Former Glenwood Springs hockey goalie heads to Montana State

Marek Senn, former goaltender of the Glenwood Demons and 2024 Glenwood Springs High School alumnus, has made the Montana State Bobcats D2 roster and will represent the Roaring Fork Valley while taking his hockey career to the next step. 

“I’m thrilled to start this new chapter of my life,” Senn said. “I’m so grateful for the opportunity the team has given me to play at a high level. It’s been a little difficult to cope with school and hockey in this first quarter, but I’ve been able to adjust. I was drawn to MSU because of their good education programs, great community, and beautiful environment.”

He grew up during the heyday of Grizzly Hockey, the youth hockey program for Glenwood Springs and the surrounding area. Thanks to his older brother and father/coach, he was a regular around the Glenwood Springs Ice Rink, helping his love and admiration of the game grow exponentially during his formative years. 

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“I’ve always been drawn to the goalie position,” he said. “When I was a kid, I would only be interested in watching the goalies play. Watching their movement and their athletic ability was eye-opening for me. It definitely influenced me to become one.”

The movement and the last line of defense that goaltenders represent always enthralled him, though it took a while to develop the stern and non-wavering mindset that is stereotyped to goalies. 

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“Marek took a while to develop a goalie’s mentality,” his father, Nick Senn, recalled. “As a younger goalie, he was volatile after a bad goal or a loss. Over time, I think he has learned to channel that intensity and refocus setbacks into challenges to overcome. That goalie mindset is totally unique and explains some of his inner drive.”

Marek Senn’s motivation to stay on the ice ends with his undying love for the game, but it began with watching his older brother, Aiden, on the ice and his father coaching him. 

“My motivation comes from my love for the game. If I didn’t have that passion, I would’ve hung up the skates,” Marek Senn said. “Besides that, I want to make my parents, friends, and loved ones proud of what I do. I’ve always looked up and wanted to be like my older brother. From hockey, school, and other activities, he has shown me how to be a better person and player on the ice. I’ve always had mixed feelings about having my dad as a coach, but looking back, I am genuinely grateful for his dedication. He has shaped me into who I am today, and I always want my dad to be proud of the player I am on the ice.”

He was the starting goalie for one of the best teams the Glenwood Demons hockey program has seen so far in its young lifespan. In his first year starting for the Demons, he helped propel Glenwood to the 4A state championship, a game in which he went nearly six periods without letting in a goal.

Now, two years removed from the heartbreaking triple-overtime defeat, he looks to help the Bobcats reach even greater heights. He finished his high school career with an 86.8% save percentage and a state championship runner-up banner hanging in the rafters. 

“The past two seasons have changed my mindset on hockey as a whole,” Senn said. “Many of my former teammates and coaches pushed me to be the best player and teammate I could be while also teaching me the discipline that comes with it.”

He starts his new challenge with a chip on his shoulder. He makes the team as the third-string goalie, with older and more experienced keepers on the roster ahead of him, but he isn’t showing any signs of floundering and is excited for a new chapter.

“This year, as a freshman goalie, Marek is going to learn quickly that he will need to put in the work to make it to the next level,” Nick Senn said. “MSU has a great staff and senior goalie captain that I hope he can learn from to improve his game. As a walk-on, I also think he will need to continually prove himself to the coaches in practice, so they have the confidence to use him in a game eventually.”