Gordon On Ice

The Gordon Ice Hockey Club may not be heard of on the Grapevine as much as some other sports teams, but it's got a long history that's continuing to fight weekly for success.

What many might not know is that Gordon previously had a year-round ice rink where the parking lot behind Physical Plant currently is (this is why the lot is dubbed “Rink Lot”).  The rink was built in 1965 and named the Hebbard Ice Rink.  When the bubble dome collapsed in 1989, Gordon had to find another outlet for their ice hockey players. 

Dr. Sean Clark, the head of Gordon’s Kinesiology Department, once played on the club team as a student during his college years from ’84 to ’88 as a center.  He began playing on Gordon’s ice hockey team when he was 17 years old.  At age 45, Clark still keeps up with the team.

“I think it's great that Gordon has a hockey outlet,” said Clark.  “We live in one of the hockey capitols of the country and if the college is not going to have a varsity team, the club is a great option.”

Although the money and interest has never been sufficient to enter in a division III program, the ice hockey club has grown over the years.  The team plays in a non-checking adult league every Monday night at Hockey Town USA in Saugus, MA.  Three years ago, Gordon won the league championship.

21-year-old, Bennett Shake ’13, a Kinesiology major and 20-year-old Brian Johnson ’13, an Accounting major are the team captains this year.  They lead a team of 20 Gordon students, including three women.  With a record of two wins, one loss and one tie, the Gordon Ice Hockey Club draws a small crowd from Gordon each week.

“We love having fans come,” said Shake, “because it's always more fun to play for other people.”

The team continues to draw more skaters each year.  In the past, alumni were encouraged to join, but now, the team is made up entirely of current Gordon students.  The sense of team spirit stands out to RJ Papaleo ’14, a 20-year-old art major and the squad’s current goalie. 

“My favorite part about being on the team here at Gordon,” said Papaleo, “is being able to play with other Christians. I've been playing organized hockey since I was eight, and up until this point I have been going in and out of locker rooms where there was nothing good being said or done.  It's great to be here and not have to worry about having to deal with anything getting out of hand.”

Johnson said he enjoys being with a diverse group of students, from various majors and classes, who share a passion for hockey.

“My favorite part of the team,” said Johnson, “is that I get to play hockey in a fun and competitive league with other Gordon students I would have never met.”