Luke Rowe is a tone-setter for the Air Force hockey team.

The senior impacts games in multiple ways, whether through his defensive skills, checking, passing or his sledgehammer of a shot. But his biggest impact comes off the ice.

The Falcons’ first three-time captain, who was selected Atlantic Hockey’s Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 9,  recently took time for a light-hearted question-and-answer session with AFAFlightPath.com founder Chris Bayee.

How did you get your start playing hockey?

I started by playing pond hockey in Roxbury, N.J. My parents (Timothy and Martine) started taking me out when I was maybe 2 years old, then my dad would build a rink in the backyard. My dad loved hockey. He never grew up playing it but he loved it. He grew up playing pond hockey in Western Pennsylvania.

I think I was 4 or 5 when I got into organized hockey and I hated it. My dad asked me to stick with it and I fell in love with it. From there the journey was local house league for my town and then I started playing travel hockey in Squirts (10U). I stayed in New Jersey until my second year of juniors when I left and got traded to the Boston Jr. Bruins (of the NCDC).

Who or what were some of the major influences in your hockey journey?

I love the New Jersey Devils, I’m a huge fan of the Devils, but my team is the Pittsburgh Penguins because my dad’s from Pittsburgh. So he raised my brother Gabriel and I as Penguins fans. Growing up, I was not going to go to Pittsburgh on the weekends, so we’d go to a lot of Devils games. It was inspiring watching these guys play.

I was young when (Hall of Famer) Scott Stevens (who also wore No. 4) played. That wasn’t really my story. I really liked Colin White, a big, stay-at-home defenseman who was tough as nails and did his job really well.

The most influential person would be my dad. On days I didn’t want to do it, not that he forced me, but he helped me see the big picture of why I was playing sports. He had me in baseball, football, lacrosse, soccer and hockey. As time went by, I rode two paths, lacrosse and hockey. My senior year of high school I stopped playing lacrosse and went full bore on the hockey side of things. I was a goalie in lacrosse. It’s funny, I’m not a runner, but I’ll skate all day.

You became the first active Air Force player in a decade to attend an NHL prospects camp when you went to the Devils’ camp. Could pro hockey be a possibility in the future?

I’d love that to happen. I’d love to keep every door open. However, you don’t come to this school without wanting to serve. Service is very important to me. If hockey comes, and that’s an opportunity and I can take some time to play hockey or the Air Force will work with me, that would be the best of both worlds. Hockey is my passion and my dream, but military service is the next step in my career, and I’m looking forward to it.

What sorts of things do you enjoy doing when you have free time?

My free time has definitely diminished especially this year because I’m the squadron commander in my squadron. So life is pretty hectic. When I get the chance, hanging out with friends is the easy answer. Doing whatever the guys want to do. I love watching football.

In the past year, I’ve gotten into fly fishing. Jacob Marti’s dad was a big help with that. He taught me the ropes. We used to go out to Deckers on the South Platte River and fish. What better place than Colorado to do that?

If you could go off base and have your ultimate meal, what would it be?

That’s an easy one. It would be my mom’s chicken parm. It’s unbelievable. Our neighbor has us over a lot and cooks chicken parm, too, and his is up there. The answer is chicken parm, but the debate is whether it’s my mom’s or my neighbor’s.

If time off and cost were not objects, what would the ultimate vacation be?

I’m torn. I’m not a skier, but I do like winter in the mountains. But if I had to choose it would probably be some tropical spot like Hawaii or on a resort in Turks and Caicos.

Are you a music guy?

I’m a huge music guy. I’ll listen to anything. On game days I’ll listen to heavy metal and rock. When I’m hanging out it’s more like country and this new genre of country, folk country, like Zach Bryan.

Do you have any other hobbies?

In juniors, if I had free time I’d just go and work out. That was my favorite thing to do. Here the body starts to decay throughout the full season with lifting, school and stress so fly fishing would be the one. I tried to get into playing the guitar in juniors but that didn’t really work out. When I’m a lieutenant and I have an apartment to myself that might be on the docket.

Thanks to Luke for taking the time for this!

©First Line Editorial 2023