Our relationship with Tom Walsh and Walsh Sports Group began during the 2024–25 hockey season when our son, Michael Heppner Jr., was playing 14U AA in Oregon. Tom first scouted Michael while he was playing at Nationals in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Not long after Nationals, Tom reached out to us. What stood out from that very first conversation was that he wasn't simply asking about Michael as a hockey player—he wanted to know what Michael's goals were, where we saw his hockey career going, and what we wanted for his future development.
Tom spoke with us about the possibility of moving Michael to the East Coast, where he believed Michael could benefit from stronger development opportunities, better coaching, more ice time, and an environment that would challenge him to take his game to another level.
As parents, that was not an easy conversation.
Sending your child nearly 3,000 miles away from home to pursue his hockey dreams while also attending school is an enormous decision. You're not just choosing a hockey program. You're trusting other people with your son’s education, development, living environment, and well-being when you can't be there every day.
We explained to Tom that if Michael was going to make that move, we wanted more than just a hockey team. We wanted a program where he could attend school, play competitive hockey, and have room and board in an environment where we felt comfortable leaving our son.
Tom listened to exactly what we were looking for.
He used his hockey connections to identify opportunities that fit Michael's development and then helped set up tryouts for him on the East Coast. Instead of us trying to navigate everything on our own from Oregon, Tom helped guide us through the process, answered our questions, and helped us understand the different opportunities in front of Michael.
That guidance made an incredibly difficult decision much easier for our family.
We have now spent two years working with Tom, and looking back, we are extremely thankful that he made that first phone call.
One of the biggest things we can say about Tom is that his involvement didn't stop once Michael made the move. Tom has continued to follow his development, watch over him, communicate with Michael and with us, and help guide him through the ups and downs that come with developing as a young hockey player.
For parents with a child living thousands of miles away from home, communication means everything, and Tom has been amazing in that regard. Whether we have a question, need advice, or simply want to talk about how Michael is progressing, Tom has always made himself available. Knowing that Michael has someone on the East Coast looking out for him has given us tremendous peace of mind.
Over these past two years, we've watched Michael grow not only as a hockey player, but also as a young man. Moving away from home at a young age, balancing school and hockey, learning independence, and competing in a more demanding environment have all been important parts of his journey.
There are a lot of people who can call themselves hockey advisors or agents. What has separated Tom Walsh and Walsh Sports Group for our family is the personal relationship. We have never felt like Michael was simply another name on a roster. Tom knows our son, understands what he is trying to accomplish, and continues to take a genuine interest in his future.
When Tom first saw Michael playing 14U AA at Nationals in Kalamazoo, we never could have imagined where that initial conversation would lead. Two years later, we can say that working with Tom has been an important part of Michael's hockey journey.
If you're a hockey parent considering taking your son or daughter to the next level—especially if that means making the difficult decision to send your child away from home—we highly recommend Tom Walsh and Walsh Sports Group.
Thank you, Tom, for believing in Michael, for helping create opportunities for him, for looking out for him while he is so far away from home, and most importantly, for treating our son like more than just a hockey player.
We are truly grateful for everything you have done and continue to do for Michael Jr.
— Michael Sr. & Desiree Heppner
Oregon City, Oregon
As a mom, watching your son pursue his hockey dreams is exciting, but it can also be overwhelming when you’re trying to figure out what the right next step is. Working with Tom Walsh and Walsh Sports Group made that process so much easier for our family.
From our first conversations with Tom, we felt like he genuinely cared about our son, his development, and what was best for his future. Tom took the time to listen to our concerns, answer our questions, and explain the different opportunities available to him. We never felt pressured or rushed into making a decision.
What impressed me most was Tom’s communication. He was always responsive and kept us informed throughout the entire process. When the opportunity came for our son to move out of state to Massachusetts to continue his hockey journey, there were obviously a lot of emotions and questions as parents. Tom helped guide us through everything and made what could have been a very stressful transition feel incredibly smooth and seamless.
Since making the move, we have seen our son grow both as a hockey player and as a young man. Having someone like Tom in his corner who understands the hockey world and truly wants to see him succeed has meant so much to our family.
I would highly recommend Tom Walsh and Walsh Sports Group to any hockey family looking for guidance, support, and someone who genuinely cares about helping their player reach the next level.
Thank you, Tom, for everything you have done for our son and our family. We are very grateful to have you as part of his hockey journey.
We can’t say enough great things about Tom Walsh and Walsh Sports Group and the role they have played in helping our son take the next step in his hockey journey.
From the very beginning, Tom took the time to understand our son—not only as a hockey player, but also his goals and where he wanted to go with the game. His knowledge of the hockey world, guidance, and connections helped open doors and gave our family confidence that we were making the right decisions for our son’s development.
One of the things we appreciated most was the communication with Tom. Moving your child out of state to pursue hockey is a huge decision for any family, especially when that move takes him across the country to Massachusetts. Tom was always available to answer our questions, explain the process, and make sure we knew what to expect every step of the way. We never felt like we were navigating the process alone.
What could have been an overwhelming transition ended up being incredibly smooth and seamless. From evaluating opportunities to helping us understand the next steps, Tom and Walsh Sports Group were there throughout the entire process.
Most importantly, we feel our son is now in an environment where he has the opportunity to continue developing, competing at a higher level, and working toward his hockey goals.
We are extremely grateful to Tom Walsh and the entire Walsh Sports Group team for their continued support, communication, and commitment to our son and his hockey journey. For families looking for knowledgeable representation and someone who truly understands the path to the next level, our experience with Tom and Walsh Sports Group has been outstanding.
Thank you, Tom, for everything you have done and continue to do for our son and our family!
Our family has had a wonderful experience working with Tom Walsh and Walsh Sports Group. From the beginning, Tom has been professional, approachable, and genuinely invested in helping our son continue to grow and advance in his hockey career.
The hockey world can be difficult to navigate as a parent. There are so many decisions involving teams, development, opportunities, and figuring out what path will give your player the best chance to succeed. Tom has been an incredible resource throughout that process. He takes the time to explain things clearly, gives us straightforward guidance, and most importantly, makes us feel like our son is more than just another player on a client list.
Communication has been excellent. Whenever we have had a question or needed advice, Tom has been responsive and willing to talk things through. That level of communication has given us a lot of confidence and peace of mind as parents.
What we appreciate most is knowing that our son has someone advocating for him who understands the hockey landscape and is focused on finding opportunities that fit his development and long-term goals.
We are extremely thankful for everything Tom and Walsh Sports Group have done for our son. We are excited to see where his hockey journey takes him and are grateful to have Tom and his team alongside us.
We would absolutely recommend Walsh Sports Group to other hockey families looking for knowledgeable, professional, and personal representation.
