The annual All-Star Broomball Games was held on Wednesday, Feb. 4 from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m at the Broomball Rinks on Walker lawn and is one of the highlights of Winter Carnival. The Women’s All-Star Game started at 8 p.m. was won by the orange team, while the Men’s All-Star Game started at 9 p.m and was won by the orange team.
Before the game, different Broomball Committee members were asked what they were excited for and what is different about this year’s All-Star Games. “[I am] looking forward to having a lot of new players on the All-Star team this year. The previous year had a lot of returning players. A lot of those guys and girls have graduated, so now we get to see a new crop of just highly skilled players,” said Alex Pothoff, Vice Chair of the Broomball Committee. Additionally, he explained that the skills competition section was removed from last year’s player feedback and the games were moved earlier. Amber Shaw, the Referee Manager of the Broomball Committee said “I’m looking forward to the community spirit that the event brings. A lot of people show up to watch even if they are not playing and I’ve refereed that game before in year’s past and the crowd was such a great energy to have supporting our friends.”
The All-Star Games are made up of two women and two men teams. The competitive non-All-Star Broomball teams can nominate a man or woman to be selected for the All-Star teams. Non-competitive Broomball teams can select a woman to be selected for the All-Star teams. The nominees try out to be on the team and are selected by the Broomball Committee.
This year, the Women’s Orange Team’s roaster was Claudia Latham (G), Veronica Blissick (G), Lauren Kaus, Alexandra Soltis, April Wonsul, Reilley Lovercheck, Kaylie Simpson, Abigail Smith, Liesel Fiebke, Bella Reimers, Adeline Doyle, and Brynn Beaulieu. Note that “G” is a Broomball shorthand for goalie. The Women’s Blue Team was made up of Elise Buzzell (G), Elena Bowles (G), Emma Kerschbaum, Allie Szalkiewicz, Lara Sagorski, Rebekah Smith, Noelle St. Pierre, Avis Schapman, Janae Koetje, Logan DesRochers, Mahana Gallmeyer, and Jordan VanderMeer.
The Men’s Orange Team’s roaster had Gavin Spaulding (G), AJ Chelko (G), Owen Resch, Thomas McClelland, Seth Francois, Caleb Minasian, Adler Wormuth, Olin Kasperowicz, Henry LeCaptain, Andrew Posthuma, Easton Hans, Isaac Oldenburg. The Men’s Blue Team’s roaster included Jon Boerst (G), Wyatt Thompson (G), Lukas Reimers, Joshua Dafoe, Will Bagley, Malachi Strong, Alex Pothoff, Hunter Pick, Keagan Reimers, Liam Pothoff, Andrew Palmer, and Adam Gardner.
You can learn more about Broomball by going to the IRHC Broomball website, Instagram, office hours, or joining the Discord.
