2008 Woodie Awards
Gorlok Hockey thrives at WU
By: Nikole Brown
Issue date: 10/4/07 Section: Sports
- Page 1 of 1
When it comes to exercise, there's an extensive list of options. For the members of one Webster University club, the best way to get in shape was an aggressive sport with a little man-to-man action - hockey.
Grant Neal, a senior film production and history major, began posting fliers for his group in fall 2005. He got a surprising amount of positive feedback.
"I sort of grew up messing around (with hockey), but I never played organized sports," Neal said. "I thought I needed something to play."
He said he thought initial interest in the club was because many of the St. Louis area schools have hockey teams. He said when many of those students come to Webster and they have experience playing hockey, they choose the club as an outlet.
The club has more than 80 members, but there are only 11 official players. Each Sunday, the group meets at the All-American Sports Mall, a South St. Louis County recreational center, for practice.
Through the recreational center, the club joined a hockey league made up of area teams. Each player pays part of the league fee, and for 11 weeks the club has games on Sundays. Depending on their records, the top four teams go to playoffs. The club has not made the playoffs yet, but Neal said he thinks they have a strong team this year. The league teams are made up of adult men and women.
"It makes it sound unorganized, but the people who play are all over the spectrum," Neal said.
The group became an officially recognized club by the Student Government Association in spring 2006 and were able to have representation at the Involvement Fair. The club has also been able to pay half of league costs and team jersey using SGA funding.
Neal said he would like the team to compete on a collegiate level with schools like Lindenwood University, but entry fees are around $3,000. Neal said that even though the club has bigger dreams, they are not going to exclude anyone from playing.
"Anybody, boy or girl, can join the Facebook group if they want to play and come to the practices," Neal said.
Compared to last year the team has gotten a better base of reliable players, and there is more interest from the freshman class, Neal said.
Crystal Lewis, a junior business administration and studio art major, is a member of the Webster Hockey Facebook group. She said she would like to see the team added to the Webster athletic program.
"I think if they are trying to expand the athletic department and have a broader view, this would be one way to do it, because they have a pretty solid team," Lewis said.
Neal said he would like the hockey club to represent Webster on a collegiate level, but he said he is still researching other college-level teams. He said he has most recently looked at the Great Plains Intercollegiate Inline League, which includes Division III Meramec Community College in Kirkwood, Mo. and Division I Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Grant Neal, a senior film production and history major, began posting fliers for his group in fall 2005. He got a surprising amount of positive feedback.
"I sort of grew up messing around (with hockey), but I never played organized sports," Neal said. "I thought I needed something to play."
He said he thought initial interest in the club was because many of the St. Louis area schools have hockey teams. He said when many of those students come to Webster and they have experience playing hockey, they choose the club as an outlet.
The club has more than 80 members, but there are only 11 official players. Each Sunday, the group meets at the All-American Sports Mall, a South St. Louis County recreational center, for practice.
Through the recreational center, the club joined a hockey league made up of area teams. Each player pays part of the league fee, and for 11 weeks the club has games on Sundays. Depending on their records, the top four teams go to playoffs. The club has not made the playoffs yet, but Neal said he thinks they have a strong team this year. The league teams are made up of adult men and women.
"It makes it sound unorganized, but the people who play are all over the spectrum," Neal said.
The group became an officially recognized club by the Student Government Association in spring 2006 and were able to have representation at the Involvement Fair. The club has also been able to pay half of league costs and team jersey using SGA funding.
Neal said he would like the team to compete on a collegiate level with schools like Lindenwood University, but entry fees are around $3,000. Neal said that even though the club has bigger dreams, they are not going to exclude anyone from playing.
"Anybody, boy or girl, can join the Facebook group if they want to play and come to the practices," Neal said.
Compared to last year the team has gotten a better base of reliable players, and there is more interest from the freshman class, Neal said.
Crystal Lewis, a junior business administration and studio art major, is a member of the Webster Hockey Facebook group. She said she would like to see the team added to the Webster athletic program.
"I think if they are trying to expand the athletic department and have a broader view, this would be one way to do it, because they have a pretty solid team," Lewis said.
Neal said he would like the hockey club to represent Webster on a collegiate level, but he said he is still researching other college-level teams. He said he has most recently looked at the Great Plains Intercollegiate Inline League, which includes Division III Meramec Community College in Kirkwood, Mo. and Division I Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
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