SLU MAKES NEW HOME AT WEBSTER GROVES
9/7/2009

The Saint Louis Billikens Hockey Club will play all 14 home games at the Webster Groves Ice Arena for the 2009-2010 season. The move will help the Billikens program stride towards the goal of winning a DII ACHA championship. The Billikens will kick off its 14th season and 14-game home schedule at Webster on Friday September 18th vs. the Illinois State Redbirds.

The Billikens are now owners of a beautiful wood locker room during the college season at Webster. In the past, players carried the burden of storing their hockey bag in the limited space of college dorm rooms and apartments. The move will cut travel in half for the players who are used to driving 20-25 minutes each way to Affton. General Manager Darren Helmkamp thinks the move will give the program a boost. "Less travel and our own locker room will give SLU hockey an advantage over most programs when attracting prospective players. Programs like Missouri State who have these luxuries are able to use them to their advantage when convincing players to commit. We now have a place to take pride in and call our true home." 

The team practice schedule has changed to look more like an NCAA Varsity program. Past teams were practicing at six in the morning and 10:00pm at night. Next season SLU will practice in the early afternoon at 1:45pm and 2:15pm.

SLU game times are now prime to attract more fans. Friday night home games wills start at 8pm. Saturday games will typically start at 1:45pm. "We've had trouble getting the community excited about our team because no one ever gets to see us play. Friday night games have traditionally started at 10pm, and later. Now we're able to invite youth/high school teams and alumni to the games at reasonable times." said Helmkamp.

SLU finished the 08-09 season with a league record of 10-7-1 for third place in the MACHA among ten teams.