Watertown, South Dakota- Any Shamrock fan knows the name Justin Bartley. Bartley is going on his third year in Watertown and was named captain during the preseason. But, before he got to Watertown his journey started in Orland Park, Illinois.
“I started when I was 4 I think. All my cousins played and I kind of just wanted to be like them,” said Barts. “My favorite memory growing up though was when we beat Chadick in the finals, kind of a David versus Goliath story… we took them down, and the rest is history.”
Even after all of those younger wins, talent can only take someone so far. And when Bartley was off the ice, there was one person who was in his corner, helping him every step of the way.
“My dad wasn’t the type of dad, giving it to me after an away loss, or a long ride home,” said Bartley. “He was always supportive.”
When the conversations turned from hockey to leadership, they made sure he knew what was important.
“I’ve always thought that being a leader on the team was cool,” said Bartley. “My parents always said, just like everyone’s probably said, don’t be a follower, be a leader. Don’t follow the herd. So I try to keep that mentality.”
Carrying that mindset into the locker room naturally set him apart, but stepping into a formal leadership position brought a whole new standard of accountability. When the time came to wear the captain’s letter, Bartley recognized that earning the respect of his teammates required action long before any title was confirmed.
“I tried to embrace the roll right away,” said Bartley. “I think it means a lot to have C but to do the things required to be a good captain is a lot more important because just having a C on your chest doesn’t actually do anything you have to actually be a good captain and be a leader.”
Being a good captain requires more than pre-game speeches, it requires trust and proving you’re here for a while—two things hard to come by in a league where player movement is the norm. As one of the few long-term veterans in the locker room, Bartley bridges the gap between coaching staff expectations and new arrivals trying to find their footing.
“There’s a lot of churn in junior hockey. Some guys come for one year and some guys are here for two but three is the longest you’ll ever be on a single team and it’s my third year here,” said Bartley. “So I guess people know me.”
Ultimately, being known isn’t just aout how many games he’s played in the building, it’s about how he represents Watertown everyday. As Bartley leads his team through another season, the lesson from his parents remains his guiding rule– don’t just wear the patch, lead the way.