By Joshua Boyd

USPHL.com

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – Tanner Dey is getting a great look inside at the gears and cogs that make the United States of America move on a daily basis.

Dey, a 2000-born native of Anchorage, AK, got his dream summer job, an internship in the office of U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski. She has served as one of two senators for Alaska since 2002.

This fall, after his internship wraps up, Dey will suit up in the USPHL Premier for the Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings.

“I was told, once I graduated from high school, that there was an opportunity after high school to have this internship,” said Dey, a forward who last played with the Wenatchee Wolves 18U team. “I was really skeptical at first – being from Alaska, I had never been to Washington, D.C., before. It was a tough decision to fly out here, but I was grateful that out of the many, many applicants for this internship, that I was picked.”

Each day, memos need to be prepared for the senator, and that is a big part of Dey’s daily routine.

“Memos, papers, things we do for the Senate manuals. It’s very entertaining. There is a lot of memo writing,” said Dey.

It all lines up with what he’d like to do in his future.

“I’m interested in politics – I want to understand how the world works, and I’m also interested in finance and business. I may possibly pursue management in college,” said Dey. “I’m just getting the exposure to politics.”

Dey has sat in on daily Senate hearings in the Capitol building, and Dey will have his opportunity to shadow Senator Murkowski on July 25.

“On my first shadow session, I was able to meet and talk with the U.S. Secretary of the Interior (Ryan Zinke.) I also met Australia’s Prime Minister for Energy and Environment,” Dey said. “It’s an amazing experience, and I give Senator Murkowski all the credit in the world for what she does.”

When Dey first suits up for the RiverKings in USPHL play this summer, he believes he will be a much better person overall from his D.C. experience.

“My perspective is I really do feel that I’ll benefit through leadership skills and teamwork skills,” Dey said. “Even though I’m going to be a rookie and not looking for an ‘A’ or a ‘C,’ I will have a positive impact in the locker room.”

“Tanner was a player we identified early into our recruiting process because of his skill, ice vision, pass-first ability, size, and his hard shot inside the dots,” added Riverkings Head Coach Marty Quarters. “We also felt Tanner’s strong character and desire to work hard to achieve his goals fits the Riverkings culture and will be a welcome addition on the ice and in our community.”

On the ice, Dey expects to also have a positive impact. He considers himself a playmaker not afraid to shoot the puck.

“I’m bringing a smart game. I sure do love my passes,” Dey added. “To be honest, my favorite spot is at the bottom of the umbrella. I might get beat up a little bit, but it’s better in the long run. I like getting in the corners.”

Rough play, always going for the win – it seems that Washington, D.C., has had some effect on Tanner Dey.