Eagle club hockey nests in new rec center
EWU hockey will practice and play games in the rec center beginning next year
Brandon Hansen, Staff Writer
Issue date: 5/7/08 Section: Sports
Players from the EWU Hockey Club should find themselves logging considerably shorter driving hours next year since the opening of the University Recreation Center will give the Eagles a home venue to hang up their skates.
"The big thing is that we get to play on campus," said EWU Head Coach Gary Braun. "It reminds me of the old (Spokane) Coliseum, it has that same kind of feel."
The University Recreation Center boasts an NHL-size rink, according to Braun, and will be fully capable of hosting the games despite rumors to the contrary.
"Ice is not the issue," he said.
Braun and the team are looking forward to playing in what they hope is a packed house. The rec center has a capacity of 1,000 permanent seats and is one of the few on-campus venues in the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA), the organization that the Eagles play within.
"It's not a common thing, that's for sure," said Braun.
The EWU Hockey Club is certainly a program on the rise; not only do they have a brand new place to play in but they also have advanced to the ACHA Division 2 national tournament for the past two years.
Braun, who played seven years of professional hockey and helped coach the Spokane Chiefs to their 1990-1991 Memorial Cup title, said that the credit of the Eagles' success falls squarely on the shoulders of the players.
"I can count with my fingers how many times they've missed practices," said Braun.
Since EWU hockey is a club, players paid $1,900 in dues last year (plus $600 to go to nationals), to help supplement the financial stability of the team. They've had to juggle their academics as well.
"They've done a great job, we've had no less than eight guys on the Dean's list," said Braun.
Then there's the issue of traveling on the road, something that's been a problem with other club teams but not so much with the players at EWU, said Braun.
"Our guys have always been able to work that out," he said.
"The big thing is that we get to play on campus," said EWU Head Coach Gary Braun. "It reminds me of the old (Spokane) Coliseum, it has that same kind of feel."
The University Recreation Center boasts an NHL-size rink, according to Braun, and will be fully capable of hosting the games despite rumors to the contrary.
"Ice is not the issue," he said.
Braun and the team are looking forward to playing in what they hope is a packed house. The rec center has a capacity of 1,000 permanent seats and is one of the few on-campus venues in the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA), the organization that the Eagles play within.
"It's not a common thing, that's for sure," said Braun.
The EWU Hockey Club is certainly a program on the rise; not only do they have a brand new place to play in but they also have advanced to the ACHA Division 2 national tournament for the past two years.
Braun, who played seven years of professional hockey and helped coach the Spokane Chiefs to their 1990-1991 Memorial Cup title, said that the credit of the Eagles' success falls squarely on the shoulders of the players.
"I can count with my fingers how many times they've missed practices," said Braun.
Since EWU hockey is a club, players paid $1,900 in dues last year (plus $600 to go to nationals), to help supplement the financial stability of the team. They've had to juggle their academics as well.
"They've done a great job, we've had no less than eight guys on the Dean's list," said Braun.
Then there's the issue of traveling on the road, something that's been a problem with other club teams but not so much with the players at EWU, said Braun.
"Our guys have always been able to work that out," he said.
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