Fall has officially arrived, and along with it volleyball, football and hockey. Both the ISU volleyball and football programs have had exceptional starts to their 2002 seasons.

Congratulations to the athletes, coaches, trainers and families of those who participate.

But one sport seems to sit back in the shadows and goes pretty much unnoticed.

The ISU Cyclone hockey team has begun its 2002-2003 season. Consistently, Coach Al Murdoch, who initiated the program in the 1960s, has taken the team to a top 10 placement and even a National Championship in 1992.

The Cyclone hockey team has a lot of class, thanks to the guidance of Coach Murdoch and his assistant coaches Brian Preston and Brian Wierson.

In the three years that I have attended ISU hockey games, I have never once come across a player who has been disrespectful to my family or myself.

Last season, I helped in organizing many events for Cyclone players and staff, their families and Home Away From Home Families, and this year I am the Coordinator for the Home Away From Home Family program.

These are terrific young men with great attitudes, outstanding grades and a wonderful commitment to Cyclone hockey.

They come to ISU from all over the country for the academics but pledge their time and their own money into the hockey program.

ISU Cyclone hockey is partially funded by the Government of the Student Body.

The rest of the budget is raised by the team through season tickets, donations and advertising. They even go out and pick soybeans for a fund raiser.

I have been disappointed in the coverage that the hockey team receives both through the Daily and the Ames Tribune. At the end of the last two seasons, I submitted short articles to the Tribune for coverage in the paper.

At both times the team was at Nationals and respectively placed third and fourth in the nation at the American Collegiate Hockey Association Tournament and it went practically unnoticed.

I just wanted to let the Ames community know about this fine program, with its exceptional staff and athletes.

Please come out and support ISU Cyclone hockey. We have “gotten the party started”; let’s keep it going. You can find the schedule on their Web site at www.public. iastate.edu/~hockey. Or come out to the games at the Ames/ISU Ice Arena, 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday evenings for the next several weekends.

We hope to see you there.

Mary Beth Hanlin

Ames