Nicolet National Bank Senior Spotlight: Corbin Skinner – Notre Dame Academy hockey, lacrosse

Notre Dame Academy's Corbin Skinner is a senior member of the hockey and lacrosse teams. Murray Gleffe Photo

By Rich Palzewic

Sports Editor

GREEN BAY – Corbin Skinner is a senior at Notre Dame Academy who recently concluded his final season with the hockey team.

Skinner, a defenseman for the Tritons, also plays lacrosse in the spring.

After beating University School of Milwaukee (USM), 5-3, in the WIAA Division 1 state semifinals March 6, Notre Dame lost an overtime thriller to Verona in the title game the next day, 2-1.

“It was a great season for us,” said Skinner, who ended the year with two goals and 12 assists. “The loss in the finals is in the past. Other than losing in the championship, we got done what we wanted to. For lots of guys on the team, that was their last game. It’s different for me because I have aspirations to play junior hockey.”

Skinner said his highest goal is to play in the United States Hockey League (USHL), but more realistically, he will have to start in the North American Hockey League or play in Canada.

“Your goal by getting to the USHL is to get scouted and get a Division I college scholarship,” he said. “I do plan on going to college through that route, but I’m not sure where yet. I’d like to study architecture.”

Being a defenseman, Skinner doesn’t get many opportunities to score, but ironically, one of his two tallies on the season came against USM in the semifinals.

“I felt the goal changed the momentum of the game,” said Skinner, who is the son of Erik and Christine Skinner. “Scoring at state was another way to help the team get to the championship.”

Skinner’s goal came with the Tritons trailing 2-0 late in the second period.

He said Notre Dame head coach Cory McCracken is a good coach who is serious but also has a funny side.

“The seriousness of coach is what we needed as a team,” said Skinner, who played at De Pere his freshman year. “He is professional, but when we are not focusing on hockey, he knows how to make us laugh.”

Skinner said his most embarrassing moment involved McCracken.

“My sophomore year, we had a morning practice and the roads were bad,” he said. “None of the guys wanted to go to school, and Cory said, ‘Everyone better be in school.’ Trying to be funny, I said, ‘Yeah, you guys better be in school’ as a joke, and he kicked me off the ice. That went down as the big joke of the year. I was kidding, but Cory doesn’t kid around when it comes to practice. Coach and I laugh at the moment now.”

Skinner – who has an older sister, Kendra, who graduated from De Pere and played lacrosse and ran track, but is currently living in Tennessee – is nicknamed “Bino.”

“When I played for the Junior Gamblers, one of the players gave me the nickname,” he said. “It started with Gambino, and eventually shortened to Bino.”

Skinner’s dad, who is from Iowa, did soccer and football in high school, while his mom, who grew up in California, played softball and cheered.

“I’m the only one who took up hockey,” Skinner said. “I went to a learn-to-skate program and fell in love with it. I was 3 years old. We’d go to lots of out-of-state tournaments and stay in hotels. My dad did a bunch of driving for me.”

Skinner said his parents met in college at North Texas University.

“I was born in Dallas but moved to Sheboygan after a year,” he said.

With area school districts on hiatus due to COVID-19, Skinner said it’s a tough situation.

“It’s awful,” he said. “I love going to school and seeing all my friends. Everyone feels the same way. With the National Hockey League (NHL) being suspended, I’ve been watching recaps and watching old games. I’ve also been doing my studies online through Notre Dame.”

Skinner’s favorite NHL team is the Boston Bruins, and Bobby Orr is his favorite player.

“I met former NHL player Bobby Hull once,” he said. “When I was playing for the Junior Gamblers, the rink had a restaurant. My friend and I went to eat with our dads, and Bobby Hull was there. My friend’s dad realized who it was, and we got a picture.”

Skinner also likes playing baseball, watching other sports, eating sushi, Thanksgiving and prefers hardwood over carpet.