KU Tryouts Coming Up

By: James Scorthorn

With the end of the fall sports season, the winter time comes around and so does the hockey season! It’s great to have a team to play on and a community to be with, which is one thing that KU provides. All of the players love being on KU, having a tightly knit group of people that both play as teammates and as friends. 

KU, also known as Kalamazoo United, has a multitude of schools that combine to make the team. Hackett is obviously involved, but so is Loy Norrix, Kalamazoo Central, Three Rivers, Schoolcraft, and Gobles. KU combines all of these schools together to create a division 1 high school hockey team, which makes it unique since it is the only sport offered at Hackett where there is division 1 competition, which makes it a little harder, but a lot more satisfying when you win! 

Last year, KU had a record of 12-7, which was impressive since it was the first time in 3 years that KU has had a winning record. With this, it also shows KU is on the rise, not only because the players are starting to improve, but also because of a coaching change. After KU struggled for the past couple seasons, KU brought in head coach Ryan Penny, who had almost an immediate impact. His impact came from changing the strategies of the way the team played, which helped the offense be less predictable and cause more misdirection which has led to more goals, but his best changes have come from the new culture he has brought onto the team, where he brought a winning mentality and a positivity in locker room that inspired all of the players to push further than what they were expected. 

From Hackett, we will have two returners coming back to the team. Both senior James Scothorn and junior Vincent Walbridge will be likely returners to the team, but there will be spots available for people to come in and get. Come tryout and see if you have what it takes to come make the team!