Steve Brent is passionate about hockey in every aspect of the game. He leafed through his scouting book during the interview and showed me samples of how he keeps track of game after game searching for the next Ohio State hockey team member.”It’s a lot tougher than people think,” Brent said. “You have to log all your calls, hours on the road, and stuff like that.” Even as he described how taxing his job could be, he couldn’t hide the grin that kept creeping to his lips.Brent played hockey for the Buckeyes and was the only player to be named team captain for three years, but suffered injuries that kept him from playing at the next level.”It’s all about emotion,” Brent said. OSU coach John Markell saw the emotion and leadership as well and asked him to volunteer with the team last spring. The volunteer position became a full-time job this fall.Markell said Brent does a lot of recruiting in addition to planning trips and breaking down game tapes.”He makes the initial hit at the players,” Markell said. He then reduces the team down to maybe two or three players and Casey (Jones) will go in and pick over those three guys Steve likes and either Casey or I will make the decision with Steve.”In addition to his recruiting responsibilities Brent runs practice when Markell and Jones are out of town. Markell said his two assistant coaches design the drills and he tries to help the team members individually.During the games Brent can be found in the press box spotting for the team. Players said Brent’s honesty is his best quality as a coach.”He’s honest, he tells you in your face what you’re doing wrong,” Hugo Boisvert said. “He comes up to me and tells me, ‘Hugo you’re not doing this you’re not doing that, that’s why you’re not playing well,’ and that’s why I respect him.”Brent has a unique relationship with some of the players because several years ago he was their team captain and now he is their coach. Senior Neal Rech described Brent as the best team captain he’s ever had.”He was a great leader and it’s proven, I mean he knows his hockey,” Rech said. He brings the intensity an leadership he had as a player to the coaching level Rech added.Brent said he wants to continue coaching and eventually become a head coach even if it means leaving OSU. Leaving may prove easier said than done, as Markell explained.”I think his desire and his experience at this university is invaluable,” said Markell. “He knows the classrooms, he knows the teachers, and he knows the systems. He’s played here, knows where we’ve come from to where we are today and he knows how to appreciate that. I think he is going to have a good future here because he’s a Buckeye true and true.”