In-Depth Interview
October 30, 1996
 Sarah: What was Phillips Andover like, tell me about it.
Sean Austin: Phillips Andover, I went there four years. It's rated the number one school in the nation, the academic curriculum is the most rigorous of all prep schools. It's division one program for athletics. I went there and boarded four years, I struggled academically, but I made a lot of strides and improved. It was definitely a struggle, but I met some unbelievable people. It's the most diverse prep school, the institution is the most diverse. George Bush went there, the Kennedy's, Humphrey Bogart, John F. Kennedy Jr. We made a lot of strides with hockey we improved every year, because our admission standards are so high we can't always get the best hockey players in the triple A. You are usually short-handed compared to other teams, but we went all the way to the prep school finals. That was like the pinnacle of Phillips Andover, the best record in twenty years, 20-6-1. I just graduated this past June.
Sarah: Tell me about your family life, do you have any brothers or sisters?
S. Austin: I have a brother, Chris, who just turned 23. He graduated from Lake Forest College, he played hockey out there. He actually just got a job, in Chicago, so he'll be living out there for awhile. I have three older sisters, I'm the baby of the family. Tara's 26, she lives in San Francisco. Sheila Joe, she's 28, she's a nurse. Ann Marie is 30, she's my oldest sister. Sheila Joe and Ann Marie are still living at home, saving their money, we are trying to get them married off. They've got good jobs for themselves. My mother's from Ireland, she's really special. She has a really strong brogue. My dad, he's a retired police officer, he just loves hockey for his hobby. Two of my biggest supporters.
Sarah: In comparison to Boston what do you like and dislike about Des Moines?
Austin: It's really easy to get along. Although I do come from Boston I don't really like the hustle and bustle of the city. The people are a lot warmer, things are a lot slower out here. I think in the Midwest, the people in Des Moines in general are real warm hearted. There's a lot more to do in Boston. Just living in Boston you like it. You've got the ocean there's a lot of stuff to do. You've got four big sports teams, the Patriots, Bruins, Celtics, and the Red Sox. Boston is a really historic town with a lot of tradition. I guess the only thing about being out here is that I miss my family, but I don't miss them that much because I hear from them enough to keep me lasting.
Sarah: Is your family just like you? All clowns?
Austin: Ya, they're all nuts.
Sarah: There's nothing you really dislike about Des Moines?
Austin: It's not that I dislike it, I like it. The fans are unbelievable. I'm accustomed to ten people at a game at prep school. The support wasn't there. Out here it's unbelievable to play in front of all these fans. The fans are a big part of our game strategy, we talk about it in the locker room. Getting them in the game and knocking the other team off, getting them mentally out of it, the opposition. It makes you play better when you have all those people cheering.
Sarah: So what you thought of Des Moines changed when you saw all the fans?
Austin: Definitely, I was a little skeptical at first, but...
Sarah: How old where you when you started playing?
Austin: I started skating when I was three, or four.
Sarah: Why did you start?
Austin: My older brother did it and all his friends. My friends started getting into it, my friends usually had older brothers that hung out with my brother. So it was kinda like the thing to do. My parents put me into it when my brother started it. I pretty much followed in my brothers footsteps through my childhood. Oh yah, you got to mention my brother Chris, about how I look up to him, he'll love it.
Sarah: When did you first hear about the Bucs?
Austin: I heard about this league through prep school, but I really didn't know anything about the Bucs. The whole concept was pretty foreign to me, the academics are stressed so much. I didn't know about how good this league was, but how I first heard about the Bucs was through coach Owens and Boxer. I had friends that play in this league, that's actually the first reason. Well, actually the first reason I heard about the Bucs was through Ethan Philpott, former Andover team mate.
Sarah: Why did you decide to play for the Bucs?
Austin: Because a lot of college's, they really veer away from taking kids right out of prep school for their college programs. They just love the junior kids so I'd rather come out here and develop skills. Playing in this level of competition it's just so high developmentally oriented. It's just so much better and that's why I came out here. To elevate my game and become more prepared for college.
Sarah: Did you have any other choices?
Austin: I almost went to college, but do you mean junior teams? I looked at other teams in the USHL, Omaha, Waterloo, Sioux City.
Sarah: Have you always played defense?
Austin: No, actually I've always played forward. Because of the needs of the team on my prep school we were short defenseman so I volunteered. I moved back because of the needs of the team. I played forward all my life, that's the only reason I came out here, to develop my skills defensively.
Sarah: How long have you played defense?
Austin: Since my sophomore year in high school, so this'll be my fourth year.
Sarah: What do you like best?
Austin: I like defense the best.
Sarah: Tell me about some of the past teams you've played for.
Austin: Growing up I played for Malden youth hockey. In the eight grade I played for the Middlesux Islanders, that was the Metropolitan Boston Hockey League. Then in the ninth grade I entered Phillips Andover.
Sarah: Do you have a favorite pro or college team?
Austin: Growing up in Boston I like the Bruins the most, but they haven't been to successful in the past.
Sarah: Do you have a favorite college team?
Austin: Well, I'm going to UNH with my friend Eric Lind, so I guess I'd have to say they're my favorite team. Well actually I've always had a passion for Harvard. My friends went there and there's a lot of tradition there. But I have to focus my energies toward University of New Hampshire now. My old prep school coach was a captain at Harvard, you have to mention him, Chris Gurry. He was very instrumental throughout my life, he was my counselor slash hockey coach.
Sarah: What do you like to do besides hockey?
Austin: In the summer's I enjoy running and lifting. I lifted at Boston University at their facilities with Mike Boyle. I like fishing, water sports, water skiing, tubin'. I like a lot of things, I like music.
Sarah: Do you have any goals for the future?
Austin: Earn a degree from college and be sucessful and have a family. As long as I'm healthy I'll be happy.
Sarah: Finish this sentence: The fans would be surprised to know that I...
Austin: The fans would be surprised to know that I ride a Harley.
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