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A great opportunity

DETROIT – Earlier this week, the Northern Michigan University hockey team took part in the prestigious Great Lakes Invitational tournament and fans, alumni and members of the administration took part in the festivities in and around Detroit.

NMU athletic director Forrest Karr was also at the tournament and said it was a great opportunity for the team and the school.

“We used to have that opportunity every year at the CCHA Championship at Joe Louis Arena,” he said in an interview Tuesday in Detroit. “Now, we’re in the middle of a four-year agreement that rotates the WCHA Championship between Grand Rapids and the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Since we don’t get that consistent opportunity to play in the Detroit area, this provides a great chance for us and our alums to see the team play.”

The tournament is hosted by Michigan Tech, with Michigan added later as cohost. Michigan State has traditionally been the third team with the fourth team inserted in the field.

“It’s Michigan Tech’s tournament and we’re really thankful that they invited us this year,” Karr said. “It’s obviously a tournament that’s been successful for a long, long time. I read somewhere that this is the 51st year of it, so that’s pretty neat.

“The last time that we were involved was 1998, so it’s been a long time for us. I know there was a time where Michigan Tech invited schools from different conferences and different parts of the country. It seems like in the last few years that they’re a little more focused on including the other Michigan schools and rotating them. I hope that continues because it’s certainly been great for us and it makes a lot of sense.”

Karr also said that teams like to participate in tournaments like the GLI and he thinks they provide a great benefit.

“This is not an uncommon thing for teams to play in these holiday tournaments,” he said. “What happens is all of the conferences have a break in their schedule and they want to fill out their schedule, so it works out really well to participate in these types of events.

“It keeps everybody motivated through the holidays. When you have a big event that you are coming back for, it keeps you focused in your training and ready to go.

“I could give you a similar example with our men’s basketball team. When they knew that they would be playing against Michigan and Michigan State to start the year, it was kind of an extra incentive for the kids to really work hard over the summer break and come back in shape and ready to go.

“It kind of gives you that extra edge and these tournaments during the holiday break serve a similar purpose.”

Back at home, the Wildcats have added beer to the concession stands at the Berry Events Center after getting fan feedback from surveys, and Karr said that they are trying to get a new scoreboard for the arena that could show instant replays.

“That would be our No. 1 project,” he said about the scoreboard. “If we could get that completed, it would definitely be good for our hockey program. Not only for our student athletes, not only for our coaches and for recruiting, but also for our fans and their experience. When fans go to the games, if they’re sitting there enjoying themselves with friends and they miss a big play … they can look up and see a replay. It really makes a difference in your experience when you are viewing a game.”

Karr also said the department is trying to work out where to place the basketball teams.

Both the men’s and women’s programs share time with the hockey team in the Berry Events Center and Karr said that they are exploring options that could benefit all of the teams.

“We’re looking at all different options for the basketball program,” he said. “That could be a stand-alone arena, it could be renovations to Vandament Arena (where the volleyball team plays). It could be some renovations to make the Berry Events Center work even better for basketball.

“If we do choose to pursue one of the options that has basketball in a different facility that will also help hockey because the student-athletes won’t have to go over to Lakeview Arena to practice when the floor is down on top of the ice.

“It will save a lot of labor expenses and should be a benefit for both programs.”

Ryan Stieg can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 246. His email address is rstieg@miningjournal.net.

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