Raising Money For Hockey Program

With UAH's hockey program in jeopardy, Sheldon Wolitski, a former player for the team, calls into the WAAY 31 studio to promote a way the team might just survive.

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Friday the university of alabama in huntsville announced despite the rocket status of the hockey capitol of the south the school would cut the team because of budget issues from the pandemic.

It only took days for the program's alumni to organize a fundraising effort to try to save the team.

In less than 24 hours it raised almost $100,000.

We're joined by a former uah player now playing a key role in the effort to keep the program alive.

We appreciate you joining us this evening.

Are you with us?

There he is.

>> yeah.

Hi, dan.

How you doing tonight?

>> dan: i'm well, thank you.

So what did hockey bring to this community besides just being a sport?

>> i mean, it's a 41 years of history, dan.

If you look at, you know, the number of alumni that have gone out typically, they stay in huntsville and give back to the community.

I know from myself i wouldn't be where i am today if it wasn't for the opportunity that uah and athletics hockey gave me.

Even so much so that as i started a company 20 years ago, i could have opened up in any major market in the u.s. and i recently opened up in huntsville to get back and bring jobs to the community.

It just so happens i've got uh hockey alumni running the branch and student athletes working for me.

So it's -- the impact is running really deep so it's really unfortunate news.

We're being optimistic that we can raise the funds and keep the program going because it would be a shame if 41 years of tradition were to, you know, end today.

>> dan: yeah.

You're obviously really passionate.

How would uah hockey stay stable if it's brought back?

>> well, we've got a game plan.

We have major donors.

I think, you know, i think we have to really sit back and come up with a tragedy in order to make it viable.

We're in a non-traditional market.

We have been able to survive for the last 41 years so there is nothing stopping us now.

There is a number of private investors that we believe putting a rink on campus or near campus, i think that would be a really important for the community.

And, you know, i think it would get fans in the seats and we can go for corporate sponsorships.

It wouldn't just be on the alumni and a lot of the fans.

I think there is multiple ways we can tackle this, and the positive news after talking to dr. dawson, i said, we can make this happen.

It's a dopting task and we -- daunting task and we need to raise a lot of money but if we do it, they're willing to put together an executive committee together with business leaders, alumni, hockey people to really help support the university to turn it into a world class organization.

At the end of the day, that's what we're shooting for.

>> dan: yeah.

This program produced outstanding players and a couple played in the nhl.

The hockey conference is crumbling so where would the chargers land?

>> well, we have.

I mean, if you look at -- we have a number of nhl hockey players.

The former coach, doug ross.

Jared ross.

Huntsville born, played in the nhl.

We have hurdles no doubt, but if you look at the alumni, we're a resilient group of people.

If you can just see from the outpour, once the announcement was made friday, we've got, you know, over $100,000 already in a go fund me page.

Myself and my defense partner have already committed to 300,000.

We're talking to some big donors now and i believe if we can get through this next year, we can come up with a game plan so that we continue to have, you know, a great product on the ice and for the huntsville community.

Let's face it.

Huntsville is one of the fastest growing cities in the southeast, and, you know, most cities that are growing as fast as huntsville are adding entertainment and sports.

Not taking them away.

>> dan: sure.

>> so for me, it's like it's a growing city.

There is a lot of passion.

A lot of history.

We do -- we understand we have to put a good product on the ice and win.

And i think that's a game plan if we can get through the speed bump right now.

>> dan: just eight years ago uah was the institution for the frozen four in tampa.

Talk about non-traditional natives.

I'm a florida native and never thought it would have happened in florida but it's hugely popular.

There were talks of a new hockey facility.

How did the program go from being that to being cut in a year?

>> that's the surprising part.

Bob, who was the president, he had a big vision.

I was just there last year before, you know, he resigned.

We talked about the facility and what it was going to bring back to not only uh but the community.

You need leadership that believe in the program and have a vision for not only just what will bring to uh but the whole community.

Unfortunately, you know, we don't have that right now.

We're working on that to get the, you know, dr. dawson and people on board.

But, you know, they're new and i'm -- my job is that -- alumni's job is to really talk about the wide impact across all of u.s. and canada that uh hockey is having for the community.

This is just a short-term decision, you know, i believe that -- we really need to look at the big picture and what uh hockey has done over the last couple decades.

>> dan: so you're confident.

Nearing the $100,000 mark in donations.

This is a fifth of the goal of 500k and you want to meet that by friday.

>> we want to meet it by friday, but i'll tell you what.

Here is my philosophy.

We had multiple conversations.

We just talked to dr. dawson yesterday, and, you know, we came up with a number.

And i believe that if we continue to see -- $100,000 in 24 hours is pretty impressive.

I believe if we're on the trajectory and we can get close because, you know, there is a few of us willing to reach into our checkbook and write a check.

And as long as we can show them that we're on the pathway, i'm hoping they can either extend it or if we're willing to commit to the 750 that that will give us time to go after corporate donors, big donors.

Hopefully, you know, sell season tickets and have some additional revenue coming in but i'm telling you guys, i'm a business guy and also a hockey guy.

I also spend a lot of time in huntsville and i can promise you with the growth and passion and people, we can make this happen.

We really can.

I wouldn't put my money into it unless i feel like it was a viable option.

There is so many people and you can see from the outcry now.

It's like, i'm getting calls from people from i haven't heard from in decades that are asking me how we can help.

>> dan: real quickly go over how people can get on board.

>> there is a go fund me page.

So if you get on, there sago fund me page.

-- is a go fund me page.

Type in uh hockey and there is well over 125 now.

And if there is any major donors, they can just reach me directly.

Sheldon@selectgroup.com.

You guys can provide my cell number.

I'm the one talking to the donors because what i'm most excited about is we need do things differently, and dawson agreed if we were to raise the money that it -- we'd put a team of just incredible human beings that are hockey-minded, business community minded, and the committee will be advising the athletic department on how to build a world class organization.

We're all willing to help.

We have the time, we have the money, we have the resources so why wouldn't they take us up on that?

Because i believe that we can put a stake in the ground and hockey can be in huntsville for the next 50 years.

There is a lot of pieces to the puzzle but no doubt we can get there.

I want every kid that wants to come out -- and i say kid respectfully.

Any student, you know, to come out to huntsville and have the same opportunity i had because i wouldn't be where i am today.

Now i'm running a $200 million business.

We're impacting, you know, tens and thousands of lives.

>> dan: you're a fantastic ambassador for this effort, sheldon.

Thank you very much for joining us.

We appreciate this.

Good luck with the fundraiser.

>> yeah.

Thanks for the