Inside the crease with Steve Bounds

When it comes to life, St. Scholastica senior goaltender Steve Bounds wants just one thing, to be happy.

“I want to wake up every day with a smile on my face,” he said.

Recently, Bounds and his Saints teammates have had a lot to smile about.

Going into play this weekend, the St. Scholastica is riding a four game unbeaten streak and Bounds is getting set to graduate in May with a degree in business management.

Bounds has played in all five of the teams games this season and his play has helped lead the Saints to a No. 15 ranking in all of Div. III hockey.

Bounds said rankings don’t mean much to him.

“You have to go out and prove what you can do,” he said. “You have go prepare to play any team just like any other. Any day one hockey team can beat another.”

His play between the pipes has been solid all season, including in last Saturday’s 3-0 win over Hamline University where he picked up 41 saves in the shutout.

So far this season, he has a .197 goals against average and a saves percentage of .938.

However, Bounds wasn’t always a goalie. He started playing hockey when he was five years old in Alberta. After about a year of playing as a position player, he started splitting time as a goaltender and a position player. But by the time he was seven, he was concentrating his efforts on goaltending.

Growing up, he participated in other sports like soccer and football. But he never liked any sport as much as he likes hockey.

“I’ve always wanted to be a goalie,” he said.

Bounds’ hometown of Airdrie, Alberta, is a 21-hour drive, but he said making the decision to come to Scholastica wasn’t one that worried him.

He said that he has a good relationship with his family and, although he is away, they are able to stay close.

“I talk to them at least once a week,” Bounds said. “And text my mom throughout the day.”

Over the past few years, his parents have come down to Duluth once or twice to see Saints games, but will probably come more often this year, since it’s his last season.

This winter, he is going to Jamaica with his family during the holiday break. Bounds said his family does that every year.

He’s been to Hawaii, St. Thomas, St. Martin and Florida.

As a youth hockey player, he grew up playing against current Saints teammate Joey Martini, who lived in a neighboring city.

“We didn’t personally know each other, but we knew of each other,” Bounds said. “I came down here my first year and he was my roommate and now he’s one of my closest friends.”

Once he graduates, Bounds is not sure where he would like to end up. He hopes, like most, that he will get a chance to try-out for a professional hockey team somewhere. But, after that, he’s not sure.

He said it’s possible that he would like to stay somewhere in the United States, but he can’t rule out going back to Canada.

Attending Scholastica has given Bounds experiences that he will never forget as a hockey player and as a person.

As a hockey player, he enjoyed being a part of the team that ended a winless drought against Wisconsin-Superior in 2007. Although he wasn’t playing, he said he was very happy to be here for that moment.

While it’s still fairly early in his senior year, Bounds is willing to take time to reflect.

“I just say thanks for the opportunity,” he said. “It was the best four years of my life. I couldn’t have had a better time.”

This weekend, Bounds and his teammates will travel to Wisconsin-River Falls and Wisconsin-Stout. This is the first weekend of NCHA play for the Saints.

“We’ve had a good week of practice,” Bounds said. “We’re excited to go there and play teams in our conference.”

The Saints have had their fair share of success in River Falls over the last few seasons, including eliminating the home-team Falcons from the playoffs two years in a row.

The Saints hope this weekend is no different with a struggling Falcon squad.

“We seem to have their number as of late,” Bounds said. “We really like the atmosphere there. We almost feel like we’re at home.”

Between the Pipes with Steve Bounds

Favorite Movie: Dumb and Dumber

Favorite Band: Goo Goo Dolls and System of a Down

Favorite TV Show: Family Guy

Favorite Food: Steak

Favorite Day of the Week: Friday

Favorite Number: 39

Favorite Athlete: Tiger Woods

***Article written by Sarah Packingham of the Duluth Budgeteer***