Team manager John Feller gets a shot in goal during game

Name –  John H Feller
Graduated from Stout -  1971
Major – Electronics and Manufacturing Engineering
Sports – football, baseball, hockey
Years – 1970 and 1971
Hometown - Kaukauna, Wis
High School - Kaukauna
Current Residence - Kaukauna, Wis.
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Brief synopsis since attending UW-Stout: 
I worked at Gardner Denver Company 1971-1978.  Ariens Company 1978-2010. Retired in 2010 as Director of Corporate Quality. I live in Kaukauna married 45 years to (high school) classmate Giovanna Russo in 1973
 

Why did you chose to be a college student athlete at Stout
My roommate (Mike Ryan) convinced me to be on the hockey team and once I joined, I did enjoy the experience. As a freshman I played football and baseball.  However I damaged my ankle in football practice and never played a league game.  I was grounded about a year.
 
What did you like most about  competing in collegiate athletics
The sportsmanship and friendships that I made.

What is the greatest lesson you learned from being a collegiate student athlete
Defending for others, being part of a team
 
Who is the most influential person in your athletic career
Mike Ryan, my Stout roommate and mentor

What is your most memorable or favorite sports moment at UW Stout
The one shot on goal in a game against UW-Platteville.  No saves at goal against UW-Platteville.
 
How did teammates describe you as a person and a student athlete
Awesome, disciplined and faithful to the team

Outside of athletics what other activities were you involved in at UW-Stout
Studying. Selected to Deans List last four semesters.

What are some other activities you are currently involved in or have been recently?
I enjoy making fishing lures, wood burning, reading and puttering around at this age. 



KAUKAUNA (June 25, 2019) - The headline that appeared in the January, 1970, edition of the Dunn County News - "Jumps From Manager to Goalie" - was slightly misleading - but was entirely true.

There was no question that John Feller was the manager for the UW-Stout hockey team for the 1969-70 season, the Blue Devils' first intercollegiate season. And there was no question that John Feller put on the pads and made his first, and only, appearance in a game that day in Stevens Point. But it was not a "get-the-understudy" moment. Feller had been pressed into action in the goal during practices due to an injury to goalie Jay Watkins.

Let Feller tell the story:
 
"As a freshman I played football and baseball.  However I damaged my ankle in football practice and never played a league game.  I was grounded about a year.
 
"In 1969 Mike Ryan asked me to be the team manager on and off the ice.  For whatever reason I agreed to  help the Stout Hockey Team. 
 
"Having been Mike Ryan's roommate we became good friends. (even though he was from Minnesota).  Mike played right defenseman on the hockey team.  He asked me to be the equipment manager for the hockey team.  I had no idea that involved handing out and picking up towels and wash rags, moping the shower walls and floors, sweeping the locker room floors and helping to flood the outdoor ice rink.  I met many new friends and had a good time with the team.  Three of us were from Wisconsin, the remainder were from Illinois, Minnesota and Upper Michigan.  What a fraternity  this was.
 
"Most of the jobs were a pain, except flooding the outdoor rink.  It looked great when it was finished and refrozen, by Mother Nature.  The guys practiced every day and we had games against Wisconsin and Minnesota schools.
 
"We ran into a problem my senior year.  One of our goalies caught his hand and his wrist in a machine where he worked and it was bad enough he had to be placed in a cast and was finished for the remainder of the season.  This meant we were down to one goalie.  Practice was murder with only one goalie blocking all of the shots.
 
"Mike Ryan came to me and asked if I would be a practice goalie.  He talked me through the process and felt with my baseball glove hand and my batting I could block a puck.  He took me down to the rink the next day.  Wearing a pair of skates and two pairs of socks to just to fit into the skates we collected the other necessary pads. 
 
"He then took me out to the rink to show me where to stand in front of the goal how to move in and out and side-to-side.  He instructed me on using my glove hand and stick hand.  Well here we go, he lines up 8 to 10 pucks about four feet inside of the blue line and strikes them one-by-one.  They come flying right at me, but not past me.  My glove hand and  stick hand were all working.
 
"Mike then said he was going to go to "game" level.  I don't think I stopped one puck.  Mike said let's try this again tomorrow.  I quickly agreed and we went back to the house.
 
"For the next five days Mike blasted puck after puck at me.  I got better and better each day.  At this point Mike and I approached the head coach and volunteered me to fill one of the nets during practice.  Coach agreed but would give his approval during the next day's practice.  I allowed six goals after 74 shots.  What a blast.  Our coach allowed me to participate in practice from that point forward.
 
"The next game Coach asked me to suit up.  I was surprised and anxious.  I did not play but it was great no less to be with the team. I suited up for practice and games for the next couple of weeks.
 
"We then played a tournament at Stevens Point.  The first game our opponent was Platteville.  Our boys were fantastic.  We were up 6 to nothing.  Coach came to me and said, 'John I would like you to play the third period.'  My heart raced into my glove hand.  We always warm up before the period.  The guys never shot a puck at me!
 
"There was a new period face off.  Our guys control the puck, but not for long. The  Platteville center broke away with the puck.  He came straight down the middle.  Stick out front, glove was poised, I move out to cut the shot angle down to nothing.  Here it came about 12 inches off of the ice and I could see it turn vertical and right between my legs about 4 inches above my knees.  Goal.  It was 6-1.  They never got a another shot on goal the final period.  I finished 0 - 1.  No saves, one goal. (The final was 14-1)
 
"I traveled with the team the remainder of the season, but my skates, I mean Mike's skates, never touched the ice again during the remainder of the season or after."

Feller, who team members called "Gump" after Hall of Fame NHL goalie Gump Worsley, graduated in 1971 with a major in Mechanical Engineering and Electronics and returned to his hometown of Kaukauna where he worked for Gardner Denver Company and Ariens Company.