UNT club ice hockey team suspended one year
UNT vs TX State 2015 Dylan Nadwodny
Reece Waddell | Senior Staff Writer
The UNT club ice hockey team was suspended Thursday by UNT Rec Sports for a violation of probation. The suspension will be for one year, and prohibits the team from practicing or playing until the fall of 2016.
Junior kinesiology major and club president Garrett Nall confirmed the suspension in a phone interview Thursday evening.
“It’s really unfortunate,” Nall said. “It’s not fair for these guys to be shorted the season like this when it just started and we worked so hard to get it running.”
The club was put on probation for conduct infractions from previous team members, none of whom remain on the club’s roster. Nall said the suspension today was a result of a failure to file the correct paperwork in a timely manner.
“Ever since we got put on probation, rec sports has had us fill out a ton, and I mean a ton of paperwork, go to meetings,” Nall said. “What it came down to was I misunderstood something and didn’t get a form or two in on time. It isn’t all my fault, but that’s why this happened today.”
Along with being on probation, the club also owed UNT Rec Sports nearly $5,000 before the start of the 2015-2016 season. Nall said he and other team members pooled money to not only help pay off that debt, but pay their annual dues as well.
Currently, Nall’s biggest concern is getting the club’s dues refunded to each player, especially graduating seniors.
“We have over $15,000 in our account right now,” Nall said. “And that money isn’t just going to disappear, but honestly, after everything that’s happened, the fairest thing to do is refund everyone their money.”
Coordinator of intramurals and sport clubs Hillary Wells broke the news to Nall in a meeting early Thursday morning. Wells was not able to be reached for comment Thursday evening, but Nall said the meeting was very straight forward.
“I don’t want to say she was heartless,” Nall said. “It was just very cut and dry. She said she was sorry, but what does that do at this point? I feel like it’s all just too little too late.”
Nall said the club has not decided if they are going to appeal the suspension.
I am very disappointed in the University’s decision to suspend the hockey team. The team members have worked so hard to get the team back in good graces with the department. The team members this year pooled their own money to bail out the debt accumulated by a few bad apples and the University was looking for any little thing to punish them. UNT hockey is a popular club sport for many in the DFW Metroplex. They truly bring a positive image to so many younger players who may one day hope to play a level of college hockey and represent the University. I hope the team bands together and appeals the suspension. Universities like Arkansas, A&M, Oklahoma and more have excellent successful programs because they have the support of their Universities. I would hope UNT can come around and let the club regroup possibly with the help of a very supportive parent’s booster club. Come on UNT…do the right thing.