Eden Prairie H.S. Hockey Dedicates State Tournament Games To Asst. Coach

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Eden Prairie is the number one seed in the Class 2A Minnesota High School State Boys Hockey Tournament, and this year they've got a special motivation.

Their veteran assistant coach Steve Olinger, or "Oly" to the team, is back on the bench.

But he's still fighting a much bigger fight.

Eden Prairie High School boys' hockey hosts practice as usual up to the Minnesota State High School Boys Hockey Tournament.

And veteran assistant coach Steve Olinger is there.

It's nothing out of the ordinary; it's expected for assistant coaches to be at practice. Except that this fall Olinger went to the doctor, and this winter he found out the results weren't positive.

"The biopsy showed it was melanoma. They dug in deeper, and on Jan. 4 found out I was stage four," Olinger said.

He then had to deliver the news to his team and the head coach who hired him.

"It was horrible," head coach Lee Smith said. "He's a friend more so than a guy I work with. We've been friends for forever."

The team he helped coach then went to work for him, paying tribute on their helmets, winning games and including Oly in their pre-game prayer.

"Having Oly there, I really believe in the power of prayer so it just really helped," forward Nolan Sullivan said "We got that started in the locker room. We do it before the game. We say the Lord's Prayer and then always say 'prepare to watch over him.'"

"These kids, you can't put it into words," Olinger said.

Olinger returned for the section playoffs. When he walked into the locker room, the kids responded with a standing ovation.

"The boys stood up and gave me a standing ovation," Olinger said. "And I don't get really vulnerable. I'm an old German, but I got emotion for that. It brought tears to my eyes."

"He's a great guy. We all love him," defenseman Louie Roehl said. "It's hard for us but I'm sure it's even harder for him."

Olinger is taking immune therapy. He's been told by his doctor the prognosis is much better than it would have been years ago. Welcome news to the Eagle program.

"I'm so happy I'm getting back the old Oly," Smith said.

For Oly, it's day by day. It's a journey that's based on something bigger than him, something bigger than hockey.

"I've always been a man of deep faith. I can't say during this I've ever been afraid because I've always said it's in the Almighty's hands," Olinger said.

Olinger continues to get treatment for the melanoma. It's the same immune therapy that former President Jimmy Carter used to beat his cancer.

The Eagles play Anoka in the quarterfinals at 6 p.m. Thursday.