Former Cloquet High School hockey player Allen Raushel will play for the 2007 United States University Select Team which will compete in the Winter World Games later this month. Raushel, a 2004 Cloquet graduate, is a junior forward at Iowa State.
"After the season each player could send in a tryout application off the American Collegiate Hockey Association Web site," explained Raushel. "Of about 250 athletes to apply 88 were selected to tryout in Columbus, Ohio, in the beginning of August."
Raushel was notified by USA Hockey's Chad Cassel, coach of the World Games Team, on Sept. 15 that he made the team.
"I think I fell to my knees because I hadn't really expected to make the team," said Raushel. "I didn't think I would fit in with the European style."
Joining Raushel on the team were five of his Iowa State teammates and the group will leave this Friday for Italy. The tournament will be played in Turin, Italy, and the U.S. will play Russia, Canada, Slovakia and Korea in its draw.
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Qualifying games will be played at Tazzoli rink in Turin and the semifinals and finals will be played at the Olympic rink, Palaolimpico, also in Turin.
"The opportunity still comes as a shock to me," commented Raushel. "I actually don't know many people on the team, but I have played against the majority of them."
Allen and Robyn Raushel, Allen's parents, will also make the trip to Italy to watch the games along with other family members - a fact which means a lot to the Cyclone players.
"I get butterflies in my stomach every time I think about it," remarked the younger Raushel. "It will be nice to have my parents and little sister to be able to come and watch me when I get to Italy and that makes it all the more exciting."
Pine Journal sports reporter Kerry Rodd can be contacted at: kdrodd@aol.com .
