Where Are They Now?
As a Rochester Mayo High School alum, Leimbek had played in a career high 28 games in the 1998-99 season (Woog’s last) and finished his Gopher career with 27 total points.
After graduating from The U with a degree in Sports Management, Leimbek has entered the competitive mortgage lending industry and often utilizes many of the lessons learned as a Gopher in the business world. The former Gopher recently took time with GopherHole to talk about his days as a Gopher, the differences between Woog and Lucia and his transition to Corporate America.
GH.com: Where has your post Gopher career taken you?
Leimbek: I graduated from The U with a degree in sports management and from there I entered the business world. I took a job out of college with Wells Fargo in its mortgage lending business and absolutely loved it. I then had an opportunity with Mortgages on Main in its North Oaks office. I really love this business as it’s a competitive industry and I like that you always have to be at your best. If anyone is interested at all in refinancing or a new loan, I can be reached at 651-484-7666 or they can check us out online at http://www.mom-tc.com/. I love working with Gopher fans as its always fun to reminisce about memories as a player or about the current Gopher teams. One of the guys on my business team and one of my close friends is former Gopher football player, Ryan Domin. In my personal life, I got married to my beautiful wife Melissa in October of 2002. We currently live in Maple Grove.
GH.com: Has your background as a Gopher athlete helped in your business career?
Leimbek: Oh yes absolutely it has. I think more than anything having a background in athletics whether at the collegiate level or in high school, the lessons learned in sports have a direct correlation to business. Learning the importance of teamwork of working through issues is so important and sports taught me that. In addition, the mortgage industry is very competitive and obviously sports is as well. As far as being a Gopher athlete and now building a career in the Twin Cities, yes, that has really helped. There are a lot of passionate Gopher fans out there and its fun to meet them in the business setting and share stories.
GH.com: Thinking back to your playing days, why did you choose to be a Gopher?
Leimbek: I was recruited heavily by most of the WCHA, but Colorado College and St. Cloud State in particular. But when the Gophers offered, it was a no-brainer. I think every little kid in the state that puts on a pair of skates dreams of one day being a Gopher and I was fortunate to have the opportunity to live out that dream. I love everything about the program and to be able to play in front of friends and family every game was very special.
GH.com: Do you still strap on the skates and play hockey?
Leimbek: I do on occasion. There is a group of us that get together each year for a weekend tournament in Rochester, but my body pays the price for a week after!
GH.com: Thinking back to your days as a Gopher, is there a game that stands out more than others?
Leimbek: The first game I ever played we played Michigan at the Target Center. That is easily my most vivid memory. Just putting on that “œM” and knowing that everything I have worked for was coming true. It was an amazing experience.
GH.com: If you could play against one team one last time, who would it be?
Leimbek: We had some great rivalries with Wisconsin and North Dakota, but if I could play at St. Cloud State again I would to it in a heartbeat. Having their fans throwing frozen dead gophers at us is something I’ll never forget. They had such a hatred for us and wanted to beat us so badly. Sending their fans home disappointed was really fun.
GH.com: Who was the best teammate you played with?
Leimbek: I don’t know if he was the best player, but Bill Kohn was definitely the most impactful player I played with. He really cared for the freshman and was a true leader on and off the ice. He took the freshman and showed us the ropes and always made sure things were well for us.
GH.com: How would you compare playing for Coach Woog to playing for Coach Lucia?
Leimbek: Coach Woog was a traditional players coach and really acted like one of the guys in the locker room. Coach Lucia was more of a disciplinarian and was all business from the second practice started every day. Coach Lucia also really put a lot of emphasis on defense in every drill we did.
GH.com: What does it mean to you to be part of the rich tradition that is Gopher hockey?
Leimbek: I take a lot of pride knowing that I played hockey for The U. I wore that jersey with a lot of pride and still watch every game with the same passion that I had as a player.
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