“GCISD taught me how to take responsibility and how to prioritize,” said Jeff Baum. A 2015 graduate from iUniversity Prep, Baum has been playing junior hockey for three seasons since his graduation. His career began in 2014,with two seasons with the Wichita Falls Wildcats in the Eastern Hockey League, followed by his time with the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the North American Hockey League. Baum is currently wrapping up his junior hockey career and will transition to NCAA after his commitment to play hockey at Providence College in Hockey East this August.
Baum’s journey through playing junior hockey is full of memories and lessons that he can take with him into his collegiate career.
“My first year in New York when I played in the EHL I played with a lot of older, more mature guys, so I had to grow up fast. Things started off crazy in Wichita Falls,” Baum said, “I broke my ankle and was out for four months and, in a way, became a cheerleader for the team. This taught me how to be a guy that could make more of an impact not only on the ice, but in the locker room.”
However, if he had the opportunity to tell his high school self something now, he would tell himself to never be afraid to ask for help, no matter the situation.
If he wasn’t seeking a career in hockey you would most likely find Baum pursuing a business degree and working for the family-owned car dealership.
The best advice Baum could give to GCISD students is to be goal-oriented.
“Write down your goals and look at them once a month,” Baum said. “It's one thing to know what your goals are but it's even better to write them down and even read them, then go out and do them.”
