How Blake took his BBA on the road as a professional athlete

An education that travelled with him

Blake began his UFred studies shortly before leaving his home in Saskatchewan to play in Boise, Idaho. “I knew I wanted to go to school and have my degree. I didn’t know necessarily what I was going to do with it. But I wanted to try and open as many doors as I could.”

His hockey career was gaining momentum, but he did not want to wait until it ended to prepare for opportunities beyond the rink. The conventional on-campus experience could not accommodate practices, games and travel.

“The flexibility of having online school was number one. I knew I wouldn’t be able to do something in person.”

UFred’s online BBA allowed his education to move with him. Mornings were reserved for team commitments, and he concentrated on his studies before travel and games took over his schedule.

“I would try to get as much school as I could done on maybe Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. If we were traveling on Thursday, I would see if I could make it work at airports or on our team charters on the bus.”

His classroom changed with his location, but his progress continued.

Flexibility supported by structure

Choosing when and where to study was essential, but Blake did not want an online course that left him alone with months of material and one distant deadline.

UFred’s BBA provided weekly expectations that kept him moving forward. He could adapt his schedule around hockey while knowing what he needed to accomplish.

“I really like the flexibility but also the structured weekly outline of the University of Fredericton.”

Blake worked ahead when possible, used travel time productively and kept Sundays available as a buffer. The program made earning a degree possible within the life he was already leading.

Learning from a different kind of team

Although the BBA at the University of Fredericton does not require scheduled live classes, Blake did not study in isolation. Group projects connected him with classmates from different industries and stages of their careers. Some of those working relationships continued for nearly three years.

“As a fairly young guy, I don’t have a lot of work experience. And so to have people who do have that experience share that, that was really helpful to me.”

Like a hockey team, the online classroom brought together people with different strengths. Their conversations showed Blake how business concepts operated in real workplaces and introduced possibilities he had not considered before.

Bringing previous studies together

Blake’s education had travelled nearly as much as his hockey career. Before enrolling at UFred, he completed courses through several universities while playing in different locations.

Five transfer credits were recognized when he entered the BBA. Later, he completed additional courses as a visiting student elsewhere while continuing some UFred studies, then transferred the eligible credits back.

Transfer credits allowed Blake to build on previous studies, finish sooner and earn his Bachelor of Business Administration through UFred. Instead of starting over whenever hockey changed his location, he found a path that brought his academic progress together.

Seeing hockey through a business lens

As Blake matured as a hockey player, he began paying closer attention to the business surrounding hockey — opportunities for teams, leagues, events and partnerships. Courses in international business helped him see another connection between his education and the sport he knows best.

“I think that there’s a market to build business internationally within the hockey world. And that’s something that really interested me.”

The degree has given Blake new ways to understand the game and imagine how he could contribute throughout his career.

The drive to keep improving

Athletic achievement is driven by the belief that there is always another level to reach. UFred gives athletes a way to bring that same ambition to their education, with an online degree that can keep pace wherever the road takes them.

Blake did not wait for hockey to slow down before investing in his education. He pursued both goals at once and earned a credential that can support opportunities on the ice, around the sport and wherever life might take him next.