The ice at Bird Arena has melted and there are skates hung u
p, but that has not stopped the
Ohio hockey team from staying dedicated this summer. Some players have decided to go home for the summer while others have opted to stay in Athens.
No matter where they are, however, one thing is for certain: They’ll rarely cease communicating.
“We have a group chat, so we all talk to each other pretty
much daily through the text,”
said sophomore forward Patrick
Spellacy, who led the Bobcats in
goals last year. “And hopefully
we can skate together. I know (guys) live in the same cities as each other, so those who live by one another will probably get on the ice and skate together.”
Senior defenseman Scott Fasano also said that the Bobcats
try to plan trips to cities such as
Pittsburgh and Chicago to keep close ties with teammates who go home for the summer.
“I think it’s really important
to keep a close relationship with
the guys over the summer,” Fasano
said. “The closer we stay over the summer, the easier it is to create that team chemistry and bonding when we get back to school.”
Senior defenseman Mike Kretz, senior forward Nathan De
La Torre and junior forward Michael
Harris are among the Bobcats staying in Athens for work or classes this summer. And although Bird Arena is just around the corner by Baker Center, the players will be forced to travel much farther to squeeze in a pickup game or two.
The arena is closed for ice
hockey over
the summer
because of the
high cost of
ice upkeep, so
some players travel to Columbus to get some skating in. Despite this obstacle, the team remains confident that it will come ready to play next season.
Ohio strength coach Dak Notestine designed a training
regimen for the players to follow
this summer in order to stay in shape and be ready to compete come Fall Semester.
“It’s really important t
hat we stay in
shape,” Spellacy
said. “It’s pretty
important that
we stick to it
and get into a routine so we come to school in August in shape and ready to go.”
HOW TO JOIN THE HOCKEY
TEAM
Although it is a key factor for
the current Bobcats
come back
from summer
ready for the season, it is also important
that the team brings on
new talent.
Sophomore forward
Joe Breslin said there will be
open team tryouts at Bird beginning
Aug. 25.
That being said, the Bobcats have a few words of advice for those interested in trying out:
Fasano: “It’s important to just play your own game. Don’t
try and do too much, and don’t
play a role that you don’t get.”
Spellacy: “When I first tried out, there was already a lot of
talent on the ice. So I just had to
play my game and do the things I’m good at. So for those coming in, I guess my advice would be just be yourself. Showcase what you’re good at and you’ll be fine.”
Kretz: “Play hard like it is a real game. That is the way we
practice all year, and that is what
the coaches like to see. If you just work hard, you will be fine.”
Breslin: “My first experience trying out was fun. The first days
are hectic because there are so
many players, but once you get later in the week, the (competition) level goes up. … My advice would be to just have fun with it, and see what happens. If you get too nervous, you won’t play well.”
@Kelsey_Surmacz4
ks363012@ohiou.edu
