A BRIEF HISTORY

How did the Roller Hockey Team at Southeast Missouri get started?

1998-1999, The Pre-Game

A couple of students played in a rink called Cape Skate for pickup nights, in order to have a good time.  They tried to organize a team to play in the College Roller Hockey League, also known as the CRHL but couldn’t get the team to make the commitments to travel, and practice.  So they eventually just stuck to pick up nights.

Freshman Joe Gissy came to SEMO to play hockey.  After calling the rink and meeting up there for a pickup night, Joe was met by Mark Hasser one of the previous years hockey players who tried to organize people together.  After finding out that there was no CRHL team Joe asked if he could put a program together to play college roller hockey here at SEMO.  Mark showed Joe how to register an organization as well as get funding through Student Government and other sources in order to pay for league fees and practice times.  The program was started from scratch and from here Joe set out to find players willing to play competitive hockey against other schools.  Finally with enough players to make a team, Southeast entered the CRHL for its first year.  The team however, ended up in last place with a record of 2 wins and 14 losses.  Joe on the other hand made an impact on the CRHL by being in the top three in scoring, and landed a spot on the Team Great Plains All-Star Team.  He was one of the only freshmen on the team.

 SEMO Roller Hockey Clubs second year gave a chance for more players to join.  One of Joe’s hockey friends from back home decided to come and play with the team.  Joe and friend Andy Hayes both set standards for the team making up over 75% of all total points in goals and assists for the team.  The overall program was improving towards a better record of 6 wins and 12 looses.  Again Joe made it to the All-Star team along with Andy Hayes

Looking to be the best year ever with the most people ever the program tried to expand to two teams.  However with budget cutbacks from the school the program lost some of its funding.  This caused the team to go into debt to the CRHL as well as the rink with practice time.  The team had to fold one of its teams and players had to be dropped.  They also dropped the team from division I, to division II. The team was beaten and disappointed from the debt and dropping down in divisions but determined to turn things around the following year.

 The turning point in SEMO history.  The overall CRHL has improved dramatically and no longer was Division II looked upon as a bad division, but rather as the smaller schools division.  Tryouts give the team the best pickup yet, with some new faces to solidify both offense and defense.  The team pulls out of debt and plays two times per week to stay in shape and come together in practice.  The team comes out in the games fired up and has its first year with a full weekend of wins.  There is one problem however, the team keeps winning and winning until they have an overall record of 13 wins 3 losses, and 1 tie.  They end up finishing 3^rd overall in their division and get an invite to play in the CRHL Nationals Championships.  The team was never invited to regionals any year before this and now they were invited to the nationals making it the best year ever.  After nationals they now become a nationally ranked team, 13^th in the nation. 

No longer will we be compared to other teams and organizations.  No longer will we owe money to the league.  No longer will we go without a coaching staff.  No longer will we loose, not go to nationals, and not win the title.  We will succeed this year and make it the benchmark for every team to follow. 
This year we are already a head of schedule.  We have made two teams A and B which both have already paid their money.  We have found a reliable coach.  Our league fees are taken care of, practice done, and equipment?   We are the only team in the CRHL teaming up with NIKE hockey to make sure everyone on the team is unified with the same apparel.  We have created this web page so sponsors, donations, interested prospects and any other person can see what we have done so far and where we are going.  We are focused on PR to get the word out that SEMO is going to have a Nationally Titled team after this season.  We have a majority of players from last season playing on the A team as well as some new faces that will complete what we have been missing from previous years.  We have two solid goaltenders who are use to playing competitive hockey as they still travel around the country with their select teams.

2004-05 Season

2004-2005

      Well I guess it is time to put some new information up so people know a little more about what our team has been up too.  This year we hung on to two teams. 11 players aside with 3 goalies.  Games for the Divisions II (A-team) have been average, and the B division ( B-team) has have its struggles with goal tending and injuries.  Were hoping to get a couple of goalies for next year and about 6 players.   By having two team means that no one will get cut.  But there are going to be some great changes in SEMOs inline future that will will treat the SEMO players to good happiness, that no other schools will have.  What that is, I wont say right now. But for now  there are two weeks left in hockey, and the expansion of the SEMO hockey club will expand by next year.