Army West Point Hockey

Legacy and Family in Action

Army Hockey Head coach Brian Riley wears two steel bracelets, one on each wrist. They bear the names of two graduates who have left an indelible mark on Riley. Leaving legacies to the program, and to the nation, were Major Thomas Kennedy ’00 and First Lieutenant Derek Hines ’03. Both officers were killed in action in Afghanistan: Hines on September 1, 2005 and Kennedy on August 8, 2012. The mention of their names clearly touches a nerve and sets off a passionate response that Riley has repeated many times over. He says, “I would go to the top of any mountain to talk about them.”

“One of the most important jobs I have is to make sure the legacies of our former players live on. I wear these bracelets in honor of that, and I will never take them off. These guys were my guys. They were obviously good hockey players, but more importantly, they were great people, young men and great leaders.” Riley does all he can to make sure his current players understand who Kennedy and Hines were, holding them up as models to emulate. Cadet Trevin Kozlowski ’21 says, “I can only hope to try and accomplish some of the great things that these great men have done.” Full story.