The roller hockey team at BVH is facing struggles in recruiting new players this season, despite the team being co-ed. The main reason for this sudden shortage of players is not certain, but some remaining team players suggest that this is due to the poor advertisement on school campus and social media. Aryk Winters, junior and roller hockey team captain expresses this same sentiment.

“I think the main reason for the shortage is how under-represented we are. I do not think people know we exist because in my freshman year I did not know about it until some of my friends asked me to join the team,” Winters said. 

Winters started on the rink his freshman year and is continuing this season. His experience with discovering roller hockey happened to be very abrupt since he did not have any idea that there was even a roller hockey team at BVH. Even with the help of BVTV (Bonita Vista Television) in advertising, it seems as if the sport does not entice many students. Aaron Odvina, sophomore and second year varsity player explained why the sport has been lacking in popularity.

“The main reason for the roller hockey shortage is that roller hockey is not really a popular sport like football or basketball. It seems like a weird sport and is not appealing to other people, especially within our school [community],” Odvina said. 

Odvina started playing his freshman year and is continuing to play in his sophomore year, hoping to see new faces on the team. Jaiden Quillen, senior and another team captain, expressed how the lack of effectiveness with recruitment had taken a toll on the team.

“You do not see a lot of roller hockey representation. For example, on BVTV they did not really talk about it because [our culture] is about basketball, wrestling and the other popular sports. [Roller hockey] just does not get brought up in a lot of conversations,” Quillen said.

Quillens and Winters both mentioned how the team partnered with BVTV to help with advertising the sport in hopes of gaining popularity and interest. However, despite initial disengagement, Quillen suggested that there is still a chance that the team can grow.

“Influencing friends and using word [of] mouth, is the best way [our sport’s existence] gets around. I feel like that is always going to do more than any BVTV segment or [a] poster on the wall,” Quillen said. 

Winters, who reflected on his experience, encouraged new members to join by reassuring them that roller hockey is a sport for anyone, regardless of their skill.

“You do not need experience to join [roller hockey]. This area of California is not really a hockey area so not many people have experience anyways. When I first joined the team, I was not fully sold until I went [to practices] and started learning a bit more about the sport.”

The co-ed roller hockey team is still in need of players. The remaining players continue to spread the word to friends in hopes of spiking interest in joining the team. Winters concluded on how the team can stay permanently relevant for younger generations when more students are recruited. 

“I think this sport will eventually become something much bigger if more people continue to join,” Winters said. “The school will finally make some room for us and we will be permanently relevan