Outreach: Liberty hockey deepens Finnish roots with mission trip

For the Liberty men’s Division I hockey team, this year’s winter break was not just about relaxing and preparing for the spring semester. The team had the opportunity to travel across the world to Finland from Jan. 4-14, where they competed against Finnish teams ranging from an under-18 team, to a university team, and even a professional team. Liberty hockey was not just there to compete on the ice, however, but to spread the word of God alongside pastor David Pike and OM Missions, the team’s connection to the Finnish community. 

After returning from the Finland mission trip, Flames Head Coach Kirk Handy, graduate forward captain Matthew Bartel and senior forward Kam Ottenbreit described the trip and how it has impacted their season and the team as a whole.  

“Our main goal and our main mission is to show guys how we can continue to use hockey as our platform to spread the gospel and to impact the lives of others,” Handy said. “People might not accept the message you’re giving them, but (they) can at least see a light in a dark world.”  

 “We really just wanted to help Dave Pike out in his ministry and just continue to, you know, grow the connection between Liberty and what he’s doing over there,” Bartel added.  

The team managed to spread the gospel in local churches and hockey camps put on by Pike and OM Missions. But while the players delighted in bringing others closer to Christ through the game of hockey, they also found that it deepened their own relationships with the Lord.  

“I kind of struggled with not really being comfortable talking about (the gospel with others),” Bartel said. “But I was able to kind of share my testimony on this trip and was able to talk with some different players and kids about Jesus, and I think I learned that I am able to do that with the help of God.”  

Ottenbreit had an experience similar to the captain.  

“It was a great trip for me, and realizing that now I feel very comfortable … expressing my faith; whereas beforehand, (I) was on the fence,” Ottenbreit said. 

A few of the players decided to take the next step in their faith journeys and were baptized during the trip, including Ottenbreit.  

“I’ve been kind of going back and forth between getting baptized for like the last year and a half (to) two years, and I didn’t do it the first night,” Ottenbreit said. “That whole night I was kind of struggling with why I didn’t do it, and I read my Bible for a bit. I wanted to do it and get in front of the boys, and I texted coach maybe thinking they could set something up the next day. … But the missionary said we’re going to do it now, so I got out of my room at 11:30 at night and was baptized in the cold water, and it was an awesome experience.” 

While everyone on the team works constantly and shares the collective goal of winning the ACHA National Title, that is ultimately not the most rewarding thing according to Handy, who has been leading the program for 22 years now.   

“It’s (the baptisms that) are the most rewarding part of coaching. It’s the most rewarding part of being a part of Liberty University as we talk about our mission at Liberty, training Champions for Christ,” Handy said. “To see guys take the next step, whether it’s the step to follow Jesus, or whether it’s the step of saying, ‘Hey, I’m going to make a public statement here that I’m going to live my life for Jesus in baptism.’ It’s a wonderful thing to be a part of.”  

The Liberty men’s D1 hockey team will return to its home ice this weekend for a two-game series against Adrian College Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. and Feb. 3 at 1 p.m. in the LaHaye Ice Center.

Almy is a sports reporter for the Liberty Champion. Follow him on X