Catchin' Up With a 'Cat
This edition looks at former Bobcat Bill Roen
For some Bobcats, the road to Bird Arena is a fairly short one. A few stops here and there in Cleveland or the surrounding area, before descending upon Athens.
For Bill Roen, that road started in Canada.
Roen is from Terrace Bay, Ontario. Never heard of it? The 2006 Canadian Census listed the population at 1,625.
He played in Aylmer in the Western Ontario Junior League before making OU his home.
Roen admits to missing “Court Street, the college lifestyle and the laid-back atmosphere,” he said in an email interview.
Arriving for the 1994-95 season, the Bobcats won the ACHA Tournament. Roen was named 1st-team All-Tournament as a Defenseman.
As a sophomore, Roen and the ‘Cats accomplished the same feat-this time beating Iowa State in Bird Arena. Roen says this was his fondest memory.
His junior year once again brought another championship. “We weren’t always the most talented team but our hard work, focus and commitment to each other made us succeed,” he said. You could have guessed-Roen was listed as 1st-team.
In his senior campaign, Ohio fell to Penn State in the finals. For one, last time, Roen earned 1st –team honors.
After graduation, Roen worked in commercial finance. He now works in Sales/Consulting in the banking industry.
But while Roen has left OU, the school and hockey are still in Roen.
He still tries to lace up the skates at least twice a week, and talks to some of his teammates at least once a week. He works hard to make it back to Athens at least once every year.
For current ‘Cats, Roen says to “focus on school and hockey and just enjoy your limited time at OU.”
Roen made more than just friends and memories in Athens. He met his wife here and is awaiting his second child next month.
He hopes both of them will end up in their father’s footsteps-back at OU.
