Rock Ruschkowski pivots from puck to putting green and holes out

CALGARY -

A lot of hockey players make good off-season golfers, but when the pandemic shut down the SAIT Trojans hockey team, Rock Ruschkowski discovered he has some game in him.

It all started out as a way to fulfill his competitive juices when COVID shut down hockey season. Ruschkowski tried out for the school golf team and made it, much to his delight.

"I hadn't really played competitive golf at all as a kid and just decided I might as well give it a shot and it worked out," Ruschkowski said.

It worked out well for Ruschkowski and well for the Trojans, as Ruschkowski has turned into one of the top players in the ACAC.

"Still wasn't really sure how good I was going to be stacked up against the other guys, who have been playing golf for most of their lives," he said, "But I ended up doing pretty well. I think I finished tied for fourth or something in the first tournament that I played with SAIT, so I was pretty proud of that."

It's not hard to miss Ruschkowski out on the course – he's the guy with no glove and the 10 finger grip. He hits it a tonne off the tee, but says that's not why he's improved so much.

"Now that I've been focusing on golf a lot more, my short game is starting to improve a lot," Ruschkowski said. "That's where you ultimately score well. I mean, it doesn't really matter how long you can drive the ball if you can't putt or chip…I've noticed that as I've improved those skills especially my game has improved a lot as well."

SAIT men's golf coach Stephen Yanitski said if Ruschkowsi wants, he could take further.

"It's not out of the question for him," Yanitski said. "He's essentially transitioned from being a recreational weekend warrior type of golfer growing up to being one of the better amateur golfers in Alberta and even possibly in the country upcoming, so it's not out of the question for Rock."

Ruschkowski played in the Alberta Open this summer, made the cut and finished top 39 in his first non-college tournament. He's also doing pretty well in the classroom, in his final year of civil engineering.

What lies ahead remains to be seen.

"First and foremost I think hockey is my goal," Ruschkowski said. "I'd love to try and play overseas, but I mean, I'd love to play professionally in any capacity within both sports while I'm still young."