Ice Hockey Reunion Recap
1/28/2014 1:59:00 PM | Recreation
After 6 months of planning by Barb Turanchik, Lehigh class of 75' and Director of Club Sports, with the help of student staff and current club president, Chris Ellis, the day had finally arrived. On Saturday, January 18, more than 125 people from all ages gathered at Steel Ice Center, home of the Lehigh Ice Hockey Team, located in Bethlehem, PA in celebration for the first reunion of the team's friends and alumni! Festivities included: an alumni game, followed by a reception at the Steel Pub providing the perfect atmosphere for an evening of good food, renewing old friendships and making new ones. It would be a day of storytelling, sharing old photos and stories of days gone by as well. Seventy-five former players, family members, former/current coaches and team members came together under one roof to salute the storied program of Lehigh Ice Hockey. Some attendees traveled from all over the world; from as close as Bethlehem, PA to as far as Israel to partake in this first ever event.
The festivities began on Friday evening as Lehigh faced off against the Drexel Dragons in an exciting ECHA division match-up. Several former players were in attendance cheering the team on as our players hit the ice and lead the Dragons at one point, 3-1. However, Drexel would not be slain that easy and came back to knot the game at 3(3-3) forcing overtime. Unfortunately, Drexel scored in the opening minutes of OT; yet, the alums that were in the house cheered our team on and stayed until the wee hours of the morning, celebrating and talking about glory days!
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Saturday's event would prove to be a magical and memorable day for many of these former/ current athletes and our Campus Athletics Staff! The anticipation for our alums, to lace up the skates and put on the pads for another chance to hit the ice radiated throughout the arena. Now, it was the time for the "elders" to take the ice and show our "youngsters" that Ice Hockey can be played at any age! Chris Ellis played the role as commissioner for the day, dividing a total of 75 alumni (representing the classes of 1972- 2013) and current team members (2014-2017) into 4 teams. Two 45 minute games were played, one featuring the older alumni and one for the young alums. Each group showcased their moves to our current club team. There were no losers here; the smiles, laughter, and excitement proved to be the winner of the day! At the conclusion of the games, everyone enjoyed refreshments while sharing stories, pictures, and history of this beloved sport that has been etched in the memories of these former athletes since their time at Lehigh University.
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Ice Hockey at Lehigh University has been a fixture since 1930, when it started out as a possible Intramural Event played on a 30 x 60 foot rink that had wooden boards banked with dirt in the hopes it would hold water! This facility was built on Steel Field, which is a current day athletic field for Moravian College. Very few participated, but the dream continued. Hockey grew into an organized club sport which was granted Varsity Status in the early 50's and then reverted back to club status in 1986 due to University's academic philosophies. Jon Whitehead, Director of Athletics, believed late night practices ending in the morning hours and rink location was not conducive to successful student athletes at Lehigh University. Regardless of the ever changing status of the sport one thing has always remained: Ice Hockey at Lehigh University. For eighty-four years the love of the game, memories, and brotherhood that ice hockey created will never leave the men that have played for the Brown and White! Â
On behalf of the Campus Athletics staff, we would like to thank everyone who attended and participated in this inaugural event. It was a huge success! Please enjoy upcoming photos and look for a future "save the date" for the second Alumni Reunion as we celebrate 150 years of Lehigh University!!!
Saturday's event would prove to be a magical and memorable day for many of these former/ current athletes and our Campus Athletics Staff! The anticipation for our alums, to lace up the skates and put on the pads for another chance to hit the ice radiated throughout the arena. Now, it was the time for the "elders" to take the ice and show our "youngsters" that Ice Hockey can be played at any age! Chris Ellis played the role as commissioner for the day, dividing a total of 75 alumni (representing the classes of 1972- 2013) and current team members (2014-2017) into 4 teams. Two 45 minute games were played, one featuring the older alumni and one for the young alums. Each group showcased their moves to our current club team. There were no losers here; the smiles, laughter, and excitement proved to be the winner of the day! At the conclusion of the games, everyone enjoyed refreshments while sharing stories, pictures, and history of this beloved sport that has been etched in the memories of these former athletes since their time at Lehigh University.
                             Â
Ice Hockey at Lehigh University has been a fixture since 1930, when it started out as a possible Intramural Event played on a 30 x 60 foot rink that had wooden boards banked with dirt in the hopes it would hold water! This facility was built on Steel Field, which is a current day athletic field for Moravian College. Very few participated, but the dream continued. Hockey grew into an organized club sport which was granted Varsity Status in the early 50's and then reverted back to club status in 1986 due to University's academic philosophies. Jon Whitehead, Director of Athletics, believed late night practices ending in the morning hours and rink location was not conducive to successful student athletes at Lehigh University. Regardless of the ever changing status of the sport one thing has always remained: Ice Hockey at Lehigh University. For eighty-four years the love of the game, memories, and brotherhood that ice hockey created will never leave the men that have played for the Brown and White! Â
On behalf of the Campus Athletics staff, we would like to thank everyone who attended and participated in this inaugural event. It was a huge success! Please enjoy upcoming photos and look for a future "save the date" for the second Alumni Reunion as we celebrate 150 years of Lehigh University!!!
                      Â
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