SIUE hockey club prepares for season

By Rick Crossin
Sports Reporter

Hockey at SIUE has had a troubled past, but with a few new faces, it now has a chance for a bright future.

Last year, the SIUE hockey club was forced to forfeit a large portion of its games because of a lack of finances.

"Hockey isn't university sponsored," said Nick Powers, Business Operations manager of the hockey club. "All of our funds came straight out of the player's pockets."

Powers and other members of the hockey club suspected some foul play from last year's coach, and decided that this year it would be in the team's best interest to hire a new coach.

The hockey club chose Larry Thatcher, General Manager of the East Alton Ice Arena. Thatcher, who is also the coach of the Roxana High School hockey team, is excited to have the chance to coach at the college level.

"I would like to see the hockey team become part of the experience for SIUE students," Thatcher said.

Thatcher, who is also the Associate Director of coaching for USA hockey's central district, has been coaching since 1988.

"I've had pretty good success in coaching," Thatcher said.

The East Alton Ice Arena is where Thatcher hopes the SIUE hockey team will play for a long time.

"Originally, this is where they (the hockey team) started out," Thatcher said. "I feel this is where SIUE hockey should be."

One of coach Thatcher's goals is to have the hockey team attract students to SIUE.

"I want students to come to SIU who may have been looking some place else," Thatcher said.

SIUE hockey plays in the American Collegiate Hockey Association along with many other schools across the area. Currently, Saint Louis University, the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and the University of Illinois all play in the ACHA.

Thatcher is not sure yet on how much it will cost to play for SIUE.

"I don't know," Thatcher said. "We're that new into it."

The SIUE hockey club is going to have open tryouts on Sept. 18, 22, and 27. The cost is $40 per person to tryout. For more information on SIUE hockey, call Larry Thatcher at (618) 254-7465.