On the Road to Nationals, UCF Gives Back…
After a snowy weekend in Atlanta, it was time to forget about the past and look to the future. The regular season is history and it all comes down to the biggest tournament of the year, The NCRHA National Championships. The playoff beards started, treadmills brought out of storage, and the jocks and socks stay unwashed!! After the regional championship event we had one practice and then the all infamous “Spring Break.” With players traveling all over the world, and doing things many wouldn’t approve, the team would have to work extra hard upon their return. With practices doubled, exhibition games scheduled, and plenty of “chalk talk” everyone got right back into things. Players looked back on previous losses and worked on trying to tweak things so that this would not be repeated.
Even with such a massive tournament coming up, everyone still needs to have a little fun. First off the entire team participated in the UCF Relay for Life. For anyone unfamiliar with this event, it is a tremendous, nationwide fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. This was the second consecutive year in attendance, and plan on attending for every year in the future. On top of being present at the Relay for Life event, there is a floor hockey challenge set up as an additional fundraiser. The event is called “Clash of the Titans” and is a Floor Hockey game that the UCF Roller Team will be challenging the UCF Ice Team. Entrance is free for anyone, and it is taking place at the UCF Gym Saturday March 28th at 6pm.
In the past the team put on a few free youth clinics in partnership with the league and with Mission Hockey. This time they went out on their own and put on a clinic for the local community and city of Orlando. It was a great success, and was also an excellent marketing campaign. Lastly, with an entire season of everyone bonding on and around the rink, it was finally time to do some quality team building off the rink as well. Paintball was the majority vote, and after an amazing night it is understandable why. With a few welts and dirt covered bodies, the night was just another memory to add to the scrap book. It is definitely something that will be included in the schedule for the seasons to come.
Both teams will be leaving on the morning of Wednesday April 1st for nationals. While at the tournament please check our web site and www.slammhockey.com for daily blog updates. The scores can be found on our site or live at www.NCRHA.org. Please take a look at all the new pictures added and our new sponsor’s web site, Chamba Hockey.
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