Scholarships and Competition:
A Difficult Mix
by
John Contreraz
at
U. of Maine, Orono
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This year the Maine hockey team ended its season just short of a legacy. No team has successfully defended a national title since Boston University did so in 1971-72 and Maine came as close as the Frozen Four, falling short to North Dakota, just two wins away from history.

It seemed as though everyone was planning on the repeat. A bonfire was scheduled and team celebration was planned long before the team even left for Providence, but it's not so easy in college hockey compared to other collegiate sports.

There are only a couple hockey powerhouses between Grand Forks, N. D. and Orono, Maine, but the number of quality basketball teams across the country is endless. Duke and North Carolina head the list of endless schools with hoops talent. Ask sports fans about the last time Duke won the national championship or the last time Nebraska won the football crown and they will start throwing names, numbers and "do you remember when" stories all across the table. 1972 is the best we can do for college hockey.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) scholarship limitations system in place is about as fair as paying three times the money for out-of-state tuition. Every hockey team across the country has 18 scholarships to lure prospective student-athletes to its institution, but there are at least 26 players that make substantial contributions throughout a game. This discrepancy in numbers puts restrictions on coaches and limits them from continually fielding a great team in the long run.

Maine and North Dakota both offer one thing: a chance at the national spotlight. During the semifinal match-up, North Dakota played the game in Maine's end on fire, while Maine's offense was smoldering just enough to keep the score close. No one told North Dakota that it was only the semis.

The Fighting Sioux defense was playing for the national title even before it was up for grabs. Their defensive ace, Travis Roche. "Actually Travis Roche, their top offensive defense man, was a guy that we thought we had coming to Maine," Maine Head Coach Shawn Walsh said. "He ended up changing his mind and going to North Dakota."

Roche helped to close the door on Maine and cruised to the title, leaving Maine behind for the second time and earning his school's second title in four years. Basketball is different. Basketball has enough money to put the trainers and stats crew on scholarship and still field a quality team. Thirteen full rides for eight or nine key contributors isn't bad.

The fact is that the limited number of hockey scholarships leads to increased competition during recruiting and games. In the Frozen Four, the teams are so evenly matched that the one who plays the best usually wins. On the aggregate level, college hockey wins, but the player who just wants a crack at the title is being soaked on both ends by the school. Dishing out tuition money to the school and Sportscenter highlights for the school.

Maine and North Dakota will meet again on the ice and in the recruiting rink. Maine already plans to open with North Dakota for the next two years. Both schools have established a national presence. Just ask those who offered $1500 a ticket on E-bay and maybe the NCAA can shuffle some of that scholarship money so each sport is represented equally.

Copyright ©2000 John Contreraz
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