Feb. 17, 2005

EAST LANSING, Mich. - With playing on the same collegiate team, living together for the past two years, alongside being brothers, one would think that sibling rivalry might take its toll on Spartan hockey's Adam and Jared Nightingale. But not so say the boys. They have a special opportunity to share many things together being so close, but it was only a few weeks ago that they shared their favorite memory so far at Michigan State.

"The GLI has to be my favorite memory at Michigan State so far," smiled Jared. "It was actually really funny. I was battling when the team jumped off the bench onto the bench. My foot had gotten stuck and I couldn't get over the boards. Adam had already jumped over and was some 20 feet away, and he quickly skated back to come back and get me."

"I was like, let's go Jerry!" Adam laughed.

"Adam pulled me right over the boards, because I had got stuck," remarked Jared. "I was so excited. That is something fun and special, something funny to be able to share as brothers."

It may be said that the truly worthwhile things in life do not come easy. Those things that ultimately matter must be earned, with sacrifices being made to get where you want to go. Such is the case for many hockey families, including these boys. The memories now are fun to laugh at and enjoy, but it took some struggles and sacrifices to get the Nightingales to where they are now.

Growing up in Cheboygan, Mich., the brothers, who are three years apart, each began their love affair with the sport of hockey at a young age. Both boys played hockey throughout their early years, with the complete support of each of their parents backing them. Ron and Debbie Nightingale made many sacrifices for their sons, giving up their own evenings after long days at work, spending their small amount of free time driving their boys to hockey practice an hour and a half away in Sault Ste. Marie. It was a sacrifice that made a lasting impression with each of their sons because it was a sacrifice that their parents made unselfishly.

"I don't think that my parents really expected Adam and myself to be where we are today," remarked the younger Nightingale, Jared. "Hockey was something that they saw that their kids wanted to do. That's what is so awesome about it. They didn't see it as, `Well my kid is going to get a scholarship so I should take them to practice.' It was something that we wanted to do, so they whole heartedly supported us, took us to practice and came to as many games as they could."

As well as supporting their children's desire to play the game of hockey, Adam and Jared's parents also raised their boys with deep morals and Christian beliefs. These two intangible qualities have become a strong part of each player's lifestyle, even now at college. Their foundational beliefs affect both how they live their life off of the ice as well as on the ice. Their strong upbringing has ultimately helped the duo, as they each eventually made their way through some hardships coming from Lake Superior State to Michigan State.

When Spartan head coach Rick Comley was coaching at Northern Michigan several seasons ago, he recruited each of the Nightingale boys to come and play for the CCHA-rival Wildcats. While each player was impressed with NMU's coach, both chose to attend Lake Superior State University, where their older brother Jason was already playing. Adam played two seasons with the Lakers before things fell through in Saulte Ste. Marie, and both he and Jared (who had been recruited and signed a letter of intent to play with LSSU) decided to play their college hockey elsewhere. By this time, Comley had left NMU and taken the head coaching position with Michigan State. It was then that Coach Comley finally was granted his wish, and with the Nightingale's release from Lake State, each player decided to come and make a visit to MSU.

Jared Nightingale, Adam's younger brother, also is in his second season as an assistant captain for the MSU hockey program.

"Coach was interested in having us come here," said Jared. "So Adam and I came for a visit and we ended up committing on that same day. I committed right then and there, while Adam took some time and committed over the phone on the ride back home."

"I was originally recruited by Michigan State before and I always liked it here," remarked Adam. "But it was a dream for me to play at Lake State, since we lived so close. But playing in the CCHA for two years with Lake State, you really got a feel for how much respect Michigan State got around the league. I always looked at it as kind of a classy university and felt that it would be an honor to be a part of it."

With Jared entering MSU as a freshman with full eligibility, Adam arrived in East Lansing as a transfer, being forced to sit out one entire season to gain back eligibility for his final two years of college hockey. Sitting out was quite a challenge for a guy use to playing, but it was one of the many battles that Adam has faced where his strong background has been beneficiary, keeping him a positive player while waiting in the stands. He learned many lessons that season, lessons that have helped him even through some struggles this year.

"I think that sitting out made me really appreciate being out there and just being able to practice and battle for a spot in the lineup or play in a game," said Adam. "Sometimes you just come into the season thinking, `OK, this year I'll get a lot of playing time.' But I was just practicing, so I was forced to be patient and more appreciative of what I did get to do."

Adam's positive attitude and character qualities did not go unnoticed by the Spartan coaching staff. His demeanor during that transfer season earned him the honor of being named as an assistant captain for 2003-04, without having ever appeared in a game for Michigan State. He received the honor of wearing an "A" again this season.

Jared also was named as assistant captain during the 03-04 campaign. Coach Comley deemed him an "A" during the middle of his sophomore year. This season, the junior defenseman was voted an assistant by his teammates.

Battling through some tough times early on in their collegiate career as hockey players have made the duo much stronger as people. Each learned valuable lessons en route to Spartan hockey, and they continue to learn as their time with the Spartans continues. But both boys believe ultimately that it is their background and beliefs that have served to help them so much and make them the leaders that they are today.

"I think that being raised in that background by our parents has just showed us what is important in life," commented Jared. "It's not about how many goals or assists that you get or how many games that you get to play in that matters most. That stuff, hockey will be done sometime. It doesn't last forever."

"My parents always told us that 10 or 20 years from now, you aren't going to be able to remember what game you sat out or what game you didn't play in," said Adam. "People are going to remember what kind of person you are, how you treated others and what kind of effort that you gave. It's not about the numbers."

And so the brothers continue to battle hard on the ice and succeed as players, but they do so with their heads on straight. Mom and Dad taught them well, and it is something both of the boys will continue to build upon in their futures here at MSU, hoping to make even more new memories that they can share together both as teammates and as brothers.

By Julie Petri, MSU Sports Information