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DU hockey coach and new dad David Carle balances priorities

David and his wife Mellissa welcomed their first child, William, this past May. While hockey was his first and top priority, his life is now about proper balance.

DENVER — A storied program, led by some of the best in the biz.

"Having worked for Coach [George] Gwozdecky and later Jim Montgomery here." 

It's no surprise that the youngest head coach in NCAA Division I hockey would find himself at home on the ice of Magness Arena.

"It's different. It's a different role," David Carle said. "It's only eight feet down to the middle of the bench, but it certainly was an adjustment, but it's something that I feel I've been able to do well."

For the better part of his 31 years, hockey was Carle's No. 1 priority. First as a player at the University of Denver, then as a student-assistant coach, and finally as the ninth head coach in Pioneer history.

"The day started pretty early, especially early in the week, I was typically in the office at 6:00 or 6:30."

But now, he and his wife Mellissa have a new reason to wake up early in the morning.

"William was born on May 25th, so he's getting close to six months old. Timing couldn't have been better with my season and being able to be around and help out as much as I could," Carle said. "Life's all about perspective, what becomes important and the priorities in your life, there's something else that goes right to the top of the list."

And that schedule now has to take some adjustments.

"When he goes down at 7:00, it's trying to watch a period or two so that I can keep up with the things that I need to do here so that our team is prepared," he said. "Two things that I care about are here at this program, and obviously my family back home, so they take up the majority of my time."

Most importantly, it's about finding a proper balance between his two loves.

"One of my commitments to [the team] was that I would try to be present. When I'm here, I'm focused on them and the program and the team and when I'm home, I'm focused on my family and things like that," he said. "So I've tried to do the best I can in the efficiency of my days, so that I can be present where I need to be."

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