CHEBOYGAN — Adam Nightingale recalls the last time he was in Cheboygan’s High School gymnasium.
It was 1998, when he graduated.
Since then, you can say the Cheboygan native has made a massive name for himself, especially in the hockey coaching world. But there’s just something special about returning to your roots.
Nightingale, Michigan State University’s men’s hockey coach, got to feel that sort of small-town experience once again, as he returned to Cheboygan to talk to students on Tuesday, May 5.
“It was cool,” Nightingale said. “I go to my parents, for sure, but just to be back in the school, it brought back some great memories. We ran into people we haven’t seen in a long time, so it was awesome.”
After being introduced to students by Cheboygan High School principal Marty Mix, Nightingale touched on many different subjects, including the importance of leadership, which he seemed to stress the most. Following his talk, Nightingale took many questions from students, ranging from his time in Cheboygan, coaching, and even his thoughts on the hockey rivalry with Michigan.
Prior to arriving in Cheboygan, his focus was getting students to understand that anyone can lead.
“I think sometimes people think, ‘Hey, I’m not the quarterback. Hey, I’m not a center on the hockey team, or I’m not the shortstop, or I’m not in a sport so I can’t be a leader,’ and that’s not true,” Nightingale said. “If you care about people and treat them the right way, people will look to you, and so I think everyone on a daily basis has an opportunity to lead.”
Once everyone was done speaking, Nightingale took time for photos with Cheboygan students, faculty, and those he likely was seeing for the first time in many years.
“There’s obviously great people here,” Nightingale said. “You’re a product of your environment. Not that I’m perfect, but I just feel thankful to have grown up in a small town, and my parents still live here. With all the sports I played, I talked about the different coaches who had an impact on my brothers and I, and just the role models we had, and teachers. It really was a special place to grow up.”
Nightingale was thrilled to reunite with former classmates, including current Cheboygan counselor Nate King, who grew up with Nightingale as the two played baseball and hockey together. For King, it was a wonderful opportunity to catch up with a good friend.
“He was a little zany and kind of a prankster, but when it came to games, he always brought it,” King said. “He was always intense and just natural at everything. He was always a positive person, a tremendous athlete, and I wasn’t really shocked that he’s gone as far as he has, but I’m so proud of him, being from the area and what he’s brought to MSU hockey.”
The success at MSU has been well documented for Nightingale, who guided the Spartans to a third consecutive Big Ten regular season championship this past campaign. Nightingale will have another opportunity to coach at the international level when he leads the U.S. Junior National Team, which will play in the 2027 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Junior Hockey Championships in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, Dec. 26, 2026-Jan. 5, 2027.
“Super excited — a special opportunity,” Nightingale said. “It’s kind of the pinnacle of amateur hockey, where it’ll be all the best players under 20 in the world, and any chance you get to represent your country is a special one.”
Before leaving his alma mater, Nightingale touched on his coaching inspirations, with one special family member at the very top of the list.
“The foundation of who I am as a coach is my dad (Ron),” Nightingale said. “How he coached and just his demeanor and just how he treats people — he’s been the biggest influence.”
Contact sports editor Jared Greenleaf at jgreenleaf@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @sportsCDT
This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: MSU hockey coach Adam Nightingale returns to Cheboygan High School
Reporting by Jared Greenleaf, Cheboygan Daily Tribune / Cheboygan Daily Tribune
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