Club Spotlight: Club Hockey

“Being on this team has been one of my favorite experiences at Mines.”
“The hockey team is basically what keeps me sane here at Mines.”
“Deciding to join the team was the best decision I have made at Mines.”

According to the players themselves, the Mines club hockey team is a fantastic opportunity for any hockey players here at CSM. Between the fun of playing the sport, the travels across the region, and the camaraderie and friendships made between teammates, the experience of being a part of this club is certainly worth the commitment to those who enjoy the sport of hockey. The club typically holds tryouts at the beginning of each fall semester, and anyone with some experience and interest in hockey is welcome to try out.

The team generally has two late night practices and two games each week, which may sound daunting at first when added onto the already hectic schedule at CSM, but as assistant captain and club president Chris Asmussen explains, “Being at Mines, we all understand the workload that could set in, so if someone misses a practice here and there it’s not a big deal.” In addition to practicing and playing games locally at Apex in Arvada and the Edge in Littleton, playing in AHCA Pacific Region’s Division 3 leads to road contests against teams across Colorado, New Mexico, and Nebraska.

Besides simply playing for the love of the game, the Oredigger hockey team also plays to win, and has become more and more successful and competitive over the past few seasons. As team captain Gabe Gusey points out, “Mines hockey has changed immensely since a few years ago. Last year we were happy to have the first season over .500 in Mines history. This year we are 13-3 and actually have a shot at making regionals,” which would without a doubt be a major accomplishment. The team has one game remaining on their fall schedule against UCCS at the Ice Ranch in Littleton, a team they defeated 7-4 earlier this year.

Anybody interested in finding out more about the club is welcome to check out the club’s webpage at recsports.mines.edu or simply talk to some of the players and coaches. As stated by Gusey, “Our team has lots of intense competition, and I would recommend joining to anyone interested,” so any aspiring hockey players here at Mines should definitely take the first step and go check it out.