In December of 2010, just months after Sports Talk came to be, I had this great idea to start a floor hockey team with our campus intramurals department for which I was already refereeing. However we didn't get of the ground due to lack of commitment so I couldn't form the team. Fast forward 11 months. Having now gotten used to campus goings-on in terms of knowing who was involved in what, I changed focus to a sport I knew and well - soccer, of the indoor variety. This was easier than the traditional outdoor game for purely one reason - smaller roster size.
As I began the preparations for this new franchise, I immediately knew I had to reach out to varsity players from both the men's and women's varsity/jv teams as we were allowed two for each team entered - I established a men's an co-recreational branch. It wasn't until we had a full roster for at least one of the two for me to put together the team identity. As I also prefer for fantasy teams, my teams get real names with real locations and nicknames, though in soccer there is more lenience, but it took the American route on that. I wanted a team that had a distinguishable name and colors. I tried to go with what was not used often or recently - the old professional indoor soccer teams were good for that. ultimately I decided to go with memories of my childhood.
The Buffalo Blizzard played in the National Professional Soccer League's second indoor incarnation from 1992-2001 (the current NPSL is an outdoor league in America's fourth tier of soccer, including FC Buffalo). Their purple, white, and blue were distinctive enough to inspire the beginnings of the Springfield Blizzard. Other finalists included Ambush (teal/turquoise/aqua and white), Crunch (purple, yellow, green), Shamrox (green, yellow, black), Soul (sky blue, black, white), and ThunderHawks (yellow, blue, white). Quickly this became a Sports Talk affair after Barry had joined the roster with frequent guest Chuck Lane also listed. The men's team over three years and six seasons would go on to finish 1-15, with the co-rec going 5-11 as well as winning their Fall 2012 season division though being upset in their first playoff appearance due to ashort non-existent bench with a lack of substitutions and also lost the following fall's opening playoff round.
None of the players have gone on to play organized soccer beyond recreational league until I joind Erie County FC of the Buffalo District Soccer League's Third Division (six of six levels) which is recognized by the United States Soccer Federation as a Semi-Professional League. This despite the potential of the varsity players that filtered in over the seasons. The demise of the club was actually ahead of schedule, while the team would have only lost Barry for the upcoming season, I came to a point where class scheduling complications were preventing me to succeed academically that I made the decision to transfer to Medaille College going forward after I was offered managerial duties for Medaille Mavericks men's and women's soccer.
While I would have loved to stay at Springfield, my frustration with administrative mishaps outweighed my desire to continue attending. While it did not impact heavily Sports Talk, my departure was no less difficult. It was planned to include another WSCB talent (Billy Peterson, Conor Getz, and Luke Brown all in consideration for Barry's vacancy) assuming my continuation for the Fall of 2014. As for the Springfield Blizzard, well, perhaps a new dawn someday from the ashes of a phoenix.
Regards
-Ricky
As I began the preparations for this new franchise, I immediately knew I had to reach out to varsity players from both the men's and women's varsity/jv teams as we were allowed two for each team entered - I established a men's an co-recreational branch. It wasn't until we had a full roster for at least one of the two for me to put together the team identity. As I also prefer for fantasy teams, my teams get real names with real locations and nicknames, though in soccer there is more lenience, but it took the American route on that. I wanted a team that had a distinguishable name and colors. I tried to go with what was not used often or recently - the old professional indoor soccer teams were good for that. ultimately I decided to go with memories of my childhood.
The Buffalo Blizzard played in the National Professional Soccer League's second indoor incarnation from 1992-2001 (the current NPSL is an outdoor league in America's fourth tier of soccer, including FC Buffalo). Their purple, white, and blue were distinctive enough to inspire the beginnings of the Springfield Blizzard. Other finalists included Ambush (teal/turquoise/aqua and white), Crunch (purple, yellow, green), Shamrox (green, yellow, black), Soul (sky blue, black, white), and ThunderHawks (yellow, blue, white). Quickly this became a Sports Talk affair after Barry had joined the roster with frequent guest Chuck Lane also listed. The men's team over three years and six seasons would go on to finish 1-15, with the co-rec going 5-11 as well as winning their Fall 2012 season division though being upset in their first playoff appearance due to a
None of the players have gone on to play organized soccer beyond recreational league until I joind Erie County FC of the Buffalo District Soccer League's Third Division (six of six levels) which is recognized by the United States Soccer Federation as a Semi-Professional League. This despite the potential of the varsity players that filtered in over the seasons. The demise of the club was actually ahead of schedule, while the team would have only lost Barry for the upcoming season, I came to a point where class scheduling complications were preventing me to succeed academically that I made the decision to transfer to Medaille College going forward after I was offered managerial duties for Medaille Mavericks men's and women's soccer.
While I would have loved to stay at Springfield, my frustration with administrative mishaps outweighed my desire to continue attending. While it did not impact heavily Sports Talk, my departure was no less difficult. It was planned to include another WSCB talent (Billy Peterson, Conor Getz, and Luke Brown all in consideration for Barry's vacancy) assuming my continuation for the Fall of 2014. As for the Springfield Blizzard, well, perhaps a new dawn someday from the ashes of a phoenix.
Regards
-Ricky
