THE YELLOWSTONE QUAKE HOCKEY TEAM HELD THEIR 15TH ANNIVERSARY GOLF TOURNAMENT OVER THE WEEKEND TO A ROUSING SUCCESS. THE TOURNAMENT HAD A SOLD OUT ATTENDANCE AND BROUGHT IN THE LIKES OF ALUMNI, RETURNING AND NEW PLAYERS. I WAS ABLE TO CATCH UP WITH HEAD COACH OF THE QUAKE PHIL OBERLIN AND HE DISCUSSES THE TURN OUT AND IMPACT THIS TOURNAMENT HAD.
“JUST KIND OF GOES BACK TO SHOW WHAT KIND OF COMMUNITY CODY IS. THE SUPPORT FOR THEIR LOCAL SPORTS TEAMS AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT, THAT THEY’RE WILLING TO GIVE BACK EVEN DURING A TIME THAT MAYBE THEY GOT A LITTLE BIT HIT IN TERMS OF TOURIST ACTIVITY AND ALL THAT KIND OF THING FINANCIALLY. WE’RE DEFINITELY PLEASED WITH THE TURNOUT AND THE SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THE PEOPLE THAT CAME OUT AND PLAYED AND THE DONATIONS THAT WE GOT FOR THE AUCTION. IT’S BEEN A PRETTY PHENOMENAL DAY.”
QUAKE HOCKEY IS JUST WEEKS AWAY FROM HITTING THE ICE FOR THEIR 2020-2021 CAMPAIGN. COACH OBERLIN WILL BE RETURNING FOR HIS THIRD FULL YEAR AND TALKS ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE FROM YEAR ONE TO NOW.
“I’VE BEEN MORE EXCITED ABOUT THIS YEAR THAN I HAVE THE FIRST TWO YEARS I’VE BEEN OUT HERE. AT THIS POINT THE FIRST TWO YEARS WE STRUGGLED A LITTLE BIT IN THE RECRUITING PART OF THE THINGS. I THINK THIS YEAR IS THE FIRST YEAR WHERE WE’RE EXTREMELY HAPPY WITH WHERE WE ARE. WE’VE IMPROVED IN PRETTY MUCH ALL ASPECTS OF OUR TEAM. RIGHT NOW I KNOW THE GUYS THAT ARE COMING IN ARE SUPER EXCITED TO GET OUT TO CODY AND START THE SEASON. AND MYSELF LIKEWISE. YOU KNOW THE SKIES THE LIMIT WITH THIS GROUP COMING IN.”
THE QUAKE GOT A BIG BOOST THE OTHER DAY AS IT WAS ANNOUNCED JACK HARRIS WILL RETURN TO THE TEAM. COACH OBERLIN ON THE LUXURY THAT PRESENTS.
“HAVING SOMEONE LIKE JACK BACK, WHOSE BEEN WITH THE PROGRAM FOR AS LONG AS HE HAS AND THAT PUTS THE NUMBERS AND OBVIOUSLY IS A FANTASTIC HOCKEY PLAYER, HAVING HIM BACK IS HUGE. IT’S DEFINITELY GOING TO KIND OF STABILIZE US FROM THE BEGINNING, ALLOWING SOME OF THE NEW GUYS THAT COME IN TO GET THEIR FEET WET A LITTLE BIT. SO WE’RE EXPECTING BIG THINGS FROM HIM THIS YEAR.”
WHILE IT’S STILL EARLY COACH OBERLIN SAYS THIS TEAM IS EAGER TO IMPROVE UPON A 4TH PLACE CONFERENCE FINISH A YEAR AGO AND GIVES A LITTLE INSIGHT INTO WHAT THE FANS CAN EXPECT.
“MORE OF THE SAME, JUST A LITTLE BIT BETTER I THINK. I THINK WE’RE GOING TO END UP SCORING MORE GOALS THIS YEAR. I THINK WE’RE GOING TO END UP KEEPING MORE GOALS OUT OF OUR NET THIS YEAR. AGAIN LIKE I SAID, I THINK WE’VE IMPROVED IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE GAME, ESSENTIALLY. WE’RE EXCITED TO GET ALL THE GUYS ON THE ICE. I THINK IT’S GOING TO BE A FUN YEAR HERE IN CODY AND IN RILEY ARENA.”
QUAKE PLAYERS REPORT TO CODY ON SEPTEMBER 10TH WITH THE FIRST OFFICIAL PRACTICE SCHEDULED FOR THE 14TH. AND STAY TUNED TO THE BIG HORN RADIO NETWORK NEXT WEEK TO HERE FROM JACK HARRIS AND OTHER QUAKE PLAYERS.
