For many hockey players, no matter when or where the end comes, it’s never easy to transition to a different focus once the skates are hung up.

For former goaltender Nick Foley, he knew exactly what he wanted to accomplish in his post-hockey life - make a change for the greater social good.

Foley’s journey has taken him from home in Belleville, out east to west, out of the country, and back, as he aims to build his personal brand as an entrepreneur, educator, motivational speaker, and inclusion advocate.

It all started from a young age for the 41-year-old Foley, who worked his way up to the minor midget AAA level before being picked by the late Larry Mavety as an undrafted walk-on to back up starting netminder Kory Cooper with his hometown Belleville Bulls in 1996, suiting up for 20 games that season in front of loved ones and supporters.

He then proceeded to follow Mavety to Kingston the next year when the latter secured the dual head coach/GM role with the Kingston Frontenacs.

Foley credited Mavety's hard-nosed, but fair style of coaching in part for shaping him into the person he is today.

"One thing about Mav is he was such a presence," he explained. "When he spoke, we all listened."

"I know for me, having the privilege of playing for him for two years, at the end of the day, I knew that he cared. Whether you're playing well or not, whether you're playing a lot or not a lot, he spoke to you like a human."

"I always knew where I stood with him. I always knew he had my back."

After a brief stint in the Ontario Junior Hockey League with the Cobourg Cougars, Foley spent his final two seasons of junior with the expansion Mississauga Icedogs, run at that time by legendary hockey commentator Don Cherry.

Starting in 2000, after his overage year with the Icedogs, Foley packed up and headed east to further his education and hockey career with the Saint Mary's University Huskies in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

He spent four years at the school, with a major highlight coming in 2001-02, when he helped the Huskies win an Atlantic University championship in his sophomore season, an accomplishment that earned him and the team space in the school's Sports Hall of Fame.

Nearly 20 years later, Foley said he is still connected to many of the players on that team.

"It was fun. I owe a lot to hockey. I've met a lot of wonderful people and made good friends."

"I really enjoyed the lessons that I learned about grit and resiliency and I think I have been able to parlay that into my career as an educator, entrepreneur, and most importantly, as a husband and dad."

However, it was his time at Saint Mary's that also led to a long, hard reflection of his future and he eventually determined that an NHL career was not going to be in the cards for him.

"I didn't want to be grinding it out in the minor pros and I didn't have a contract coming out of university," Foley explained.

With that in mind, Foley turned to Teacher's College after being intrigued by lectures at school and the professors' ability to connect with their students.

"I just kind of fell into my career, to be honest," he said with a chuckle.

The move took him to the University of Maine, where he graduated with a teacher's certificate in secondary education, then on to England for a year-and-a-half of experience, before coming back to Canada to teach at a private school for three years.

From there, he took a slight detour into the entrepreneurial realm and teaching in an alternative way by kickstarting a motivational speaking career.

"I felt like I had a message I wanted to convey and work with youth, but just doing it in a different capacity than everyday teaching, which is wonderful. But for me, I wanted to do it in a different way."

Part of that was the non-profit Move for Inclusion, which was inspired by his daughter Brynn, who identifies with Down Syndrome.

In 2015, he cycled from coast to coast, traveling from Victoria, British Columbia to St. John’s Newfoundland and racking up more than 8,000 kilometres to launch the unique initiative and to raise awareness and understanding for acceptance of all people such as Brynn, without bias.

"I was able to garner a lot of stories and experiences and talk about different aspects (of inclusion)."

"My wife and I do a lot of work with that kind of stuff. We're very fortunate to have a voice and I'm fortunate to be an advocate for her until she gets old enough to have her own voice, which won't be long now."

In that same vein, he was able to develop the We Be Us clothing company with business partner Phil Kerr, which has been responsible for the successful 20K Sock Day initiative and thousands of dollars raised to help those experiencing homelessness.

Five years ago, after previously getting in touch with a teacher at Loyalist College during a speaking engagement, he achieved what he describes as his "dream job" as a professor with the Loyalist Public Relations and Management program.

Just this year, he took over the program on a full-time basis.

"At Loyalist, we have great leadership and there's a lot of people thinking innovatively," he said. "Loyalist is a very progressive-thinking college."

"To be a part of that and be able to have the autonomy to develop a program like this and bring it forward into the 21st century, it's been such a wonderful experience."

Priding himself as a "lifelong learner," Foley is also currently working on his Master's degree in Leadership from the University of Guelph.

Through all of this, he has had the unwavering, unconditional support of his wife Brooke, his son Welles and daughter Brynn.

"My guiding principle is to be the best version of myself. I wasn't always that person. It's taken a lot of self-reflection and a lot of work to be the best version of myself today. That's what I want to be for them."

As a still young man, Foley said he wants to continue following in the philanthropic footsteps of his parents, who have instilled in him the important value of generosity and service to the community, leaving places better than when you came.

"My mom and dad always give back to the community in different capacities and I'm picking up where they are continuing. I'm very fortunate to do so."