UAH Hockey 2013-14: Feeling like a real D-I program again

[gfmorris]

Re: UAH Hockey 2013-14: Feeling like a real D-I program again

Not even one page into feeling like a real D1 program again and already here comes the snuggling.

Mike and I did radio together a decade-ish ago. We were a student operation. It was close quarters.

GFM

[gfmorris]

Re: UAH Hockey 2013-14: Feeling like a real D-I program again

So, let's come up with questions for me to ask when I'm back in Huntsville. I'll come up with some starters.

1. Who's the other assistant going to be?
2. What is the Gruehl situation? [I know what I've heard, and I'll just leave it at that.]
3. How many players are we bringing in? We'll never get a "who's coming" list until they're ready to release the entire set, but if they say "11", we know that they have more irons in the fire.
4. What style of play are we going to see? I know that I'm going to be depressed if we're chipping-and-chasing, but we don't have a ton of offensive skill right now, and that may mean that's our approach as our guys just work their asses off to get to 50-50 pucks. [And we know our guys will do all they can.]
5. Will there be a volunteer assistant? Steve Briere is an obvious choice, especially because he has paying jobs that keep him busy (including teach a class or two at UAH to boot).

Others?

GFM

[GetOutDaKitchin]

Re: UAH Hockey 2013-14: Feeling like a real D-I program again

This is quite low on the list of priorities, but I want to know the jersey situation. When will UAH see a set of home and away (possibly a 3rd jersey) that stays consistent? And what they look like this year and for years to come? They need to get that classy college hockey jersey look in the likeness of the BUs, Maines, and Cornells of the world. I say this really because I want to get one that won't go out of style after a year.

Also, what, if any, improvements have the coaching staff and university done to improve player development (i.e. strength and conditioning programs, facility upgrades, nutrition plans, etc.)?

Lastly, is the university organizing any trips for fans of the program to attend away games? I know myself and a number of others down here in Birmingham are very interested in attending the Notre Dame tournament.

That's all I've got. Hope some of these can be answered. Thanks for your help, Geof.

[UAHStatman]

Re: UAH Hockey 2013-14: Feeling like a real D-I program again

This is quite low on the list of priorities, but I want to know the jersey situation. When will UAH see a set of home and away (possibly a 3rd jersey) that stays consistent? And what they look like this year and for years to come? They need to get that classy college hockey jersey look in the likeness of the BUs, Maines, and Cornells of the world. I say this really because I want to get one that won't go out of style after a year.

Gavin told me back in the spring they were working on jerseys that they wanted to be the "final" versions. That is, the redesign to end all redesigns. There was a prototype (not final) version of the home jersey at the banquet, which was a white version of the new blues the team wore in the second half of this past season. (Those blues, by the way, are being improved upon. For example, the word "Huntsville" will have separate letter stitching instead of a nameplate.)

What I want to know regarding jerseys is when they are signed off, when will they be available for sale on campus, around town and online (I'm looking at you, former wchashop.com now at CollegeHockeyGear.com).

Lastly, is the university organizing any trips for fans of the program to attend away games? I know myself and a number of others down here in Birmingham are very interested in attending the Notre Dame tournament.

I'm still more concerned about getting more at home games, particularly students. And, getting the student section in the upper deck with the pep band so they can really be heard.

Speaking of VBC ambience, what is there being planned in terms of arena "decorations"? A WCHA banner? WCHA team banners? Right now all we have are banners for '96, '98, and Doug Ross -- hardly enough to commemorate the history the program has. I'd like to see these banners raised, using a new standard template that will work for the arena:

* 1982 National Club Champions
* 1983 National Club Champions
* 1984 National Club Champions
* 1994 NCAA Division II Tournament
* 1996 NCAA Division II National Champions
* 1997 NCAA Division II Tournament
* 1998 NCAA Division II National Champions
* 2001 CHA Regular Season Champions
* 2003 CHA Regular Season Champions
* 2007 CHA Champions/NCAA Midwest Regional
* 2010 CHA Champions/NCAA Midwest Regional

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: UAH Hockey 2013-14: Feeling like a real D-I program again

Gavin told me back in the spring they were working on jerseys that they wanted to be the "final" versions. That is, the redesign to end all redesigns. There was a prototype (not final) version of the home jersey at the banquet, which was a white version of the new blues the team wore in the second half of this past season. (Those blues, by the way, are being improved upon. For example, the word "Huntsville" will have separate letter stitching instead of a nameplate.)

What I want to know regarding jerseys is when they are signed off, when will they be available for sale on campus, around town and online (I'm looking at you, former wchashop.com now at CollegeHockeyGear.com).



I'm still more concerned about getting more at home games, particularly students. And, getting the student section in the upper deck with the pep band so they can really be heard.

Speaking of VBC ambience, what is there being planned in terms of arena "decorations"? A WCHA banner? WCHA team banners? Right now all we have are banners for '96, '98, and Doug Ross -- hardly enough to commemorate the history the program has. I'd like to see these banners raised, using a new standard template that will work for the arena:

* 1982 National Club Champions
* 1983 National Club Champions
* 1984 National Club Champions
* 1994 NCAA Division II Tournament
* 1996 NCAA Division II National Champions
* 1997 NCAA Division II Tournament
* 1998 NCAA Division II National Champions
* 2001 CHA Regular Season Champions
* 2003 CHA Regular Season Champions
* 2007 CHA Champions/NCAA Midwest Regional
* 2010 CHA Champions/NCAA Midwest Regional

I could see banners for 82/83/84, MAYBE the CHA champions ones, but I've always been against participation banners. I personally find them to be dumb. History shows well in your championships.

[UAHStatman]

Re: UAH Hockey 2013-14: Feeling like a real D-I program again

I could see banners for 82/83/84, MAYBE the CHA champions ones, but I've always been against participation banners. I personally find them to be dumb. History shows well in your championships.

That's cool. If say 1994 and 1997 weren't included, or the NCAA mentions in 2007 and 2010, I wouldn't care too much.

[beaverhockeyfan]

Re: UAH Hockey 2013-14: Feeling like a real D-I program again

That's cool. If say 1994 and 1997 weren't included, or the NCAA mentions in 2007 and 2010, I wouldn't care too much.

BSU only includes their Conference and National Championships and the Frozen Four from 2009. If the Beavers included all the participation banners, well, they would run out of space to hang banners!

[UAHStatman]

Re: UAH Hockey 2013-14: Feeling like a real D-I program again

BSU only includes their Conference and National Championships and the Frozen Four from 2009. If the Beavers included all the participation banners, well, they would run out of space to hang banners!

Understandable. (And, technically your Frozen Four is a regional championship, so it's not inconsistent.)

[UAHStatman]

Re: UAH Hockey 2013-14: Feeling like a real D-I program again

Mike Corbett press conference: http://uahhockey.com/blog/2013/07/19...rbett-is-here/

[gfmorris]

Re: UAH Hockey 2013-14: Feeling like a real D-I program again

I'm ready to roll with Mike. I'm sold.

His point about lacking an identity is a very good one. Our identity these last three years has been the kid getting picked last and hoping the parents don't call him in before dark. Now we have new life. Man, our rising seniors have seen a lot.

I am curious to see how the jerseys look based on what we saw at the post-season banquet. Douglas may have photos of those, but he does like to take the summer off from here.

As for banners, I'm generally for what's up in Spragins Hall, although they include NCAA tournament banners. [Our gym has banners for all 14 sports, conference and national titles.] I understand why we say regionals for our D-II sports, but I think that "CHA Tournament Champion" is pretty obvious for saying that we went to the NCAAs. Maybe I'm not giving casual fans enough credit. That said, no way in hell do we get more banners up in there.

As far as away games go: that's always been something that was left up to the devices of individual fans. I made the drive to Notre Dame when we played there in 09-10, and it's not bad (although I also don't mind driving 12h a day). I'd probably have to get the school involved to pull together trips on a coach. Maybe that's something that we can pull off this year. We've never done it because we don't travel well, but perhaps we don't travel well because we've never done it. I was half of a brain trust that started the first student road trip (it came from a discussion of a few of us going to Detroit before classes started ... then we talked about a van ... and then I said, "What about a bus?" So we did it). The main issue is getting the up-front cost to the company, which last I checked ran $3k. I guess we could give it a trial run early in the year and see if we can get it half full or more. I'll file that away for when I get back to town.

GFM <— supposed to be coming home in a week, but may get extended until right before classes start.

[gfmorris]

Re: UAH Hockey 2013-14: Feeling like a real D-I program again

KK is apparently going to coach Minnesota's AHL team. I'm glad that he found something that he wanted to do more than bring our program back from the dead.

GFM

[altazo]

Re: UAH Hockey 2013-14: Feeling like a real D-I program again

Whoa! At Fairbanks, AK for the last weekend of January and at Houghton, MI the following weekend. The two toughest trips in college hockey on consecutive weekends. Should be fun for the kids though, and a couple weeks of hockey that they'll likely never forget...

edit: and then up to Mankato the following weekend! Hope the boys have signed up for some internet classes.

[davyd83]

Whoa! At Fairbanks, AK for the last weekend of January and at Houghton, MI the following weekend. The two toughest trips in college hockey on consecutive weekends. Should be fun for the kids though, and a couple weeks of hockey that they'll likely never forget...

edit: and then up to Mankato the following weekend! Hope the boys have signed up for some internet classes.

I hope they're flying to Houghton & Mankato!

[gfmorris]

Re: UAH Hockey 2013-14: Feeling like a real D-I program again

I hope they're flying to Houghton & Mankato!

If the money's there, they might to Houghton, but they probably won't to Mankato. I wouldn't be surprised if they bused both trips.

Also, the boys played six straight road weekends last year, and GPAs were fine. They even won one of them!

GFM

[Pink Pony]

* 1982 National Club Champions
* 1983 National Club Champions
* 1984 National Club Champions
* 1996 NCAA Division II National Champions
* 1998 NCAA Division II National Champions

Five National Championships. Your team needs more recognition nationally.