The Oswego State club roller hockey team is on a renewed quest to return in 2021 as Eastern Collegiate Rollar Hockey Association (ECRHA) champions. The Lakers, who lost their 2020 season due to COVID-19 are eager to continue the success they had two years ago.
Just like most teams in college sports over the past year, there have been several setbacks facing the Lakers, such as lack of returning players, coaching their system to new players and building team chemistry. To get the team back on top, senior captain and defenseman Billy Bowling believes that a lot of the responsibility for the roller hockey team falls on his shoulders.
“It is all about showing the rookies how Oswego plays the system that we run and the way that we have played the game over the last few years,” Bowling said. “I will make sure that the rookies stay calm and take that extra step back in learning the way that we approach the game.”
For Bowling, building team chemistry and passing on what he has learned at Oswego State will be crucial for the team’s success this season. Bowling and junior goalie Matt Quast are the only two returning players from their ECRHA championship run two years ago. The team had been averaging seven to eight returning players a season pre-pandemic, but this year they will have to approach the season with a little more effort to rebuild this team.
“The expectation is to go out there and compete at a high level,” Bowling said. “As a team, we were able to achieve a top four placement in the 2019 nationals. Then in 2020, we were able to secure an eastern regional championship. Placing us as the top team going into nationals that year. We hope to carry that same momentum into this season and compete for a national championship.”
Expectations for the team are at an all-time high considering their previous success. Their final record concluding the 2019-2020 season was 12-3, now with a fresh record heading into the season the same kind of result is on their mind. Leading this team from the side of the rink will be a crucial task this year, Head Coach Jack Tofallos understands the obstacles his team will have to face in order to meet those expectations.
“We are going to have to work really hard early on to learn the system, build the chemistry and get back in the swing of things, especially because we cannot practice at the school,” Tofallos said.
Regardless of the limitations for practice times and locations, Tofallos still envisions enormous potential for his team.
Building a great foundation and culture is everything a coach looks for when bringing a team together. The roller hockey Lakers are going to face adversity throughout the season but an opportunity to exceed expectations is what Tofallos hopes for.
“This is a fresh start and a fresh opportunity for everyone on this team,” Tofallos said. “We’re defending ECRHA champions, would you want to be remembered as a one-hit-wonder team, or do you want to be a part of a championship program?”
There is certainly a lot of energy surrounding coaches and players on this Lakers team. Something that will keep them ready to take this season on with full strength will be the relationship between Tofallos and his players. Tofallos has a lot of faith in his captain’s leadership and has a strong commitment to the team.
“Billy knows how this organization has been run and what it takes to be a successful team,” Tofallos said. “I have all the faith in the world that he will continue to lead this team down the right path with the help of our assistant captain Matt Quast.”
The last glimpse of action the team had was in their 2019 ECRHA championship victory win against Endicott College. They won the game 5-3 and were on pace to participate in nationals before the season was cut short.
Bowling also understands that spending time with the team and keeping the mood light is a great way to get where they want to be.
“I think the main reason for our success was due to the great chemistry that we had as a team,” Bowling said. “We were always together, whether it was team dinners, or just throwing around a football on the weekends. We were like a family on road trips and it was a great atmosphere to be around that year. I hope to build that same atmosphere this season, even though we lost the large number of graduates we have had these last two years.”
Despite the long build-up for this season, it is safe to say that Bowling and his team are ready to take on the challenge of their Columbus Day opener in October. It has been nearly two full years since the team has been on the rink in a game setting.
“There is a lot of excitement,” Bowling said. “We haven’t worn an Oswego jersey in around 18 months, we are really pumped to get back onto the tile and compete for a national championship.”
Jack Perdek | The Oswegonian
