays and how he approaches a game.”

Hard work and the sport of hockey go hand in hand for Bochinski as he grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, a place surrounded by hockey. 

Bochinski grew up with the sport and fell in love with it at a young age, learning to skate at age three and starting hockey in kindergarten.

“I would compare (hockey) to football in Texas. … you live and you breathe hockey,” Bochinski said. “You have rinks outside going eight months out of the year, so there is constant access to get on the ice.”

Bochinski’s interest in sports broadcasting eventually spurred him to start a YouTube channel four years ago, eventually turning into what he now calls “The Bo Show.” 

“I was 20 years old, and I was playing my last year of junior hockey back in Manitoba and I knew I wanted to get into media,” Bochinski said. “A couple guys on the team helped me. They would film and edit it because I did not know how to do any of that yet. … People loved it because they got to see another side of the players that they would not normally see.” 

His show started to gain traction, and eventually it picked up the attention of the Winnipeg Jets, who offered him a job helping in their media department. 

Since the show’s creation, Bochinski has interviewed lots of people in his casual interview style, including some NHL players, as he juggles the show with hockey and his studies.

“Routine is the biggest thing,” Bochinski said. “Every week you start getting into a routine and things just start to click.”

As a senior, Bochinski takes up the responsibility to lead in every situation both on and off the ice. Handy said that he is always one of the first to welcome a new teammate and invite them to stay with him during recruiting.  

“When the recruits come in, he navigates towards them,” Handy said. “He wants to be the guy to entertain them on campus when they are here for their visits.”

Bochinski’s energy shows from the minute someone starts interacting with him. It is part of his personality.

He says his growth in faith since he came to Liberty keeps him going, driving his energy and love for people. 

“I have found in my life that the more I grow in my faith, the more of my personality God lets me let loose,” Bochinski said. “I’ve always been a very passionate and energetic guy. … I try and include everyone because you never know what connections you will make.”

Although this is his senior season, Bochinski will look back at his time at Liberty fondly. Liberty started as a school he had never heard of, but when he graduates, it will be a place he will never forget. 

“Spiritually, Liberty has changed my life,” Bochinski said. “I heard someway say … that Liberty is a training camp for the rest of your life. What you put in here you are going to get out and see flourish for the rest of your life.”