I have had the honor and privilege of working with the
University of Alabama’s club hockey team the Alabama Frozen Tide for now going
on 6 years. When I mention this to people I usually get two questions, first
one is “Alabama has a hockey team?” and “what do you do for them?” These
questions open the door to explain the history of the team. When I explain what
I do, I usually reply I am a “Go-For” which is my way of saying anything they
ask. I am then usually asked how I got started with them, and that is simple I
went to a game. Growing up in Birmingham, Alabama I was exposed to the sport of
hockey when I was 15 and attended a Birmingham Bulls game. The Bulls were a
minor league team playing in the ECHL. As I attended more game, I began to fall
in love with the sport of hockey. However in 2001, my heart was broken as the
franchise was sold and relocated to Atlantic City, New Jersey. That then left
me looking for a hockey team to support. In 2004 during the NHL’s lockout
season a league known as the WHA2 formed with a team in Pelham, Alabama known
as the Alabama Slammers. The Slammers and the entire league for that matter was
a failure and both lasted one season. Then in October of 2007 I heard that the
University of Alabama had a club hockey team that was playing games in Pelham.
So on October 6, 2007 I attended my first college hockey game, The Alabama
Frozen Tide vs. the South Florida Bulls. The Frozen Tide who had just started
their first full season defeated the more established Bulls by a score of 7-2
and I was hooked. As I attended more games, I got to know the parents of the
players and the booster club. Shortly into the second season I was then asked
if I would be interested in helping out with a promotion called “Chuck-A-Puck.”
I said yes, and the rest is history. Since that day I have missed less than a
handful of home games, attended every regional the team has played in with the
exception of this season. Since starting with the team, I have moved on from
the “Chuck-A-Puck” when I started broadcasting the home games for the team
online in 2010. In 2011 I travelled with the team broadcasting both home and
road games, and in 2011 I was fortunate to travel with the team to their first
ACHA National Championship Tournament. This season I was unable to broadcast
games, but still used my filming skills to film the games from ice level and
then making highlight videos. This season will see me meet the team in Missouri
to end the season as the Alabama Frozen Tide will participate in their second
straight National Championship Tournament. I guess if I was to be serious when
asked, how I got involved with the team, I would say it was an accident, but
the results have been awesome.
Thanks for reading, God bless and have a great weekend.