Aggie Hockey begins tonight at 6:00!!! Lets give them the 12th Man!!!!!

Fightin' Aggie Class of 2009!! AAAAAAAAAA
Gig'em Aggies

Can someone explain why the A&M, Tech, tu, and other hockey teams in our area are not D1 "santioned" and we play other "club" teams around the country? Does it have to do with funding, scholarship availability, travel proximity to other D1 teams, etc? Also, how is the bulk of our team funded? Thanks in advance for your answers.

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Can someone explain why the A&M, Tech, tu, and other hockey teams in our area are not D1 "santioned" and we play other "club" teams around the country? Does it have to do with funding, scholarship availability, travel proximity to other D1 teams, etc? Also, how is the bulk of our team funded? Thanks in advance for your answers.

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I can think of a few reasons why the schools you mention don't have D1 hockey programs. First of all, there's huge talent difference between many of the best hockey players in Texas and the best in places like Canada, Minneasota, and Michigan. Quite simply, our best athletes are playing football and basketball, while many of the best athletes in the other places I mentioned (particularly Canada) play hockey.

Next, Texas and OK aren't really good at developing the talent (and there are some talented kids playing) they do have yet and the competition isn't that good. When I moved down here from New England years ago I was surprised the competition was as good as was, but it was still night and day from what I played against up north. That said, it's starting to get a little better. There are some junior A teams in Texas now and AA and AAA travel squads as well. Also, some of the top players are going up to play Junior A and B in Canada now, which has been good. The coaching is also starting to improve, as a lot of transplants from the north are starting to get involved (for example, the beer league team I play on in Houston has 6 or 7 guys from Canada alone and I think 4 or 5 are involved in coaching).

Third, it's a brand new sport for those schools. When I played for Texas (cue the "yankee sip" jokes) in 2002 or 2003, the program had only been around a year or so (I seem to recall an old travel hockey teammate of mine who wound up an Ag was one of the driving forces in getting club teams at the Texas schools, although I could be wrong). You're also not likely to see any of these schools match the budget of a hockey school like MSU, UM, or BC (or even match a quarter of of it). There really isn't the interest there to justify it. We had to pay a grand each the year I played, which was the determining factor in why I didn't play after that year.

These are just a few of the reasons and things are improving, but I think it's going to be a while before we see any of the Texas schools with D1 hockey teams. With that in mind, I wouldn't be surprised to see some Texan players professional hockey in the next decade or two (and I mean homegrown ones, so Brian Leetch doesn't count). California already has a couple of guys in the ECHL and the AHL, although the Kings have been around a lot longer than the Stars.

Anyway, I hope that helps.

If we added another men's program we'd have to add another women's program too. But I don't think we'll see hockey until others around here pick it up, it would cost too much to have an NCAA team that has to travel across the country for all their games if they don't make the revenue. I think that we'd see men's soccer before hockey because at least some other Texas schools (SMU, for example) have a team too.

Where does Aggie team play? There wasn't a rink in BCS when I went to school.

There's a new rink in town. Arctic Wolf (near Wolf Pen Ampitheater) on Holleman.

Two words: Title Nine.

There was a pretty good segment done during intermission of the Stars game about hockey in the Big 12. A Tech player said that they have plans to be D2 within 3 years & hopefully D1 within 5 years. Good stuff.

Thanks for the good answers to my question about club teams. Gig 'em Ags and BTHO tech tonight.

A lot of it has to do with the fact that it is just a Club. For example, if you wanted to start a group for "Stamp Collectors" and you wanted it to be an official A&M Organizations (THE AGGIE STAMPERS..lol) then you could go to the MSC and try to get them to "host" your organization.

It works the same way for other interests. If you are someone who likes Hockey and you want to play hockey at A&M....then you start a "Hockey Club!!" Instead of getting the MSC or SGA to host you, you get REC-Sports to host you instead (it makes sense as they host all sport club teams).

Most people get confused when they see a sport that is not part of the Ath. Department. That is something totally different. I mean, I guess if you wanted to have the Hockey Club sponsored by the Ath. Dept. (like Archery) then you could petition to them and see if they would host you. BUT, as we all know, there are a lot of things that play into the Ath. Dept. decisions.....like Money, NCAA, Title 9, etc. That is why we have Rec-Sports who can host any club that wants to play a particular sport (even cricket, rugby, polo, etc.).

Ok, so dont get me wrong here. I played Club Sports while I was at A&M...and some of my best memories were playing on the Rugby Club Team.

So, ever since then, I have made it a point to support all Aggie Organizations (even Club Teams). I also support other Organizations (non-sport) as best I can.

So, having said that, I went to my first Hockey Game last night vs. tech. I had a great time but was confused or bothered by a few things.

First of all....these Hockey Players are AGGIES...just like everyone else here. They should be treated as such and given the rights to the same traditions as any other Aggie group. SO...(and I dont know who did it) dont pass out the "CHEERS" on pieces of paper to the crowd before the game. Aggies dont cheer, we yell. There seemed to be a good amount of students at the game (friends of players) who could have led a few yells, etc. They could even designated a few friends to be Yell Leaders for the Hockey Team if they want too.

I know its a fast pace sport...so dont give me the same argument as basketball. If you want to mix in a few cheers as well, go ahead (Nothing wrong with that).

At the end of the day, if the guys on in Maroon and White didnt have A&Ms on their chests...I would have thought it was an IHL game or something. There was nothing there to tell me that it was an A&M event. It felt a little too generic...and we as Aggies in the crowd should do our part to make it feel more like an Aggie event (if nothing else, do it for the guys in the ice.)

The Fuzzy Mascot was also too much to deal with.

Ok, I dont want this to sound too negative, bc I am a big supporter of Club Sports, and I know how hard it is to get support for them. And for this reason I will be at the next game.

BUT, for the woman on the back row screaming High School Cheers at the top of her lungs...please, if you would act more like an Aggie and less like an annoyance, then more people might show up to the games.

(Sorry if I sound a little too negative, I am writing this in a huge hurry and my tone may be a little off. )

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There was a pretty good segment done during intermission of the Stars game about hockey in the Big 12. A Tech player said that they have plans to be D2 within 3 years & hopefully D1 within 5 years. Good stuff.

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tech? texas tech? division I hockey?


riiiiiiiiight.

Thats what I thought.....

All club teams dream about being D1 (just like all HS FB Players dream about playing in the Super Bowl), but only Tech is dumb enough to think they are really going to get there.

Lubbock already has a semi pro team. Tech will be the first Big12 school to go D1. Quote me on that. And yes I played at A&M.