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/ Men's Ice HockeyGet to Know Michael Gildon
1/9/2024 8:38:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Being from Dallas, Texas Michael Gildon didn't have outdoor rinks, or a big hockey community to bring him into the world of hockey. The fifth-year player fell in love with the sport as a kid from his grandfather, who would pick him and his brother up after preschool and take them to the local mall to ice skate.
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Gildon grew up as a Dallas Stars fan, but his favorite player was Sidney Crosby, who plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins. He closely follows Jamie Benn, a Stars player, and tries to model his game after him. Gildon described Benn as a "big power forward" and admires that about him.
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Gildon did not play only hockey when he was younger and played soccer, golf, and baseball, but not football even though he is from Texas where the sport is very popular. He ultimately decided to stick with hockey and stopped playing other sports.
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Until he was 16, Gildon played hockey in Dallas, traveling every weekend. While some may see this as a negative, Gildon thoroughly enjoyed his time playing hockey when he was younger and explained "I played with the same kids growing up until I moved away," which is part of why he enjoyed it so much.
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Gildon's began playing for the Dallas Stars Elite in 2009, where he played until 2017. For juniors, he played for the USA National Team Development Program (NTDP) in Plymouth, Mich. until 2019. While playing for the NTDP, Gildon won a gold medal at the U17 World Challenge in 2017 and received a bronze medal at the 2018 U18 World Hockey Championship.
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Even though he is from Dallas, Gildon has always had ties to Ohio State and the city of Columbus. He chose to attend Ohio State partly because his grandfather, who taught him to play hockey, went to Ohio State, and his mother was born in Columbus. Not only his family ties led him to Ohio State as Gildon said "When I visited, I just fell in love."
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Last spring, Gildon received a bachelor's degree in sport industry, and he is currently working toward his master's degree in sport coaching. He explained that balancing his schoolwork with hockey is difficult sometimes, and that turning work in on time is key.
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A fun fact about Gildon is that he has had both of his shoulders surgically operated on. He also enjoys going to Six Flags and spending time with family and friends during the summers. Gildon also shared that before games, he has to put his gear on in the same way, and the same order.
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From skating around at his local mall after school to playing Division I hockey, Gildon's love for the sport has never faltered. His family's connection to Ohio State led him to the school and he values his time spent here, growing as a person and a hockey player.
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Gildon grew up as a Dallas Stars fan, but his favorite player was Sidney Crosby, who plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins. He closely follows Jamie Benn, a Stars player, and tries to model his game after him. Gildon described Benn as a "big power forward" and admires that about him.
Â
Gildon did not play only hockey when he was younger and played soccer, golf, and baseball, but not football even though he is from Texas where the sport is very popular. He ultimately decided to stick with hockey and stopped playing other sports.
Â
Until he was 16, Gildon played hockey in Dallas, traveling every weekend. While some may see this as a negative, Gildon thoroughly enjoyed his time playing hockey when he was younger and explained "I played with the same kids growing up until I moved away," which is part of why he enjoyed it so much.
Â
Gildon's began playing for the Dallas Stars Elite in 2009, where he played until 2017. For juniors, he played for the USA National Team Development Program (NTDP) in Plymouth, Mich. until 2019. While playing for the NTDP, Gildon won a gold medal at the U17 World Challenge in 2017 and received a bronze medal at the 2018 U18 World Hockey Championship.
Â
Even though he is from Dallas, Gildon has always had ties to Ohio State and the city of Columbus. He chose to attend Ohio State partly because his grandfather, who taught him to play hockey, went to Ohio State, and his mother was born in Columbus. Not only his family ties led him to Ohio State as Gildon said "When I visited, I just fell in love."
Â
Last spring, Gildon received a bachelor's degree in sport industry, and he is currently working toward his master's degree in sport coaching. He explained that balancing his schoolwork with hockey is difficult sometimes, and that turning work in on time is key.
Â
A fun fact about Gildon is that he has had both of his shoulders surgically operated on. He also enjoys going to Six Flags and spending time with family and friends during the summers. Gildon also shared that before games, he has to put his gear on in the same way, and the same order.
Â
From skating around at his local mall after school to playing Division I hockey, Gildon's love for the sport has never faltered. His family's connection to Ohio State led him to the school and he values his time spent here, growing as a person and a hockey player.
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