How Garrett Cecere's hockey trip led him to the employment cabin

April 1, 2025

For Garrett Cecere it cost seven or eight games of color commentary during Iowa Wild Games for things to finally click.

“The challenges are different from when you play,” Cecere said, “You don't want to repeat yourself, drop a swear word or take the thunder that Ben (Gislason) has when playing is in the attacking zone and there is a goal to be scored.”

Although there was a first learning curve for the resident of des Moines in the temporary employment cabin, he was able to draw hockey experience throughout the season.

“Simply playing the game does not make you a natural in an analyst position,” said Gislason. “He was such a cerebral player. I thought that would translate well into the stand and that's it.”

Cecere, whose father played for the Fresno Falcons, was born in San Francisco and moved to Des Moines in 1996 when he was a year old. He and his brother, Nick, started skating in three years old and played baseball in the summers.

“When the Iowa stars came here, hockey became much bigger,” said Cecere. “I had a love for hockey and wanted to pursue it.”

Despite a growth of opportunities for young hockey players in Iowa in the mid -1920s, high -level competition was still hard to find. In the summer, Cecere would play in selected teams with hockey players his age of Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, Omaha and Kansas City who participated in teams from Chicago and Minnesota.

“We never prepared here or had aaa hockey when I grew up,” said Cecere. “De Wild started so many things with their youth programs. Boys who played for the Wilde of Des Maine Buccaneers started living here as adults. The Recplex is now such a huge place for hockey and a place for children to go, so that's great for development and big for aaa hockey.”

Cecere made a leap at the age of 14 and went to Shattuck St. Mary's, a boarding school in Minnesota, known for its pre -hockey and production of future NHL stars such as Sidney Crosby. During the 2011-12 season, Cecere made the leap to the NAHL, where he played against his future broadcasting partner with the Janesville Jets.

“Garrett and I actually played against each other in the NAHL,” said Gislason. “He was in Junior with the best man at my wedding, so we have a lot of connections … He was a very talented defender.”

Cecere continued to the Ushl, where he played close to home as a member of the Dubuque Fighting Saints, Tri-City Storm and Sioux Falls Stampede.

“I had to play against the Buccaneers so often,” said Cecere. “Playing in cities such as Omaha, Tri-City, Sioux Falls and Des Moines in Juniors was really cool. Scoring goals for 30 or 40 family and friends who came to see a play when you are 17 or 18 years old gives you the feeling that you are in the pros when you are still a child.”

During the USHL career of Cecere, professional hockey was re -introduced to the Moines. The Iowa Wild started their inaugural season while Cecere played for the Tri-City Storm in Kearney, Nebraska.

“Having pro -hockey in des Moines was I and other youth hockey players able to get a band at the NHL and a team of ours,” said Cecere. “With Minnesota so close, it was so cool to follow all the boys who were at the big club. I was 18 and was about to start my college hockey career when the game came to des Moines and they could see how they gave more determination to play the game on a professional level.”

Eventually Cecere's hockey trip took him away from the midwest to Colorado College and Northeastern University.

“I was a bit of a fish from water,” said Cecere. “I always had to come across a stereotype because I was not a farmer or wrestler.”

Cecere played four seasons of NCAA hockey before spending four more seasons in the Echl with the Maine Mariners, reading Royals and Tulsa Oilers. After his professional career, he returned to his native DES Moines hoping to stay involved with Hockey.

“It's a funny story how this all originated,” said Gislason. “The Iowa Wild still had to have an analyst with local tires and pro experience on our broadcast. It was actually my wife who brought his name forward. When his name came up, it was just completely logical.”

“I am lucky to know Ben for as long as I had played against him in juniors,” said Cecere. “Getting the opportunity to come and use my hockey knowledge on the broadcast set was really fun.”

Cecere and Gislason now watch games from a different perspective than their play career. High above the ice, they are still able to play each other and use their experience on the ice to connect fans with the emotions of the game.

“It is very easy to feed with Ben, because he is such an expert spirit of the game,” said Cecere. “I try to bring an aspect to have been in these intense games and for these great crowds.”

With a season of calling games under his belt, Cecere says that he feels more comfortable in the employment cabin and that the experience has changed how he looks into sports in his spare time.

“I can now view sports from a different perspective,” said Cecere. “If I look at games, there is a new aspect of listening to the broadcast instead of just watching. It has brought new excitement and new learning opportunities for me.”