The unofficial online home for fans of the UAB Blazers. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

(08-12-2018 02:46 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  I thought there was just "club level" teams, so what are the parameters for levels of club level teams? What would UAB have to do to move to a higher level in club sport?

BAMANBLAZERFAN, In order to move up the division we have to dominate our current division level and consistently make it to the national tournament every year. To do this we need to attract highly skilled hockey players to commit to UAB, we have to fill up the stadium and win. It is our third year we have been able to build up a brand and we have been able to get a couple players to UAB. One of which is Phil Zbell who had NCAA offers, but a knee injury derailed those chances. He still has the skills and can be a top end player in division 3 club. We also have his younger brother Matt Zbell enrolled at UAB who played AAA for the point mallard ducks.

It comes down to the financials, most of our money comes from our players who pay into the $35k a year budget. We have been lucky with sponsorships from Coca-cola/Powerade, CRM motors in Pelham. The more successful teams have an even higher operating budget. They can build nice locker rooms, have charter busses, and flights to big time games. Those teams usually attract the big time players who either cant get ice time in the NCAA and want to move to club level or players who just missed the cut at the NCAA level. A handful of players who dominate the club level have gone on to play professional hockey in the SPHL, ECHL and overseas.

Our organization would like to one day get hockey to be an NCAA sport at UAB. The NHL has made a push to invest in college hockey. We have an advisory board in place who will be keeping the organization on track in the longterm, and to keep moving us towards that goal. However we need the support of the UAB, Birmingham, and hockey community. We need fans at games and donations/sponsorships to help us move closer to the goal. If we can consistently be one of the highest attended sports at UAB and continue to win, the sky is the limit!

Go Blazers! Fire on Ice!