Being the self-appointed investigator of the FAU athletic mind, I got to wondering what affect ice might have on an athlete. Walt Disney is supposedly packed in a cooler someplace figuring it may be the key to eternal life, so, couldn’t ice have as powerful an impact on the FAU athlete as the beloved creator of Mickey Mouse? With this strange yet scientific approach, I decided to interview Beau Lavender, FAU’s ice hockey club President and General Manager since January ’04.
Beau, a junior, played on the team last season (he’s on the roster this season, but too busy managing the club to play in any games) and is a Philosophy (Pre-Law) major. He has helped his team to a Fall record of 13-1-1 (outscoring opponents 91-21) with January looking to be packed with a challenging run of matches. FAU Ice Hockey is currently ranked #2.
Since UP‘s deadline occurred over the Christmas break, I conducted an email interview with Beau.
Pump: What makes hockey different than other sports?Beau: Biggest difference – it’s played on ice and it moves much faster than other sports. Hockey players tend to play through injuries that other sports won’t play through. Hockey involves a lot of brute strength, speed and finesse, and quick thinking as plays develop. We have a Head Coach (Tim Kyrkostas), two Assistant Coaches (John Ambreefe and Ivan Hulan), a Strength Coach (Jordan Moon), and a Conditioning Coach/Massage Therapist (Kika Mela). The logo on the back of our t-shirts says it all, “Playing on ice keeps the swelling down.”
Pump: Describe hockey conditioning?Beau: Our Strength Coach has a very elaborate workout program for the players. We are on the ice for 45 seconds to one minute per shift, excluding goalies, and when you train for hockey, you train more for quick bursts of energy as opposed to endurance.
Pump: What’s a major goal for the team this season?Beau: If we survive our tough schedule in January, we will be going to the National Championship to try and win it all for FAU. That has been our goal since the first day of training camp.
Pump: Has anyone lost a tooth this year?Beau: No, NCAA hockey rules state that all players must wear a full-face mask and it has fortunately spared our players that inconvenience.
Pump: Is fighting allowed in college hockey?Beau: Fighting is not allowed, it comes with a major penalty and game suspensions.
Pump: What were a few major accomplishments this Fall?Beau: Winning the UCF Tournament with a combined score of 19-0, posting 4 consecutive shutouts with 5 total.
Pump: FAU Hockey doesn’t get much notice, what can FAU students do to help?Beau: Well, since it appears we’re headed to the National Championship, we need donations and support. If any students know any companies or individuals that may want to donate, please email us at [email protected]. Also, we will be having merchandise for sale in the Breezeway and people can sport some cool FAU Ice Hockey Club merchandise.
Pump: What’s the future of FAU Ice Hockey in terms of moving from ‘club status’ to ‘official sport’?Beau: The conversation has been brought up. The problem is that FAU has a “Title 9” dilemma that Athletics would be able to address better. Also, ice hockey is a very expensive sport and right now Athletics has their hands full until football starts making more money. We as a club have made the decision to attend as many official athletics events as possible to support them and help the school get some spirit behind the teams. That is the only way the programs will grow and become profitable. The Head Coach and myself are anxiously awaiting a chance to speak to President Brogan and Athletic Director Craig Angelos about the possibilities of ice hockey at FAU. About 70% of our team moved to south Florida to FAU specifically to play for this team. Ten recruits are flying down to check us out this year. If we were an official sport we could offer scholarships. We could get the cream of the crop of northern and Canadian players. We could bring an NCAA Championship to FAU given the opportunities and resources.
Pump: Favorite hockey player and why?Beau: Wayne Gretzky is personally my all-time favorite. He was able to do things and see things on the ice better than anyone ever. Most of his records will not be touched. As a goalie, I look up to Patrick Roy a lot because he revolutionized the game with the butterfly style of goaltending.
All FAU Ice Hockey home games are played at Incredible Ice in Coral Springs (www.incredibleice.com) and start at 9 p.m.The guys could really use your support and there is plenty to see. Daniel Sosa leads the team with 20 goals and 8 assists. Goalie Erik Bentley has a 93% save average with 4 shutouts. Come on out: Middle Tennessee State – Jan. 21 and 22. FSU – Jan. 28. Lynn University – Jan. 29. UF – Feb 5. For more information check out www.fauicehockey.com.
