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In-Depth Interview
October 7, 1996
 Sarah: Can you tell me what the atmosphere was like Saturday night before you guys were announced? (NOTE: Saturday night was the first home game)
Matt Libby: The atmosphere was really high, everybody was really excited and ready to go. You know there was a lot of emotions before the game but you don't want to get caught up in all the hype. You still want to stay focused on the game, but everybody was real excited to come out in front of all those people. A good atmosphere and we came out and played real well in the first period.
Sarah: What did you think of the crowd Saturday night?
M. Libby: I was pretty impressed. Back home I played for another junior team, we had maximum 800 people, and that happened every couple months. So I was pretty impressed to see 3,000 fans...and they were really loud.
Sarah: When did you first here about the Bucs?
Libby: I've been familiar with the USHL for the past couple of years or so. I played in the Chicago Showcase, which is a high school all-american tournament. Scott Owens saw me play a couple of games there, he called me up two weeks after I got home from Chicago, he let me know that he was interested and wanted me to come out and try out for the team. That's were I first became familiar with the program, when Scott called me up and introduced me to it.
Sarah: What made you decide to come here?
Libby: I was deciding whether I should stay home and play with the junior team I did last year, or go to prep school. Prep school fell through because it was just too much money and this opportunity came about. The level of competition here is much greater than back home. I came out here and tried out for the team and was pretty much hooked. I liked the coaches, I liked the players, it was really good hockey, and I liked the set up here. So it was a no brainer for me.
Sarah: When did you start playing hockey?
Libby: I started playing when I was six years old.
Sarah: Why did you start?
Libby: Well my parents first started me, I didn't really like it when I first started. Actually I hated it. But they made me go back the second day and I kept going back. The rest is pretty much history, I've liked it ever since.
Sarah: How long have you played defense?
Libby: I played defense basically my whole life. I played it all the way up until high school, I played it my freshmen year, then my sophomore and junior year I played offense because they needed some help out front. Last year I started playing defense again with the junior team I played with. So basically I've played defense my whole life except for the two years where I played offense.
Sarah: Tell me about some of the past teams you've played on?
Libby: I played on my high school team, which is Thornton Academy. We were a pretty decent average team, nothing really great. The level of competition in high school really wasn't that great so I decided to take a step up and play for a junior team based in Biddeford, which is the next town over. I played with that team and it was really great, I mean the hockey was really good, and had a good tempo. Much more competition and you get seen by more scouts. This team, I think, could become one of the better teams I've been associated with. There's a lot of good hockey players and we have a lot of potential.
Sarah: What is your favorite pro and/or college team?
Libby: My favorite pro team is the Boston Bruins and I'd have to say my favorite college team has always been the University of Maine. (Matt is wearing a Maine sweatshirt)
Sarah: Do you have a favorite player?
Libby: Yeah, Ray Bourque is my favorite. I like Bourque and Chelios, but my favorite overall would be Ray Bourque for the Bruins.
Sarah: Besides hockey what are some of your other hobbies?
Libby: I played football and baseball in high school. I like to do every kind of sport there is basically. I like tennis. I'm not really a good golfer, I've never really golfed that much, everybody's trying to get me started 'cause I guess that's the thing to do if your a hockey player. I like camping and doing the hiking stuff. Pretty much everything. Outdoor stuff.
Sarah: What are your college plans?
Libby: Next year I'm going to go to Providence College in Rhode Island. I talked to them this summer. I came out here to try and prepare myself for next year to play for Providence.
Sarah: What do you like best about Des Moines?
Libby: I'm not so sure about the city overall, but the people within the organization are really nice. They're really supportive, you probably couldn't meet better people they make you feel at home. I like Des Moines, I like the city, it's a lot different from Maine, that's for sure. It's kinda nice taking rode trips going to Minnesota, all you see is corn fields. You guys are probably tired of it, but me coming from Maine you know it's scenic really. It's not that bad, you get to see a lot of the country, so I like it out here.
Sarah: What's good about being away from home and what's bad about being away from home?
Libby: What's good about being away from home is you get to be on your own. I lived with my family for the past eighteen years, I was really looking forward to moving out on my own and being a little more independent. Getting to meet new people is a big thing. Coming out here you don't have your parents to look to anymore you have to take care of yourself. You meet a lot of new people and experience a different part of the country. What's bad about being away from home? Well, obviously I miss a lot of my friends from back home and high school. I definitely miss my family number one, I'm used to going home from hockey or whatever and laying on my coach and talking with my family. I have three sisters and my mom and dad and they're really supportive, I miss that aspect of being home. I talk to them on the phone, and that's all right but... Other than that you miss being home and you miss the things you take for granted back home that you don't realize you'll miss when you go away. I'm not that bad off really, the host family I'm staying with is tremendously nice, so it's working out well.
Sarah: What would the fans be surprised to know about you?
Libby: Your gonna have to turn the recorder off to let me think of this one! I guess one thing the fans would be surprised to know about me is that I'm a pretty quiet guy. In the locker rooms before the game I usually try to stay focused. Everybody in the locker room does, everybody has there own way of preparing for the game, and I usually just try to focus in and block everything out. Really concentrate on what I have to do, stay focused and quiet, go about my business.
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