Ask any accomplished athlete how they got their start, and the answer is usually a version of “in the backyard” or “in the driveway.” Across the country, kids of all ages play out Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals, the final inning of the World Series, or the final play of the SuperBowl, fantasizing about the day they can make those dreams a reality. The Bub brothers were no exception as they grew up in Shrub Oak, New York, turning driveway dreams into a trip to the Special Olympics World Winter Games Turin 2025.
Born in the Bronx, Michael Bub started roller hockey when he was about 8 years old after his family moved to Shrub Oak, but quickly made the transition to ice hockey, playing for many years with the New York Raptors, a special needs hockey team, where he shined. Beginning his career as a forward, Michael soon realized that he needed to practice at home, but how can you practice your goal scoring without a goalie to score on?
As all big brothers do, Michael found a solution – his younger brother, Stephen.
“In roller hockey, he needed someone to shoot on. And of course me being the little brother, it was like ‘you go in the net.’ That’s how I got my start as a goalie,” explained Stephen. “We bought him gear and he loved it!” Michael added.
Stephen, who is four years younger than Michael, may not have loved being forced into the net right away, but it didn’t take long for him to feel at home there, playing goalie through his junior year of high school. He could be found protecting the net for years, Michael in the stands cheering him on.
But fast-forward to 2025 and the positions are reversed – Stephen is sitting in the stands at Inalpi Arena in Turin, Italy, cheering on his older brother as he competes in Unified floorball.
“It means the world. We’re here in Italy and he’s representing the United States as a whole, not just representing himself, but the whole country. That’s a huge honor for him and the fact that I had just a little piece to play in that is just incredible,” said Stephen. “I’m just so proud of him and how far he’s come. He continues to inspire me every day.”As all big brothers do, Michael found a solution – his younger brother, Stephen.
“In roller hockey, he needed someone to shoot on. And of course me being the little brother, it was like ‘you go in the net.’ That’s how I got my start as a goalie,” explained Stephen. “We bought him gear and he loved it!” Michael added.
Stephen, who is four years younger than Michael, may not have loved being forced into the net right away, but it didn’t take long for him to feel at home there, playing goalie through his junior year of high school. He could be found protecting the net for years, Michael in the stands cheering him on.
But fast-forward to 2025 and the positions are reversed – Stephen is sitting in the stands at Inalpi Arena in Turin, Italy, cheering on his older brother as he competes in Unified floorball.
“It means the world. We’re here in Italy and he’s representing the United States as a whole, not just representing himself, but the whole country. That’s a huge honor for him and the fact that I had just a little piece to play in that is just incredible,” said Stephen. “I’m just so proud of him and how far he’s come. He continues to inspire me every day.”
Looking up to all-time greats like Ken Dryden, Tony Esposito and Henrik Lundqvist, Michael made the transition to goalie when he joined Special Olympics floor hockey. He can now be found backstopping the Special Olympics USA Unified floorball team, pushing from post to post on his knees, a distinct difference from the ice and roller hockey of his youth.
“In ice hockey, you’re used to much more padding, so you don’t have to move around as much. In this, you have to move around, you have to be mobile,” Michael explained.
And while floorball will never match the speed of ice or roller hockey, Michael and his fellow floorball goalies have to keep up with the fast-paced game play. He fights off offensive bursts from the competition, but occasionally a goal slips by him. But like the heroes of his youth, he remains mentally tough and quickly moves on.
“Fuhgeddaboudit, classic New York lingo. Listen, you’re not going to save everything, especially not in this sport. The goalie in this sport is the hardest position. But I welcome it with open arms, I welcome the challenge,” said Michael.
Part of that challenge was learning a new position, but luckily, he had a great teacher.
“Stephen helped with side-to-sides and positioning. He more or less started me off,” said Michael.
“The other thing we work on is angles, because even if you’re at the right angle and you don’t see the puck, it’s still going to hit you. You have to let the ball come to you and not try to attack the ball because then you’re out of position,” continued Stephen.
Goalies may be the last line of defense, making that positioning so important, but Michael is not one to take any of the credit. “I’m only as good as the team in front of me,” he said.
And perhaps, the team behind him as well, from the asphalt and the ice rinks of New York to the floorball courts of Italy.Looking up to all-time greats like Ken Dryden, Tony Esposito and Henrik Lundqvist, Michael made the transition to goalie when he joined Special Olympics floor hockey. He can now be found backstopping the Special Olympics USA Unified floorball team, pushing from post to post on his knees, a distinct difference from the ice and roller hockey of his youth.
“In ice hockey, you’re used to much more padding, so you don’t have to move around as much. In this, you have to move around, you have to be mobile,” Michael explained.
And while floorball will never match the speed of ice or roller hockey, Michael and his fellow floorball goalies have to keep up with the fast-paced game play. He fights off offensive bursts from the competition, but occasionally a goal slips by him. But like the heroes of his youth, he remains mentally tough and quickly moves on.
“Fuhgeddaboudit, classic New York lingo. Listen, you’re not going to save everything, especially not in this sport. The goalie in this sport is the hardest position. But I welcome it with open arms, I welcome the challenge,” said Michael.
Part of that challenge was learning a new position, but luckily, he had a great teacher.
“Stephen helped with side-to-sides and positioning. He more or less started me off,” said Michael.
“The other thing we work on is angles, because even if you’re at the right angle and you don’t see the puck, it’s still going to hit you. You have to let the ball come to you and not try to attack the ball because then you’re out of position,” continued Stephen.
Goalies may be the last line of defense, making that positioning so important, but Michael is not one to take any of the credit. “I’m only as good as the team in front of me,” he said.
And perhaps, the team behind him as well, from the asphalt and the ice rinks of New York to the floorball courts of Italy.