I realize that this thread is dead, but it deserves a few closing comments.
 
Part of the issue concerned playing Alaska schools - i.e., Wisc./Minn. home games being
played away in Alaska. I think that this is a mixed "blessing" for those schools. In
terms of winning the conference, it would be better to play UAA four times, in terms of a
national rating to play UAA only twice. Thus, there're both benefits and disadvantages.
Maybe this somewhat equalizes the schedule? Given five years or so, this "benefit" will
hopefully become self correcting.
 
Combined, our four "major" metropolitan (Alaska in total) has roughly a 400,000
population. Registered USA Hockey Players total 6,533 (a ratio of 1 per every 62 people).
As per normal, our last place finish in the WCHA has triggered an outburst of "replace
the coach" sentiment. Brush has been here for twenty or more years, and enormous credit
must be given to him personally and to UAA for sparking the dramatic upsurge of hockey
interest in Alaska. It has been tough!
 
In today's Sunday paper, a hockey coach wrote a "letter to the editor" defending our
current coach. It stated that Alaska Hockey players have a ways to go to become fully
competitive in this sport - i.e., no NHL players yet. I agree with this assessment. The
"locals" continually criticize the university for not using more "local" players (maybe a
third of the players are currently local, but we seem to increase this annually by two or
three team positions). Thanks to the willingness and graciousness of the WCHA (and now
the CCHA) we see quality, competitive hockey. The 2000 or so "young" players will (and
do) immensely benefit from this, and we're seeing more and more "pockets" of nationally
competitive Alaska youth hockey teams. For collegiate hockey, Alaska now has twenty or so
players in Division I programs (locals tend to forget that part of the college experience
is "leaving home" -- often equally encouraged by both parents and players <s>). Most
often, this means going to schools outside (lower 48 states).
 
We have worked our way up through Club Teams, Division II & III, Independent Division I,
and now are the newest team in the WCHA. To even be considered for membership in that
conference we had to beat Minnesota and tie Wisconsin (as Independents and prove that we
were competitive). Next year will be another tough year for us in the conference. It'll
be another five or so years before our program will be consistently in the upper half of
the WCHA. Ultimately, you will see this area steadily producing fine hockey players which
will be in schools throughout the US. We've had three, I believe, players which have made
it to the NFL, recently had our first basketball player recruited by a major college
(Duke), and eventually will have some NHL players (we currently have one UAA player
(non-Alaskan) who is in the NHL). In the meantime, many of the "imported" university
players have chosen to stay here with quite a few becoming involved in the youth
hockey associations.
 
What's the point! I know that there's some concern regarding unbalanced WCHA schedules
and other scheduling inequities. Someday, UAA will be a national collegiate hockey
powerhouse and these issues will naturally fade away (remember, had Wisconsin chosen to
play us four times this year they likely would have achieved 2nd place in the conference
- although we beat Minn., Wisc, and CC each once). However, the real benefactors of this
"exception", unbalanced schedule, or other inequity will be other Division I Hockey
Schools, the 50-75 Alaskan players which will be in those programs each year, and the
thousands of players in youth hockey who benefit from a dynamic program, and, of course,
the fans and hockey supporters. ALL OF THIS can be significantly attributed to an NCAA
exemption which may last 10 to 20 years in a hockey program.
 
As you can tell, I (we) fervently support our "special" status. I solicit all of the help
that we can muster from you for continuing this. Sure, at some point, we'll become a
worthy oppponent that you won't want to play. But, likewise, I'm sure that you will have
a few Alaskan players on your team who's greatest desire will be to "beat the home team".
It'll make for great competition, help Team USA, and enhance USA hockey -- at all levels.
 
Please, help a fledgling program mature!
 
Thanks for your time, Lowell King (Independent UAA Supporter)