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The University of Maine men’s ice hockey team has excelled year after year. They won two National Championships and have made 11 frozen four appearances since 1977. If Maine’s hockey team is one of the best in the country, then why don’t they have a club ice hockey team? This question has been brought to Student Government in the past, but has never been approved.
Last week, there was another attempt to create a club ice hockey team. Interest in the club at the first meeting was immediate and impressive. About 50 people attended the informational meeting, with some lined up into the hallways because they weren’t able to fit in the room.
For being a huge hockey school, it was surprising to some that there was not already a club team on campus. Other Hockey East teams, such as UNH, BC, BU, Vermont and Providence College, have a club team. With so much hockey talent on campus from our Division I team, it would make sense that there is other hockey talent floating around. Interest and talent are more than prevalent.
One problem that faces this up-and-coming club team is getting ice time to practice. The Alfond Arena is a place where the club team could play, but with the Division I team having the upper hand and the majority of the ice time, it is very difficult to get any time at all. Not only does the school team have to play at the Alfond, but both Orono and Old Town high schools’ ice hockey teams play at the Alfond, due to the fact that neither town has an ice rink.
Now the club ice hockey team must sit and wait for 15 weeks to see if Student Government will approve the club and the necessary funding. If the team were approved, it would play in the ACAH, which is a league below the NCAA.
If anyone is interested in playing and being a part of the first club ice hockey team at the University of Maine, contact Carey Gustanski, who is in charge of the club roller hockey team, but is also helping to kickstart the club ice hockey team.
Bangor Daily News