CRHL Championships opinion

[miken0]

We attended the 2001 National Collegiate Roller Hockey Championship Tournament in California. My son is on one of the teams participating. The tournament was well run by the CRHL commissioners and well attended by teams from across the country.

The character of the students representing their various schools impressed me. They were generally mannerly, supportive of other teams, demonstrated respect for their sport and for themselves. Many teams dressed as teams, uniformly, with school logos on display.

I was impressed by the quality of play. The speed, strength, strategy, skating and stick handling skills have all continued to improve over the past 10 years we have been involved. I am pleased to be able to say that after attending about 20-30 tournaments and watching over 1000 games, this was the best roller hockey I have ever seen; better than the now defunct pro leagues and better than NARCH. The games were consistently good. There were many close games and many that were settled in overtime. The player's emotions were visible in their performance. I had the same feeling you get while watching the NCAA collegiate basketball tournament; you know you are watching young scholar/athletes at the top of their sport playing with all their hearts. It was great for the fans! It should have been televised so that the millions of kids playing hockey in their driveways could have seen something good to set their sights on. Are you listening, ESPN? Are you listening, college recruiters and scholarship committees?

There were a few goons that should not have been there. There were a few games where the refs let the play get out of control a bit. There were a few teams salted with 'hockey journeymen' (guys over 25 years old that have no other place to play). There were some cheap shots after the play and some shots that were clearly an intent to injure. These problems had some effect on the outcome of individual games and perhaps even the tournament and are something that the CRHL must work on to keep the play fair, the tournament a success and move this great sport into the NCAA fold.

We are really looking forward to next year!

[ChloroFiend]

I wholeheartedly agree I had a great time participating at NCT III and had the great opportunity to meet players just like me from all over the country, and have a good time chilling with them. The competition was excellent, both in the games I played and in those I watched. The play was OFTEN out of control and excessively rough...at least compared to the standards to which our regional league played the season. I think that establishing a standard set of rules will help cut down on the physical style of play...having refs used to different sets of rules working together trying to enforce a different set of rules does not help that.

My team and I are looking forward to NCT IV, whereever it may be held. ISU will DEFINITELY be there!


-Jon Gucinski #16
-<A HREF="http://www.stuorg.iastate.edu/rollerhockey" target="_new">Iowa State Roller Hockey</A>