Catching up with UBC Thunderbirds alum Mike Hole

The University of British Columbia Athletics and Recreation department recently caught up with former UBC Thunderbirds infielder Mike Hole (Vancouver, B.C.) to see what he is up to these days.

November 28, 2020

Courtesy of UBC Athletics & Recreation

Thunderbird Alumni Profile: Mike Hole

Name: Mike Hole

Degree & Year: BCom'13

T-Bird Sport: Baseball 2011-13

Current Profession/Employer: CPA – Haakon Industries

Why did you choose to study/play at UBC?

I actually transferred to UBC from an NCAA school in California. As someone who grew up in Vancouver, it was in my time away in California that I realized how great Vancouver is. Combined with the fact the UBC is such a great school and has a great baseball program.

Favourite T-Bird memory:

In my last season we played our final two weekend series on the road and then went straight to the first round of playoffs, all after exams had finished. We effectively had a two-week baseball road trip, and with no more studying to be done on our long road trip we were able to cruise around the Pacific Northwest and play baseball. The eight-plus hour at a time bus trips certainly felt long when we were in it, but all the camaraderie that came with playing and travelling together is nothing but good memories now.

Favourite place on campus:

The old batting cages. It was the best place to go to get away from everything else going on in life and just hit baseballs.

What was your first job after graduation?

I worked at KPMG in Vancouver and completed my CPA.

What advice do you have for current student-athletes?

Embrace your athletics and go for it. For the select few who are doing it because you have a career in the sport, that's a no brainer. For everyone else (like myself) although UBC may be the peak of your athletic career, it is still excellent training and resume building for whatever comes next in life. It's the skills I developed being a varsity athlete that I find to be the most valuable in my day to day life now: competitiveness, working hard to achieve goals and improve, the ability to receive feedback, and unwavering accountability to my team to name a few. All things I still continue to improve upon. When I was in school there was lots of chatter from other students around class about resume building and having the right summer job. However, as a student athlete you are already building your resume and skill set in a way that other students need to look externally to do. So, don't undervalue that!

What's the best advice you can give to a student or recent alumni to help plan a career?

Don't underestimate the skills and abilities you have learned and gained from being a student athlete and find somewhere that values it. There will also be people out there who don't understand the value of having that on your resume. When I was in school I interviewed with someone who tore up my resume and experience because to them being a student athlete was not worth being on my resume and that I was better off working. Instead, I happened to apply somewhere that gave me an interview because I was a student athlete, and getting one foot in the door is all it takes. In my experience it is a good signal when an employer values the experiences of a student athlete.

Do you have a mentor? How have they influenced you?

I have had a few mentors, and I think they have been crucial in helping me grow and a person and a professional. Having someone that I trust and value their insights provide me with unfiltered and honest advice is invaluable. I think the main thing that I have been influence on is the ability to see the forest for the trees. It's easy to get caught up in the day to day grind and the minute details, but I have been able to receive mentorship on stepping back periodically and looking at the big picture to keep track of where the ship is going.

How have you used your varsity athletic experience in your current career/life?

As an athlete I was able to gain a lot of experience going outside of my comfort zone that is really hard to replicate. Between pushing myself in the gym to get stronger to hitting in a tight game with a runner on third and less that two outs where you need to hit a deep fly ball to the outfield against a pitcher that has had my number my entire career. I find I am able to push myself at work with new challenges and responsibilities because I don't mind pushing the boundaries of my comfort zone. I relish uncontrolled environments that require quick, confident, and informed decision making. I think this is a result of my experience as a varsity athlete.

Anything particular insights during this time of quarantine and physical distancing?

I'd like to think it's an opportunity (as much as possible) to take on some new challenges that I wouldn't have otherwise had the time to do. It feels similar to when I graduated and no longer had the time commitment to baseball. Back then it was filled quickly with starting to article to be a CPA, and this time around it's certainly a little more recreational.

What are your books/movie suggestions?

I have cruised through a few good TV series: Jack Ryan on Amazon Prime and The Last Dance on Netflix. I have just started into the Foundation novel series for books.

Can you share any new quarantine hobbies/goals?

I have had the generic goal of spending more time doing two of my favourite outdoor activities: fly fishing and mountain biking. I have the goal of climbing 100,000 vertical feet on my mountain bike and I am at about 50,000 so far. And fly fishing! I was able to get out for a four-day fly fishing trip with no cell reception or wifi which has certainly been one of the highlights of this summer.

What question would you ask other T-Birds/mentors?

I always like the question of how did you get to where you are?

What question do you wish we had asked you?

Why did you want to be a varsity athlete/play varsity athletics?

How can other alumni/student-athletes connect with you?

LinkedIn. If any graduating engineers from any discipline are looking for a job, being a UBC student-athlete is an automatic interview at my company and we are always looking to hire. So if there are any out there, I would be happy to hear from you.