BELLEVILLE MAROONS ICE HOCKEY
TEAM BIOGRAPHY

The Belleville Maroons Ice hockey team was formed during the summer of 1996. The team's inaugural season in the MVCHA was the 1996-1997 season. The Maroons hockey team was formed with the purpose of giving its players an opportunity to play at a highly competitive level in a team oriented environment. Unfortunately, the local amateur hockey associations were not offering the challenge nor camaraderie sought by the Maroon players. In addition, the success of the MVCHA's first season, 1995-1996, sparked a renewed interest in high school hockey that had not been seen in the Metro East area of St.Louis in almost 20 years.

The team, while comprised solely of students from Belleville West High School in Belleville, Illinois, is not affiliated, nor supported in any way by the high school or the school district. As with all teams in the MVCHA, it is a club sport and participation on the team is paid for with players fees, local donations and gate revenues.

The Maroons Ice Hockey team, on and off the ice, is extremely successful. The formula to the success is hard work and the sharing of responsibilities by coaches, team officials and parents. The team tries to ensure that no one is overburdened with a mass of responsibilities. Coaches and team officials take it upon themselves to willfully accept duties and see them to fruition. Parents are exceptional in their support of the team and are ever willing to keep score, man the time clock or police the penalty box. In addition, players maintain a positive attitude, working hard during practice and games, while spending time off the ice selling ads and participating in tag days at the local stores.