Hockey Head Coach: “The Handy-Man”

In the afternoon of Friday, Sept. 23, Head Coach Kirk Handy prepared for just another game for his D1 Flames hockey team. 

“I was trying to treat it like any other day and any other game,” Handy said. 

But that matchup against West Virginia was unlike any other for Handy and his unit. After a dominant win from the Flames, Handy walked out of that arena with his 500th win under his belt. 

Handy has been the head coach of this Flames team for 23 seasons, and even though he’s been showered with praise for this legendary accomplishment, that praise is never the goal.

 “I think especially in the last 10 to 15 years, I’ve gotten away from what’s in it for me and more what can I do with the opportunity I’ve been given here at Liberty,” Handy said. “The opportunity to impact lives, the opportunity to be part of a special vision of Liberty of training champions for Christ.”

And train them he does, both on the ice and off. This Flames team, which is off to a 4-0 start, looks formidable this season. Last season, the team fought its way into the ACHA national championship and is looking to repeat that feat this season, hopefully extending its time in the playoffs. 

Being a coach is more than being a play-caller behind the bench. It’s about being a mentor and a friend to the men on this team. Handy takes special pride in that and especially in watching his players grow and mature after they leave the program. 

“I want to be a coach for life,” Handy said. “I want to be someone who’s there for them, not only when they’re here at Liberty, but as they navigate the rest of their lives.”  

That passion for coaching, however, wasn’t always there for Handy. At the beginning of his coaching journey, his plan wasn’t quite what his career turned out to be. 

“I never went into it thinking that (I would be doing this to coach),” Handy said. “I went into it because I was following a passion of mine.” 

Whether or not this was his plan, Handy has turned this career into one for the history books. 

Looking back, Handy can be proud of all he’s accomplished, but his career is far from over. 

“I really find a sense of our guys not being satisfied in where they’re at and always wanting to strive towards being all that God wants us to be,” Handy said. “That’s on and off the ice.” 

That sense of not being satisfied and never settling has become the theme for this Flames team. 

The Flames will move on to face elite competition in Minot State University Oct. 7 and Adrian Oct. 14. Those two teams, along with UNLV, have been tough challenges for the Flames in the past. The stiffer competition, however, seems to excite this group.

“We’ve set the schedule up this way for a reason because we want to play with the best and be the best in the nation,” Handy said. “For us, it’s going to teach us a lot about ourselves, and we’re looking forward to it. I think we’ve got a group of guys who don’t want to settle for being a team who is (just) good. We want to continue to be a team that’s great.” 

Palsgrove is a sports reporter for the Liberty Champion. Follow him on twitter