President of new UH intramural hockey club: 'It’s absolutely amazing how much support we’ve received'

Houston is more known for its religion-like obsession with football, but the University of Houston (UH) will soon be home to a hockey team.

Houston FOX affiliate KRIV reported that UH’s Center of Student Involvement has given the green light for the aptly named University of Houston Hockey Club.

Until the approval, UH was the largest university in the Lone Star State that lacked a club hockey team.

"This landmark decision opens up exciting opportunities for students to participate in ice hockey and brings the exhilarating sport to the heart of Houston," the school said in a statement obtained by KRIV.

Houston’s association with what’s arguably the national sport of Canada is slight at best, with several minor league teams having come and gone and the game played merely at the amateur level.

UH’s hockey club bore roots in an underclassman’s desire to have a piece of his native Minnesota with him in his adoptive home, according to a major Houston publication.

The media outlet reported that sports administration major James Calderone was successful in finding over 20 students with the same love for the sport as him a couple of months ago, prompting the junior to form the team as a registered student organization.

"It’s absolutely amazing how much support we’ve received through not only the campus, but the city as a whole,” Calderone said, according to KRIV. “I’m really excited I was able to share a piece of my Minnesotan culture with such a great city."

KRIV reported that the club, which will compete in the intramural American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA), seeks to have its first faceoff in the fall 2023 semester.

The team has to consist of at least 15 players and a coaching staff of up to two people.

Per the station, though extensive ice skating and ice hockey experience is more than ideal, the club wants to foster a love for the game among novices.

“The team's main aim is to encourage the growth of the game around the campus and the city of Houston,” its website reads. “As such, they are happy to welcome anyone who is interested in being a part of this exciting new venture.”