“The Cost to Play”
His bushy blond hair flows in the wind like a lion’s main, smiling as he always does, quick to a
laugh, 6 feet tall but skinny as a board. Eighteen-year-old Ramsey Cameron of Greenville, N.C.,
is not what most people would expect a college hockey player to look like, but looks have a
tendency to be misleading.
The freshman business major has played hockey most of his life after watching his older
brother Max get into the sport as young children, and knew he wanted to continue to play at a
higher level. Attending East Carolina University gave him the opportunity.
“I grew up here and have gone to ECU games and everything since I was young,” said
Cameron.
But making the team was only part of the challenge. The university makes contributions
to the team but since it’s a club team and not NCAA the contributions do not cover all cost, and
the players have to pay the remainder.
“If they make the team it’s a $400 charge for uniforms… It’s a onetime charge, they keep
their equipment when they leave,” explained ECU head hockey coach Mike Markham. “On top
of that they have $1400 dues, split up between two semesters… that’s every year.”
To pay for these fees Cameron worked at his mother’s summer camp and saved his
earnings, though his mother wouldn’t let him teach the children to play hockey.
His parents also contributed, but like most players the cost to represent their university
and play the sport he loves was mostly his own.
But today Cameron is not thinking about money spent, because today is game day.
The fall chill has set in but there is not a cloud in the sky today and the sun warms our
skin like an electric blanket as we laugh about our own misses and brag about accomplishments
on the ice.
Cameron hopes to have some more to brag about as him and the Pirates try to extend
their current winning streak to 11 games and improve to 13-1 on the season when they take on
the Loyola University Maryland Greyhounds tonight.
14 games into the season and Cameron has his game-day schedule locked in.
“Fridays on game-day I sleep in as much as I can,” said Cameron. “I woke up at 9:45, 10
o’clock.”
After getting some extra rest Cameron heads to class, normally consisting of English,
introduction to computers, and micro-economics, but today he caught a break and his English
class was canceled.
After class Cameron will try to unwind some.
“[I] try to relax some before the game, maybe see some buddies,” said Cameron.
After seeing some of his friends Cameron heads to Bladez on Ice where the game will be
played.
“I’ll get there around six probably, go get warmed up and everything,” said Cameron.
Talking about his pre-game routine brings up some nerves as Cameron is a little concerned about
the night’s game despite the Pirates’ current winning streak.
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