The Chargers gear up for a face off against the White Lightning on Jan. 20. Courtesy | Caroline Kurt
The Hillsdale College Hockey Club began their debut season in the Arctic Coliseum Adult Hockey League on Jan. 13 in Chelsea, Michigan, winning 6-1 against GGCP Hockey Club.
This first game of the season was played before most students had even arrived back to campus.
The victory was a strong showing to begin their 20-game regular season slate, which ends in a guaranteed playoff pool and opportunity to compete for a league championship.
“I drove 12 hours straight to the game, it was nuts,” said club president and junior Sean Daros, who despite the long road trip and missing multiple players due to travel issues, led the Chargers to victory against GGCP.
“We were able to score goals pretty easily,” Daros said, “and I scored two before going back on defense. We were passing well, everyone was having a good time.”
Daros, who has been playing hockey since he was five years old, took over the team with vice president and fellow junior Brady Birmingham with two goals in mind: to make Hillsdale hockey relevant on campus while also providing a casual and fun opportunity for players of all skill levels to continue to play the sport.
Previously, the club competed sparingly against other independent clubs before joining the ACAHL, struggling to schedule games and ice time.
“It’s come with its roadbumps,” Birmingham said. “The hockey team has had a history of just trying to survive, but I think we’ve found a home in Chelsea.”
The team now has their sights set on spreading awareness around campus about the club playing their biggest season in recent memory, and bringing the passionate Charger student section out to the rink. Both Daros and Birmingham reminisced about student support in the past, noting a game during their freshman year when they played in front of a fan section of over twenty ATOs.
“Having any fans at all in the stands makes a very cool atmosphere,” Birmingham said. “It creates a whole new energy when you’re playing.”
The hockey club provides students with a less time-consuming way to dawn the white and blue and represent Hillsdale College proudly, according to Daros. With one or two games a week and no additional practice times, players find playing with the club easy to balance with their academic workloads. “I like the fact that I can play a sport I really love, and I can do it with some friends of mine,” junior Kailas Balasubramanyam said. “It’s a little bit less serious than varsity sports and I like that as well.”
Interested players can still register for the club. The deadline is Feb. 1 and players of all levels are encouraged to contact the club president to begin registration.
The Chargers’ next game is Jan. 27 against the Green Machine at 10:30 p.m at the Arctic Coliseum in Chelsea, MI.