The University of Tampa club ice hockey team is getting ready to kick-off their 2011-12 season this weekend with a faceoff at Embry Riddle. They’re facing a tough schedule. With 14 games this semester, it’s is a big difference from last year, when the team only had a couple of games.
“I think [the schedule] is going to be good for our team because we’ll get into a rhythm, whereas we’re not going to have two months in between games or a long semester break,” said Mark Baccoli, one of the team’s goaltenders.
The full schedule has other advantages too, according to Baccoli. “[If]some don’t go well, we’ll be able to bounce right back when we’ll play our next games the next week.”
Playing 14 games in one semester means that most weekends will be taken up with one or two hockey games, which can be difficult to manage around a full schedule of classes.
“We come here for school first and then hockey. That’s something that coach stresses, but naturally everyone on the team is a hockey player first, so we’re prepared to take down a full schedule,” said assistant captain Cody Kopf.
The full season can be difficult to prepare for, especially since the team is already beginning with preseason matchups this weekend. However, its coaches, led by head coach Dr. Steve Kucera, are working to make sure they’re physically and mentally prepared to begin their season, as the team has had many on-ice practices and off-ice conditioning as well, since arriving in town for school.
“It’s really going to come down to the guys and how quickly they can gel together,” Kucera said.
“And hopefully I’m helping create an environment that helps them do that and put them in a position where they’re really competitive.”
This season, the team will face mostly new opponents; they’ve only faced Florida Institute of Technology and University of North Florida before. One of the team’s games, which is set for next weekend, pits the teams against last season’s division runner-up, Florida Gulf Coast University.
“Whomever is in goal is going to have to be ready and plan on facing 40 or 50 shots,” Baccoli said, “but that’s something we’ve done in the past and come through.” Baccoli and the team’s goaltending squad is up to the challenge; last season, Baccoli made a career-best 41 saves in one game.
Goaltending is just one aspect of winning a hockey game though. “It’s not just a single goaltender effort; it’s a whole team effort. We need to score three or four goals in those games. We want to win. We’ve done it in the past and I think we’ve got some chances here,” Baccoli said.
“Gulf Coast is definitely a challenge for us, but we’re down for big challenges head on. We’re not afraid of anyone,” Kopf said.
“Coming at them prepared is important for us. As far as experience goes, they definitely have that on us, so it should be an interesting matchup. But that’s just one team out of eight that we’ll be playing against [this season].”
Another new aspect this year is that the team will finally be facing American Collegiate Hockey Association opponents and playing official ACHA games. FIT and UNF are not ACHA teams and the team only played USF in a scrimmage, so the team will playing its first official ACHA games this season. One might think some of the novelty might have worn off, that isn’t true in this team’s case.
“I don’t think [the excitement] has waned. I think it’s actually built because we have a real schedule,” Kucera said. “The bookstore is selling University of Tampa hockey shirts this year and I heard that the first day they were selling them, they sold out, so I’m hopeful that there’s a lot of excitement.”
Freshman Joe Smith is looking forward to his first season with the team. “[I’m looking forward to] surprising people because we’re new, no one really thinks we’re going to be that good [yet]. [But] I think we got a lot of talent here.”
“I’m very happy to have a great bunch of guys and looking forward to a great season,” Kucera said. “Whatever’s going to happen, we’re going to play really hard, tough, respectable hockey and if we do and we’re disciplined, hopefully good things will fall into place.”
April Weiner can be reached at april.weiner@spartans.ut.edu.
Where’s the Hockey team Roster Listed????
That’s “too” much time in the box, goofy. Why don’t you give them a brake, and learn how to spell while you’re at it. Joke.
Utampa puck. Danglin benders, and Snipin tenders.
Team is a mess, spend way to much time in the box, poorly coached, poorly lead. There’s a reason why lacross made it to NCAA before hockey. Didn’t even finish a game bc it forming “tough” Joke