James van Riemsdyk

Quick Hitters

When did you start playing hockey?
I started playing hockey when I was 3 years old at clinics. I started played organized hockey when I was 6 years old in Wall, N.J.

Who was your first coach?
My first coach was Mike Reynolds. He taught me at the learn to play clinics, and then later on he was my high school coach.

What other sports did you play growing up?
I played a little bit of baseball as well as soccer.

How important is it to play other sports?
I think it just makes you a better athlete and being a better athlete will make you a better hockey player. Doing other things to develop other skills definitely makes you a better hockey player.

What advice do you have for young players?
If you work hard and have fun with it the rest will take care of itself.

Do you think about playing for Team USA in Vancouver?
Any chance you have to represent your country on an international stage is a complete honor. Any chance I have to do that in the future I’d have no hesitation at all.

Who is the toughest player to play against?
Nate Gerbe of Boston College. He’s so competitive and so quick that he’s always going 100 miles per hour. He’s one of those players who is really hard to play against.

Favorite Things

Who’s the person you’d most like to meet (in or out of hockey)?
In hockey I would say Wayne Gretzky because of all he’s done for the game and how good a player he was. Out of hockey I would like to meet Tiger Woods because he’s such a determined guy and a great competitor.

What’s your favorite city to play in?
I’d have to go with playing at home with UNH in Durham, N.H. It’s always a great
atmosphere.

What would you do if you had two days off during the season?
I’d probably go home to catch up with some of my friends, which is always a blast.

What is the best advice you ever got?
One of my coaches growing up, Alex DePalma, said ‘the harder you work the luckier you get.’ It’s something I try to live up to every day.

What’s your favorite food?
I’ll go with pizza.

What’s your favorite TV show?
SportsCenter

What’s your favorite magazine?
USA Hockey Magazine

What’s your all-time favorite movie?
I just saw Vantage Point and it was awesome.

Who’s your favorite band?
Dave Matthews Band

What’s the best concert you’ve ever been to?
John Mayer at the PNC Bank Arts Center in New Jersey.

What was your first job?
I was an instructor at a hockey camp.

What do you want to do after hockey?
I’d like to end up in New Jersey still being involved in the game somehow.