What started as participation in Try Hockey For Free Day has turned into a college coaching opportunity for UVU accounting student Jayden Eakett. Eakett was recently named the new assistant defensive coach for the UVU hockey team. 

“I’m anxious to get going and jump right into this position,” Eakett said. “I’m excited to make the transition from player to coach and to be able to share my knowledge of the game in a new role.”

Eakett’s history with hockey started when he first tried skating at 6 years old. He played hockey locally in Provo until he was 15, when he was invited to play for the Utah Junior Grizzlies. He joined as part of their defense and continued in that position as he transitioned to the Utah Golden Eagles, the Ogden Mustangs, the Las Vegas Storm, and eventually the UVU Wolverines, where he played for three seasons.

“I decided to play for UVU because my cousins are on the team and I wanted to get my education,” Eakett said. “It was unique juggling sports and studying. I really had to set time aside to be a student as well as a hockey player. There were a lot of late nights at the gym and early morning practices.”

After multiple concussions, Eakett decided it was time to hang up his Wolverine jersey, but he wasn’t ready to end his collegiate hockey career. Instead, he wanted to “be involved in the game from a new perspective.” He reached out to head coach Darin Peck to see if there were any openings on the coaching staff and was offered the position as assistant defensive coach.

“I love the game and want to give back,” Eakett said.

UVU’s club hockey team was chartered in 2016 after a six-year absence from the university. With a team that’s fairly new to the collegiate circuit, Eakett said that he is excited to apply his five years of coaching experience to “improve team defense as a whole.”

He’s also excited to continue his affiliation with UVU club sports.

“A lot of students that participate in club sports are there because they love the game,” he said. “Club sports aren’t always sponsored by the university, so the extra drive and dedication is there from the athletes who are sometimes paying out of pocket to play the sport they love. I encourage anyone interested in a club sport to try it out.”