Former Flin Flin Bomber Paul Soubry is aiming to cap his college career with a fourth straight conference championship.
The Winnipeg product has helped Augsburg College men’s hockey team win the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in each of his three seasons at the Minneapolis school. In each of those years, the Auggies have made the NCAA Division III quarterfinals.
“The culture has truly transitioned from being competitive and hoping for weekend sweeps to now expecting nothing more than a sweep each weekend no matter the competition,” Soubry said. “Each player understands their role and is willing to go to battle each and every game.
“Our success on the ice has also transitioned into the weight and more importantly the classroom. Being Division III athletes, we understand that our academics are extremely important, so we pride ourselves on our work ethic in everything we do.”
Soubry, who has played in eight games this season, has played a role in the Auggies’ success. Augsburg College head coach Chris Brown described him as a dependable centre who has improved himself through hard work each year.
“Paul is a positive influence in our locker room and on our campus,” Brown said. “He is involved in many leadership activities and he gets along well with his teammates. He trains hard and takes his hockey and his academics with a serious eye toward his future. He is well respected by all faculty and staff on campus.”
In the classroom, Soubry is pursuing a double major in marketing and management and minoring in accounting, international business, and management information systems. Brown said Soubry had a 3.85 grade point average entering his senior year. Soubry has earned such honours as American Hockey Coaches Association Division II-III All-American Scholar and Academic All-MIAC.
“I enjoy the small classroom sizes and being able to communicate with my professors and classmates,” Soubry said. “I enjoy the community because the perspective of opinion and diversity is something you will see in the real world. The student-athlete community at Augsburg is extremely supportive also with student-athletes supporting one another in the classroom, in their sports, and even cheering in the stands.”
As an 18-year-old, Soubry played for the Bombers in 2013-2014 before suiting up for the Wichita Falls (Texas) Wildcats of the North American Hockey League for a season.
He said his overall experience in Flin Flon was amazing.
“I am very blessed to have played for such a prestigious and historic junior hockey franchise,” he said, “having amazing fans every night, through the good and the bad. I had an amazing billet mother in Cheryll Clark, who was an amazing second mother for me. She always was caring when I was down, supportive when I felt homesick, and understanding when I needed help or just for some company. I also worked an amazing part-time job at École McIsaac School helping teachers in both the classroom and gymnasium. The staff, as well as the children, were so welcoming that the experience was both enjoyable and beneficial.”
