Question for Coach Chris...

[DannyG]

C.C:

You really have my curiosity stimulated! You obviously feel that NCAA status, in some form, is a real possibility. I am on record that it will not happen this decade. I am certain you have read my posts on the topic...

Please share with us why you conclude that this new collegiate level of play will indeed come into being...

-Dan

[CoachChrisG]

I believe it will happen because too many teams cannot compete with MSU and Lindenwood because they have a licence to print money and get players that other schools big and small cannot get. However, the more these teams push and the fact that inline hockey is seeing it's second consecutive Pan Am Games is giving the sport new credibility. Add this to the fact that ECRHA has built a rock solid program in the NCAA office's back yard in the East Coast I feel that they will have to stand up and take notice. (Especially if they continue to churn out a better National tournament then MLRH and is on par with NARCh.)

Add this to the fact that not only is ECRHA a very well run league but the teams are very balanced and competitive. Many of the teams are well run dispite having little resources and this kind of dedication shouldn't have any problem impressing the NCAA.

I do believe it will happen but everyone has to want it. Including the bigger programs who would face a level playing field as a result of NCAA status. (The teams would be moved from the club sports section of their schools to the Athletic Driector's jurisitiction and be entitled to a much bigger budget.)

C.C.

[DannyG]

I appreciate your response.

If I understand you correctly, you point out that there is presently a good level of competent, dedicated, committed participation at the collegiate club level. There is also a "following" for the sport at other international, amateur, and semi-professional levels. These would indeed be two factors that an NCAA Committee would look at when considering the question of elevating a club sport to varsity status.

Presently, the lack of abundant collegiate scholarship opportunities for high school players to work toward is a major obstacle that I encounter in my promotion and development of the sport. I would like nothing better than for NCAA varsity status to be bestowed on our sport.

I guarantee you, however, it is not going to happen, for the member institutions' inability to have addressed Title IX issues for the last thirty years.

I am interested in how well developed the MSU and Lindenwood womens' team programs are...

I remained bummed about all this, Coach Chris, and I must confess that you have not overcome my fears.

Edit: 15 minutes later...the Lindenwood guy seems to have the handle on it, above...please understand that I am not trying to denigrate any school that doesn't have a womens' program yet, just pointing out the disparity that will prevent the NCAA from taking action...<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by DannyG on 02/19/03 11:54 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

[Lindenwoodhockey]

Its called Title IX. Ask the swimming and diving coaches at the University of Miami where that program was dropped. Or ask the former coach of the Boston University football team where he is coaching now. Since 1974, the NCAA Division One has dropped 140 wrestling programs, 101 men's gymnastics programs, 46 water polo teams and you want the NCAA and a university to sanction roller hockey. I think you would have a much better chance starting women's roller hockey in the NCAA.

[cakeuneke]

I think a decade would be a conservative estimate for NCAA status. I understand the motivation for school's that don't have as much funding to have NCAA status, but that's not the point at all. What motivation does the NCAA have to incorporate roller hockey into its sports?

Especially when they already have ice hockey. I played in the CRHL for 4 years and loved it, but let's be really, making roller hockey an NCAA sport might be a little like making indoor soccer one, which I guess is possible too. My point is, most schools that would be "interested" in a roller hockey team already have an ice team, and I seriously doubt a non-checking, slower paced game would outdraw ice.

The CRHL has done a remarkable job of organizing the teams into national championships, and to me it always felt like the league was making it feel like a varsity sport, even though the funding was obviously not there. Live with that for now, let the league advance and grow on its own, which brings us back to the "forced" expansion of CRHL into the Premier League, another reason it doesn't make sense.

[bonesy21]

To everyone,

In addition to whats being said, the largest obstacle is obviously title IX. Moreover, forsay that if they did even try to accomplish this task, they would have to build rinks "ON CAMPUS" for the sport, and that my friend would cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars, because every varsity sport has to have a facility to play at and practice at "On Campus." Furthermore, why would a school, yet alone the NCAA want to make it a varsity sport, when i have seen no more than 50-75 people at any one game? thats absolutely no revinue for the school who would in turn give out full rides? they would be making no money. In my opinion, i however would love it eventually be a varsity school, but as lindenwoodhockey stated there have been too many sports already cut due to funding and title IX. but more power to ya if you want to work on something that wont happen...

secondly, i play for Michigan State and i can honestly tell you that we do not give out any money, nor do any players recieve any type of money from the school what-so-ever. Lindenwood is the only team in the country that has any type of funding. as for where we stand, we do not have a womans roller hockey team, but we do have a womans club ice team, and thats the closest thing we have to womans hockey. Additionally, for the last few years, the womans club ice team has been on the ball, trying to allow MSU atheletics to make them a varsity sport; however, again, one womans sport that is already in exsistence must be terminated in order for the womans club ice team to be converted to a varsity sport. that has more of a chance to become a varsity sport than our rollerhockey program.

in the end, i would love to see Roller hockey become a varsity, ncaa sport; however, that is highly unlikely. you do have some good points relating to how much it has grown in the past few years, but so has womans ice hockey, and they are not even a varsity sport at most schools. conversely though, the mens football team here at MSU went on downfall this last year with coker, oops, i mean smoker and with the loss of thier head coach, so maybe if i beg, just maybe our goal of becoming a varsity sport would happen. out with guys varsity football, and in with guys rollerhockey...lol..just kidding....

david canon
"bones"