This is Sideline Stories. A platform where NE10 student-athletes can share their collegiate experiences in an unfiltered environment - using their voices to promote growth and positive change in our league and overall in NCAA Division II athletics.

James Varney, a senior on the Stonehill ice hockey team, has taken advantage of every opportunity since joining the Skyhawks - on and off the ice. He has selflessly given his time to numerous charitable causes and has made a big impact along the way. He shares his thoughts in this edition of Sideline Stories:

During my tenure at Stonehill, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside a number of incredible teams, both on and off the ice. One of the driving factors behind my decision to attend Stonehill was the opportunities available for extracurricular engagement within the community and athletic conference. 

Growing up in Smithfield, Maine, there were not many opportunities to dig into. Attending Stonehill gave me the means to continue playing the sport that I love and the opportunity to have a larger impact on the community around me through charitable organizations.

As a freshman, my initial interest in SAAC, Stonehill’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, opened more doors in my remaining three years than I ever could have imagined. As a senior, I have since been able to work with Stonehill’s SAAC, the NE10 SAAC, Stonehill’s Hope Happens Here chapter, the Make-A-Wish campus ambassador program, the Team IMPACT fellowship program, the JED Foundation, Stonehill’s ROTC and the men’s ice hockey team.

The most uplifting part of my experience at Stonehill has been the enthusiasm and engagement present within my peers, especially with regards to charitable endeavors and mental health initiatives. Our students are so willing to engage and pursue a common cause; all they needed were better means to facilitate it. It's incredible to see how passionate Stonehill student-athletes are when it comes to supporting each other.

Some of my most meaningful experiences over the past four years have been with Team Impact, a national nonprofit that connects children facing serious chronic illnesses with college teams. Team Impact fellows help to support the development and continued success of relationships on campus.

Working with Team Impact has allowed me to see, full circle, how these relationships can be life-changing for both the children and athletes involved. As athletes, we often take for granted the family atmosphere that develops within college teams, until we can share it with a child who has never been able to experience that connection.

Our most recent endeavor at Stonehill has come through Hope Happens Here, a mental health platform that started in 2015 at Saint Michael’s College. Our ice hockey captain, Mike Seibold, approached my roommate Jack Scannell and I this past summer with a plan to open a Stonehill HHH Chapter. The goal was to help students deal with the stigmas associated with mental health and seeking help. Following Mike’s determination, our leadership group grew to include members from six different athletic teams.

Since our establishment as a chapter, we’ve had a lot of success in connecting students to positive mental health resources. Most of our outreach comes through sponsoring games, partnering with fundraisers, and operating on social media.

We want Stonehill students to know that there are resources available to help when we are struggling with mental health and that seeking help should be encouraged. In the future, we hope to continue spreading a positive message to all our followers through community events, more sponsored games, and mental health seminars.

From an ROTC standpoint, I’m very fortunate to be a cadet within the Charles River Battalion. This past summer, I completed training at the ROTC basic camp in Fort Knox, Kentucky, where we learned about leadership, teamwork, and basic duties required of an Army officer.

ROTC has given me the chance to pursue my dream of becoming an Infantry Officer; additionally, the program has connected me to a few incredible organizations like the Tough Ruck Marathon. Sponsored by the Boston Marathon, the organization’s purpose is to ruck in honor and in memory of our fallen service members, police, firefighter, and EMTs, while raising funds to support military families in times of need.

It’s great to see so many active leaders taking part in these on-campus organizations. An overall goal that we’ve had through the process of establishing these committees is to ensure their longevity.

I fully anticipate seeing Stonehill students carrying on these initiatives, continuing to improve and build for years to come. I truly look forward to seeing the future success that Stonehill students will offer to this institution and division.

- James Varney