University Of London Dragons

University of London Union Ice Hockey Club
Founded in 2002 by members of the Imperial College Hockey Club, the University of London Union Purples (as it was then known) is part of the University of London Union's most successful sports societies. The club benefits from the wide range of colleges that make up the University of London and, more recently from the ability to play "affiliate" members.
History of the Club
2002-3
The club was founded by Terry Han (Queen Mary) who had coached Imperial College in the 2001 season. The intention was to create a club that could draw on the wide international student body of the university and compete against the premier university clubs of Oxford and Cambridge.
Terry was assisted by a committee made up of: Mark Davidson
The first year in existence for the club was an extremely difficult one, the club received no funding from the union and had to piggy-back on the back of Imperial College to find ice time and to help with the promotion, recruitment and organisation of hockey. Sadly, by the end of the first term the strain of two clubs working in difficult financial terms and (it was felt) competing for the same players meant that the clubs parted ways.
The ULU club relocated its home rink to Streatham in South London and was forced to ask visiting teams down to compete and to pay for part of the ice time!
Fortunately for the club, the committee persevered and the club ended the season on a high by winning the Rawlinson Plate at the National Championships.
For his efforts Terry was nominated for and received a ULU Purple to go along with his Blue from Cambridge Ice Hockey Club.
Team captain: Mark Davidson
2003-4
The 2003 season saw the club receive funding for the first time from the union and was able to relocate to Lee Valley Ice rink where they have remained ever since. The year was a difficult one for club on the ice as growing pains arising from the creation of a second team and the loss of several key players meant the club struggled in the inaugural season of competition in the BUIHA Cup coming bottom of Division 1. However, towards the end of the season a few quality players joined the club and London Dragons were able to progress to the Final at the National Championships.
Team captain: Chris Looney
2004-5
The club continued to grow with many more quality players joining. Coach, Sergei Smolenko, was recruited to help develop the team. The A team competed well all season, but still fell short of claiming the Top Prize of Division 1 Cup - The Russ Ellis Trophy. The Nationals were a different matter, the Dragons outclassed all opposition by winning the Rawlinson Plate for the second time, conceding only one goal in the process.
2004-5 was the first year the Dragons ventured abroad. First, it was the Munich Tournament were the team competed against University teams from Germany and Switzerland, coming a respectable 5th out of 8. Notable incidents include a bench clearance during the game against Augsburg... "F***T!" Then there was a tournament in Milan, where the team finished 4th.
Team captain: Vince Garcia
2005-6
The team never reached the potential, not really challenging in Division 1 Cup or the Nationals.
Team captain: Vince Garcia
2006-7
The team never reached the potential, not really challenging in Division 1 Cup or the Nationals.
Team captain: Don Needham
2007-8
With Martin Lambert coaching and Dmitry Strusevich as general manager, the Dragons went on to capture both the BUIHA Division 1 Championship and the University National Championships. For their part in this historic achievement many A team players were awarded the full colours of the University of London: Matthew Hauser, Jonathon Black, Felix Franck, Rish Handa, Donald Needham, Nils Paajanen, Peter Robinson, Boyan Shmorhun, Maurice Tasker, Clive Vergnaud.
Team captain: Dmitry Strusevich
2008-9
The season was always going to be challenging with many of the top players from the Double Championship team leaving. A good infulx of strong players helped steady the ship, but main Southern Division 1 rivals proved too strong, narrowly beating the Dragons twice and progressing to the final, where they beat Nottingham.
At the National Championships the team managed to reach the final even with a much depleted roster, eventually losing to Nottingham.
Dmitry Strusevich was awarded the Honorary Lifetime Membership of University of London Union for his services to Ice Hockey.
Team captain: Dmitry Strusevich
Club Honours
* 2003 - Winners - Rawlinson Plate - National Championships
* 2004 - Finalists - Rawlinson Plate - National Championships
* 2005 - Winners - Rawlinson Plate - National Championships
* 2008 - Winners - BUIHA D1 Cup
* 2008 - Winners - Rawlinson Plate - National Championships
* 2008 - Silver - Tigers Tournament (Isle of Wight, May 10/11th 2008)
* 2008 - best Player in the World Ever.. Ever Award - Maurice 'the rocket' Tasker
* 2009 - Finalists - Rawlinson Plate - National Championships
* 2009 - Worst Case of danglitis ever survived - Maurice 'the rocket' Tasker

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