The university’s club hockey team has to travel 124 miles to practice.

The team practices at Extreme Ice Center in Indian Trial which is two hours and 21 minutes away from Boone, according to mapquest.com.

“Hockey rinks can be very difficult to find and even more difficult to gain access to,” team treasurer Bryce Berryhill said.

Members from the club have previously asked the university to put a rink in the Convocation center; however such an operation would cost up to $2 million.

So, the club had to settle for practicing in Extreme Ice Center.

“Why there isn’t a rink [in Boone] is beyond me,” Nicole Celenza, hockey club team secretary said. “I’m really puzzled on this one almost every day.”

Celenza said the travel can be difficult on people because of cost and time but the team is willing to help anyone trying to join the team with those concerns.

But this year’s membership has decreased, when compared to past years.The team only has 10 members compared to the 12 to 18 members in past years.

“I would really like to put it out there that we are still looking for players, mostly defense-men,” Timur Migirov, hockey club team vice president said.

The team gets a substantial amount of emails from interested students who want to join the team, up until they learn of the traveling requirements.

“Only those who are really committed end up coming out and staying on the team,” Club President Chris Soucie said. “Many people ask if the rumor is true that we have to drive to practice.”

During the winter, the team will occasionally go to a much smaller “half rink” at Sugar Mountain Ski Resort.

The club practices on ice at least twice a month, and off ice every Monday and Wednesday at the Student Recreation Center.

Story: WILL ROONEY, Intern Sports Reporter