Roller hockey adds flavor to athletics
Campus Times
March 12, 1999
Senior Natalie Wiebe and junior Marcin Janiszewski are part of the
University of La Verne's roller hockey team which consists of eight players.
Teammate Frank Zappia is responsible for recruiting the players for the
team. Zappia, who is a graduate student at ULV is working on offering roller
hockey as a physical education class next fall. La Verne will begin a new
roller hockey league on March 27.
The suffocating heat is unexpected as one fan enters the Hockey Silo
in Chino. "It sure is stuffy in here," he says, making his way
around the rink to sit on the bleachers with other fans.
The heat is quickly forgotten as the University of La Verne's roller
hockey team takes to the rink. Instead of worrying about the heat, the fans
quickly take to heckling the opposing team.
It is this air of familiarity and kinship that makes roller hockey so
much fun for players and fans. It is for this reason that the lack of interest
in the sport is surprising to both the fans and the participants.
Roller hockey, although very similar to its ice cousin, has some very-marked
differences. Played with only four players and a goalie at a time, roller
hockey consists of two 24-minute periods. It is a non-contact sport, for
the most part at least, which makes skating proficiency more important than
simple brute force.
Most penalties apply, so players are discouraged from intentionally
going out of their way to hurt someone. This allows the sport to easily
become coed.
"Coed makes you rely on skill more than physical play," said
ULV player Frank Zappia, who is in large part responsible for the La Verne
team. Zappia, who has played on and off for 10 years, and has played steadily
since graduating high school in 1993, recruited the majority of the participants
in La Verne's fledgling roller hockey team.
Consisting of only eight players (Zappia, Scott Doonan, Tom Wiebe, Ray
Bonshire, sophomore David Gross, senior Natalie Wiebe and junior Marcin
Janiszewski), comprised of both graduate and undergraduate students, ULV's
roller hockey team is little known and virtually unsupported. Besides the
few friends and family members attending the game against Cal Poly Pomona's
Green team, the stands are consistently and disappointingly empty.
This surprises the team members. Although they acknowledge that their
opinions on the entertainment value of the sport are biased (based on the
fact that the majority of them have played for many years), the players
still feel that there is merit in the idea that roller hockey is an exciting
sport to behold.
"It is exciting. It's fast compared to real hockey. If you catch
a game and bring your friends, you'll have a good time ... guaranteed,"
said Janiszewski.
But, very few La Verne students seemed to have caught on to the good
time La Verne roller hockey provides.
It is for this reason that Zappia has undertaken the monumental task
that has become a large part of his life. Zappia, a graduate student in
marriage, family, and child counseling who is set to graduate next year,
is taking steps to cement roller hockey into ULV academia.
"We are working on plans to offer roller hockey as a P.E. class
in the fall," Zappia explains. "I just want to make sure that
when it becomes a big sport, La Verne doesn't get left behind."
This is a sentiment shared by Zappia's teammates.
"This sport, it's a fire. It consumes everybody," said Gross,
explaining why he believes that roller hockey will inevitably become a sport
played in both high schools and colleges nationwide.
One of the main reasons that roller hockey may be destined for large
audiences is that it appeals to both male and female audiences. As both
men and women are players in this game, it is likely that both sexes would
also enjoy watching the sport.
Wiebe explains why this sport is so beneficial and appealing to women.
"The 'make you sweat' exercise. It's a cardiovascular sport that
doesn't make you bulk up," Natalie said, explaining the benefits of
roller hockey.
Touted by Zappia as the "top player" on ULV's team, Natalie
has intentions of trying out for the 2002 Olympic women's ice hockey team.
But Natalie plays for nothing more than her love of the game.
"I started playing when I was young. I always had to play [defense]
against my brother. I just love to skate, and I just go for it," she
said.
Although the La Verne players feel that there is not an overwhelming
rush of students who want to join the roller hockey team, most are optimistic
that interest in the sport will rise when the physical education class is
offered as a part of the La Verne curriculum.
"Pushing this class over is a big thing. It will offer students
a chance to earn P.E. units, while at the same time, they'll get a good
cardio workout," said Zappia. "It encourages teamwork, increases
stamina and strength, and has a decidedly group theme."
Until the class is offered, however, all the team can hope for is an
increase in interest in joining either the team itself, or simply becoming
a spectator.
Zappia explains, "The more players we have, we can move up to the
next league. We might even be able to have two teams."
Janiszewski would like to see more student body support.
"The support of the team from the school is very important. Students
need to know that it's something different. And, as an added bonus, it's
free [to watch]," he said.
The final game for the La Verne team in league play was March 6.
Another league will begin March 27 for the ULV roller hockey team. The
La Verne team is now looking actively for an interested student to play
goalie, but the team encourages all students interested in taking part in
this fast-paced, exciting sport to join.
Those who wish to catch the games can find the team at the Hockey Silo,
located at 13575 Benson Avenue in Chino. For more information, the Hockey
Silo can be contacted at (909) 590-8851.
For more information on playing for La Verne, contact Zappia at ext.
4308, or e-mail him at zappiaf@ulv.edu.
"I just want everyone to get the same adrenaline rush hockey gives
me," Zappia said. "I believe that it was Mark Twain that said,
'I never thought I'd let my education interfere with my schooling.' I always
thought that I'd agree with that, until now."
