[PAmedic]

Continuing our tradition of establishing a sort of photo diary of the evolution of this rink:
(great, less than a week and already a pig-sty! )

[PAmedic]

all kidding aside- I was really impressed w/ this facility. Very, very nice- actually much nicer than i expected for a college facility in VA. And I'm sure will only get better as things are tweaked in the weeks and months to come. Congrats to all who pulled off this construction miricle and to the guys for finally having HOME ICE!

[PAmedic]

http://newsadvance.com/servlet/Satellit ... 3105&path=

LU hockey area puts Flames on ice

By Chris Lang
Lynchburg News & Advance
January 18, 2006

Kirk Handy was awestruck.
The coach of Liberty University's club hockey team, Handy hoped that maybe 500 fans would show up when the Flames opened the LaHaye Ice Center last Friday against George Mason.

Instead, the crowd was triple that. The mezzanine level of the building was packed. Fans, most of whom stood because of a lack of bleachers in the new building, lined the outside of the rink, hoping to catch a peek at a collegiate hockey game in Lynchburg.

"I couldn't get up to the glass or the rail to see the game," Liberty vice chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. said.

And Liberty's students, who are a huge part of the hockey club's almost cult following, weren't even back on campus yet.

In the past, fans often made the hour-long trek to Roanoke to watch the Flames compete. Players often wondered, "if only we had a home rink."

That dream has become a reality, or so state the posters hanging at the LaHaye Center.

Playing home games in front of a packed arena filled with Liberty students and members of the community is just one small part of the ultimate dream: NCAA Division I hockey in Lynchburg. It seems like a stretch considering only one school south of the Mason-Dixon Line and east of the Mississippi River (Alabama-Huntsville) plays Division I hockey.

It's that vision that excites the players who come to Liberty, many of whom are from hockey's homeland Canada, even if there is no chance at a Division I scholarship right now.

"I was talking to NCAA Division I and Division III schools," said Dalton Stoltz, the Flames' sophomore captain who speaks in a comforting, small-town Canadian dialect. "Having hockey in the southeastern United States, and at a Christian school, is a complete oxymoron. Just for that unique opportunity, I didn't want it to go to waste."

Just how close is that vision to becoming reality? Mickey Guridy, the acting Liberty athletics director, said there has been little talk in the athletics department about adding hockey. (The team currently operates out of the office of student life.) The school's top brass will keep close tabs on how well the club team fares, though.

"No question, that's the goal," Falwell Jr. said of a move to Division I. "It won't be in the immediate future. I'm not sure how far down the road it will be. One thing that has to be considered is the potential revenue a hockey program can bring."

Handy is understandably coy about any potential move to Division I, though the Flames will likely move from the American Collegiate Hockey Association's Division 2 to ACHA Division 1 next year, he said. As for the sport attaining NCAA Division I status, Handy only says "I don't want to put a timeline on anything."

But, he adds: "We didn't just build a building to stay where we're at. If we wanted to stay at the same level, we might as well have stayed out in Roanoke and not spent all that money on the facility that we've got."

And anyone who has spent time with The Rev. Jerry Falwell knows that the LU chancellor rarely dreams small.

Obstacles

That doesn't mean a potential move will come easy - or cheap.

The most likely landing spot for the Flames would be College Hockey America, which currently has a hodgepodge of six teams scattered in the Midwest, Northeast, Colorado and Alabama.

Fifty-nine schools compete in NCAA Division I, with only Rochester Tech playing as an independent. Many of these schools still have club teams. Robert Morris, which used to compete in the University Hockey League Liberty currently plays in, is one such club. The Colonials have since started a Division I program that competes in CHA.

Travel costs and funding at least 25 scholarships are other considerations.

To add men's hockey, women's hockey would have to join Division I as well so the school could remain in compliance with Title IX. Handy said a women's club team is being formed and that the response from prospective players has been strong.

The women's team will play an exhibition schedule this semester and Handy hopes it can play a full schedule next year.

"We've already got girls who are e-mailing us about potentially playing on the team next year," Handy said. "The word's not only here on campus, but it's starting to spread out."

Already, Handy said, the Flames have enough talent to compete and be a "middle of the pack" Division III team.

Handy sells players on the potential for building a unique program. The only other Christian school that plays hockey is Division III Bethel College in Minnesota. As word continues to get out that Liberty is thinking about an eventual move, more players will become interested.

"I know a lot of our guys right now, given the right circumstances, could be playing Division I NCAA," said Liberty's Jordan Wilson. "It's just all about timing."

Finding a home

There was no bigger factor in advancing the program than opening a rink on campus. Before, players would shuttle to and from Roanoke for practices twice a week, eating up a six-hour chunk of the day. Now, players practice at 7 a.m. before buckling down for classwork.

"Having the opportunity to get up and start the day off on the right foot by playing hockey, it's great," Stoltz said. "I think it will help all of us academically as well. Now we have a little time between 7-10 p.m. to study or socialize. Before, our time, we didn't have a whole lot of it."

Games that used to start at 11 p.m. now begin at 8 p.m. Saturday's home game against UHL rival Indiana (Pa.) will be an exception. It will start at 9:30 so fans who want to attend Liberty's two basketball games at Vines Center earlier in the day can make it to the rink as well.

That may seem like a small detail, but Liberty's players have shown a genuine interest in gaining the support of the community.

Wilson raved about time spent skating with area children the night before the Flames' LaHaye opener. Handy wanted to hold morning practices so the prime-time hours at the LaHaye would be left free for community skate time.

Realizing hockey could gain a unique foothold in the community's sporting psyche, Handy is hoping to see youth and adult leagues form in Lynchburg. And he said he thinks Liberty can play a central role in that development. Fans who attended Friday night's game talked about the excitement of being able to skate regularly in town and get together for pick-up games.

There were a few glitches on opening night. A bank of lights went out at the end of the first period, forcing the teams into the first intermission with 2:16 left in the first period.

It didn't dampen the enthusiasam. Senior Scott LaPeer scored the first goal in the LaHaye Center in the first period (and he also picked up the first fighting penalty, eliciting a cheer from the crowd). The Flames won 9-0 Friday and 14-0 Saturday against an undermanned Patriots squad that had just seven skaters. Liberty dressed 27 players.

"This isn't just Liberty's hockey team, as far as the guys in the locker room are concerned," Stoltz said. "It's Lynchburg's hockey team as well. Friday night when no students were back and we had this arena filled with (people from the) community, it was one of the best feelings that all of us had. It was unbelievable."

[PAmedic]

I'm willing to bet THIS visit was a first!

[PAmedic]

maybe a candidate for our "Caption this" : "Now fellas, make sure you pull his shirt over his head BEFORE you start pummelling him in the face. It traps his arms better"

[PAmedic]

these will no doubt be collectors items someday- ticket stubs from the 1st ever ice hockey game on Liberty Mt. Currently worth, oh- about $.01.

[givemethemic]

Yeah you know who to thank for those's too.

[SuperJon]

I have ticket #5 too. Kinda funny.

[PAmedic]

Yeah you know who to thank for those's too.

yeah- you came thru for me. And now you can never leave- at least until I die. Thanks to all the guys who offered to secure tix for me and the Mrs 2b as well.

[Sly Fox]

For the record, the LaHayes are in Lynchburg and will be at tonight's game with IUP for the official dedication of the rink. Yet another reason to show up for this big matchup.

[SuperJon]

That's why this game will sell out.

[PAmedic]

That's why this game will sell out.

well, that and Coach Handy and the guys ROCK

[bigsmooth]

went by lahaye this afternoon, and on the back of the building coming up from hardees, lighted signage has been put up on the building and it looks great. the public skating session was packed and there was even a birthday party going on. what a great gift from the lahayes to LU and the lynchburg community.... the bleachers are ready too!!

[Sly Fox]

I expect pictures from somebody. Come on guys, break out those digital cameras and share them with us online.

[givemethemic]

I got it covered.... well my mom has it covered, I thought I could never keep my parents out past Twelve at night. But they will be in the red tonight... FSN32 aka pictureaoholic will be out in full force as well.

[fsn32]

Thanks GIMMETHE TYPO... here is a pano pic from tonight and the link to the larger version...



http://www.thelightonline.com/media/154 ... ano-lg.jpg

[fsn32]

Here are more...

http://www.thelightonline.com/index.cfm?PID=10040








MORE AT... http://www.thelightonline.com/index.cfm?PID=10040

[Sly Fox]

Excellent work ... the panoramic layout is great for those of us who still haven't been the rink yet to get a feel for the place. Very cool.

I assume that scrum was from the end of the 1st period.

[Flamesfanva]

Finally made it over to check out the rink and was wondering why the LU logo in the middle is facing the side of the rink that doesn't have any seating. It just seemed weird to me, but I'm sure there is a logical answer. Nice rink though, look forward to going to some games this season.

[givemethemic]

I got your answer, I talked with Coach Handy middle of last week and he that the seats will be in by the fall and it should be in the ballpark of (1,200 seats)... Boy is he really excited about this team next year they have seriously beefed up the schedule and it will be cool that there will be a home basically every month and so the students will not be getting burned out because it's going to really only be once a month...

[Flamesfanva]

Great news about the seating. I would still think the logo would make more sense to face the other direction where there will be two levels of seating, but hey I'm just excited to have hockey in Lynchburg.

[grm]

Haven't visited for a long time, but sure appreciate the pictures. It looks great. How many ACHA teams across the nation would love to have that set-up? (All of them) Few do. And the "game time" issue is huge. More fans - more spirit - more big time atmosphere. It's all great. Nice to ee "The Rev" in the lockerroom.

[PAmedic]

good to see we're running hockey camps this summer. This is a unique opportunity for central VA and should help both recruiting and fan following for the program(s).

also added the ice center's home page to our links thread on this topic.

http://www.lahayeicecenter.net/

[bigsmooth]

i did not know this until looking at the hockey site but more seats are on the way
LaHaye Ice Center to add 2,000 more seats!

The Liberty University LaHaye Ice Center will be adding 2,000 additional seats for the upcoming season. JH Pence company will be installing the seats, which will be in for the first home game, September 22nd versus UMBC. This added seating will improve the overall viewing of games and provide added comfort for those not wishing to stand for the 3-hour games.

The seats will be installed upstairs above the lobby area, around the announcing booth, and downstairs on the skate rental side. There will still be standing room for up to 1,000 people, topping the capacity off at around 3,000.

The room used for parties during the week and on weekends will be converted into a VIP area for games, along with the area behind the announcing booth.

Seats will be put up top in the arena, right above the lobby. With the new bleachers, virtually every seat will be a good seat.

[Sly Fox]

The rink is turning into a real showplace for the community. The seating will make it a more attractive venue for a number of non-hockey events as well.