History Of The Lincoln Ice Hockey Association

The history of the Lincoln Ice Hockey Association and how it was formed is quite an interesting story, with a series of strange coincidences that started the ball rolling. The Ice Hockey Association was originally formed in 1970 when two different people, on the same day, about two hours apart, went to the senior head of the university’s recreation department with the identical idea of founding a Lincoln Ice Hockey Association. Funnily enough, even their first names were the same. The head of the department gave each man their contact information.  

The Beginning. A freshman, Steve Jacobs, and a senior, Steve Spady, met for the first time, and they began to brainstorm in earnest to put the Lincoln Ice Hockey Association together. After meeting with Bob Devaney, the Athletic Director, they got the paperwork going within a year. They were off to the races! The Ice Hockey Association held tryouts, elected their officers, and everyone who made the hockey team got an official red uniform.  

Growing Pains. In the following few seasons, the team continued to grow. However, they could only play “away” games, unless they used the ice hockey grounds in Omaha, as they had no permanent ice hockey coliseum of their own. If this wasn’t hardship enough, Steve Jacobs, who had organized everything from the beginning, graduated. This, along with other unfortunate events, caused the newly formed ice hockey sports team to disband. 

Mark the Champion. In rides a fresh young architect, named Mark Champion, in 1974 to save the day. Mark, Steve Spady, along with John Skold–the Director of the State Fair, worked diligently together for the next twenty years trying to raise enough money to fund and renovate an ice hockey coliseum, but it was proving to be an elusive dream. Investors wanted proof that people would come to see the Lincoln Ice Hockey team play, but how were they to show proof that people would be interested, with no money for ice, let alone a building to put it in? 

A Grain of Hope. At last, a small trickling of cash flow began to come in from the Fair Board. After months of tireless work, test ice was put in on the floor of the unheated Exhibition Hall, which was located on the fair grounds. Too soon, the warm weather melted the ice and betrayed the hockey team and the Lincoln Association. Luckily, the people’s response to the new Lincoln Ice Hockey Association and team could not be denied. 

The People Have Spoken. Since the interest level was indeed there, the next hurdle was to obtain public signatures from the Lincoln ice hockey supporters in order for the city council to approve the bond for an ice facility that would cost approximately $1M. The city council had other ideas about how to spend the money. They wanted a baseball park instead; however, they received no backing for either venture.  

Mark Champion Stays True to His Name. Ever the optimist, Mark went to the president of the University of Nebraska, Terry Fairfield, who found Tim Moylan, a heavy investor that built Tranquility Park in Omaha. After meeting with the State Fair Park Director, John Skold, the Lincoln Ice Hockey project was finally underway. 

We Have a New Coach! With Coach Larry Taylor firmly in line with the Lincoln Ice Hockey Association, Mark Champion still did not sit back on his laurels. He needed a tremendous amount of money for ice, and he worked tirelessly to form another group of ice hockey supporters to back his efforts. Before long, the Nebraska Rec Department, City of Lincoln Parks, the University of Nebraska Foundation, as well as John Breslow–a major donor, all contributed a gift of $7M to go towards building what is now called the Breslow Ice Center. 

Sometimes it does take a village, but anything worth having is worth the effort involved that it sometimes takes to make it happen. These valiant people of the Lincoln Ice Hockey Association had the heart and the wherewithal to make sure that it did.