By Kate Sullivan
Special to GoHolyCross.com 

Sitting around the kitchen table for family dinner can at times have its challenges. Crazy Aunt Sally pestering you about your social life, second cousin Joe asking about school and there's always that dreaded question about what you are going to do when you grow up. But for senior men's hockey player Jake Youso (International Falls, Minn.) and junior teammate Brett Lubanski (Farmington Hills, Mich.), the attention at the dinner table fell on their grandfathers. Grandpa Frank Youso was a professional football player and Grandpa Eddie Lubanski was a world champion professional bowler.

Frank Youso, now 78 years-old, played professional football as an offensive lineman for the New York Giants (1958-1960), Minnesota Vikings (1961-1962) and Oakland Raiders (1963-1965). He was the first player to sign with the Vikings when the franchise was created so that he could go back and play football in his home state of Minnesota. Back when the Super Bowl was called the Championship Game, Frank had the opportunity to play under names like Vince Lombardi and Al Davis.

The late Eddie Lubanski is most notably known for rolling back-to-back 300 games during a live television broadcast in 1959 at Miami's Bowling Palace. He is also a United States Bowling Congress Hall of Fame member and was named to Bowling Magazine's first-team All-America in 1958 and 1959. He was in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the highest lifetime average of 204 for over 25 years.

Both Frank and Eddie had a natural talent towards athletics and fell in love with their respective sports. "My Grandpa Frank was just really into sports and the outdoor sports especially," said Jake. "I think football came kind of naturally to him. He was a go-getter when he was younger and just enjoyed sports and competition." Grandpa Eddie had a similar mindset when it came to athletic competition. "Growing up in Detroit my grandpa played minor league baseball and then chose bowling," noted Brett. "He picked it up and fell in love with it and it turned out to work really well for him."

Grandpa Frank and Grandpa Eddie definitely had their fan base, but it was their time with grandsons Jake and Brett that was most meaningful. "Whether it is out on the fishing boat or in the hunting shack, Grandpa Frank is always ready to tell lots of stories," commented Jake. "The Yousos are known for their storytelling so he usually has a crowd around him at the dinner table so it's always fun to listen to. I remember that most about him and his playing career."

Eddie, on the other hand, was a bit more reserved. "My grandpa was pretty modest about his experiences in athletics," noted Brett. "When we would have family gatherings my dad would try to get him to start talking about all the cool athletes he had met and his very unique experiences being able to travel to different places."

Growing up with such positive and influential role models had a tremendous impact on Brett and Jake. "It was a little more difficult for my Grandpa Eddie to open up and share all of his experiences but when he did it was awesome for me to hear as a young kid," reflected Brett. "Hearing these cool stories about a person you look up to, it's something that motivates you to be the best you can be and it definitely was true for me."

The unconditional support that both Jake and Brett received from their grandfathers truly motivated them as athletes and helped them grow as respectable young adults. "My grandfather made it to 99% of my youth hockey games," noted Jake. "I think just seeing him at my games and having him around in my life growing up in International Falls, right down the street, was pretty important for support and helping me grow as a person and as an athlete."

Similarly to Jake, the mentorship and guidance that Brett received from his grandfather really helped shape him into the person he is today. "Whether it was on the playing field or away from the playing field, he instilled in our family an athletic mindset," noted Brett. "But ultimately, having success on the field wasn't the most important thing. Just having a strong relationship with your family and friends and staying true to yourself was what mattered. I think that's what I took most from him."

Athletics definitely had a strong place in both the Youso and Lubanski household. "I think the great thing about having a professional athlete as a grandfather is obviously he did well in his sport, but his personality is larger than life," commented Jake. "I never need to introduce him as anything more than who he is because he tells all the stories and gets people going. That's the fun part about having Frank as my grandfather."

As for Eddie, he was popular during a different time when bowling was a hotbed in Michigan.  When Brett was growing up his friends did not necessarily identify with bowling as well, but once in a while an older person would see the Lubanski name and ask if there was a connection between Brett and his grandfather Eddie. "As a young kid having someone you don't know come up to you and rave about your grandfather is a pretty special thing and something that stays with you," expressed Brett.

The relationships Jake and Brett have with their grandfathers has definitely played a huge role in their own relationship as teammates on the Holy Cross men's hockey team. "We spend a lot of time together up at the rink and away from the rink," noted Brett. "We love to talk about our grandfathers and exchange anecdotes about their unique experiences." The bond Jake and Brett share is so strong because it creates a family connection for them even when they are attending school and playing hockey so far away from home.

Grandpa Frank and Grandpa Eddie have had such a positive influence on Jake and Brett's development as Division I student-athletes at Holy Cross. The way the two teammates approach the game, with a competitive mindset and determination to improve each day, is definitely reflective of the lessons learned from their grandfathers.