Maryland club hockey’s plea for stability is met with challenges

Photo Courtesy of Sam Jane

Thirty minutes from College Park, twice a week in the waning hours of the day, a group of 18 to 22-year-olds lace up their ice skates and try to fill a void — one that dates back to the late 1800s.

The University of Maryland is one of the eight Big Ten schools that does not sponsor a Division I hockey team. The club hockey team has naturally tried to fill the gap, but a sizable fracture between them and the campus makes it difficult. 

The team practices mainly at Bowie Ice Arena, which is around a 25- to 30-minute drive for players. Because of the rink’s priority, the squad is generally relegated to practicing late at night. 

Trevor Drake, the team’s treasurer, says the distance is a big reason the team averages only around 50 fans per game.

 “If you don’t have a car on campus, you can’t get [to our games],” Drake said.

Players cite a lack of resources and the university’s systematic structure as reasons for a lack of attention. Captains James Botti and Matthew Krivitskiy were frustrated by the team’s inability to market themselves as “Maryland Hockey,” instead being asked to include “club” in apparel. 

It has become a point of contention between the Maryland Club Hockey team and the university’s club sports department. Kurt Klier, the assistant club sports director, said he has little sympathy for the club’s plight. 

Klier explained that men’s ice hockey receives the most funding of any club sports team. There are two teams: a Division II team and a Division III team.

According to documents obtained by Terrapin Sports Central, the club team receives $21,000 from the Student Government Association, $5,000 from Recwell, $90,000 from player dues between the two teams and $15,000 from donations.  

68.70 percent of the team’s budget is player-funded. But the combined ice time between the Division II  and Division III teams is over $65,000. 

“The student government allocation — 100 percent of that allocation goes to cover maybe a third of the ice time needed,” Klier said.

Hockey is an extremely expensive sport. That’s why Klier is confused by the club team’s lack of initiative in fundraising. 

“For a club that spends as much money as they do, they are horrible at fundraising,” Klier said. 

The team’s record has improved over recent years, but its production has not matched that of other Maryland club teams. In the end, College Park is still left without a legitimate ice hockey presence, the same as it has been for years.