KIJHL alum flourishing in mortgage world

Scott Robinson had many moments celebrating goals while playing for the University of Northern Colorado. Robinson now works as a mortgage broker in Penticton for the Tracey Robinson Mortgage Team. Scott Robinson contributed photos

 

Scott Robinson loves the challenges he faces as a mortgage broker each day.

“It’s super cool and it’s something different every single day, which I think is super important,” said Robinson, who played in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League from 2014-18 for the Sicamous Eagles and Summerland Steam. “The same thing every day would get too boring for me.”

Robinson, 25, works with clients to help them achieve their goals at the Tracey Robinson Mortgage Team, owned by his mother. He organizes mortgages for clients, but really he tries to educate them as much as possible. 

“That is what gives clients the best knowledge to make the best decision for their case,” he said. “At the end of the day, a mortgage is pretty black and white. You can do this, you can’t do that and we’re not about to beat anyone on interest rates. Everyone is offering the same rates and products. It’s more the customer service and the education and the time that we spend with our clients that really sets us apart.”

That leads to the company slogan of the British-family owned business being  – We’ll Treat You Like Royalty.

Robinson, who spent two seasons at the University of Northern Colorado in the American Collegiate Hockey Association Division II, was encouraged by his mother to enter the mortgage industry as he didn’t know what he wanted to do. Tracey has been working in the industry since 2012.

“I’ve always been a bit of a nerd for numbers,” he said. “Going through school, I was leaning towards something in the finance, accounting, business world. This opportunity presented itself and I started with the courses and fell in love with the complexity of things and how difficult a lot of the work really is.”

He hit the ground running at the start of 2022 and said “there is a ton to know and even to this day I’m learning new things every single day.” 

His reward comes after the client’s transaction is complete, receiving a review from them, or a nice email or referral to “pump your tires” and say “how amazing you were. That is the best part of the job.”

Robinson’s competitive side from hockey has transferred to his work.

“I was always pretty competitive and wanted to be the best at something,” he said. “That kind of fire inside me has carried over. My mom always says that I kind of have world domination in mind, but I definitely want to take it to the top. The drive inside of me that I just want to be better every single day comes from my junior and college hockey days.”

Robinson loved his two years of college hockey and has zero regrets despite the challenges faced from injury. During his final season with the Steam, he recalls trying to decide where he wanted to go play college hockey. He considered the B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League, but was pulled by the desire for a U.S. experience that led to Colorado. His teammates there became a “band of brothers” that he stays in touch with now.

“It was the best experience,” he said, adding the playing style of the ACHA is very similar to the KIJHL. “It’s good, fast paced hockey and competitive. It was super fun.”