Normally, winter sports for guys consist of swimming, wrestling, or basketball. However, many people forget about hockey.

This year, the boys hockey team The Oshkosh Ice Hawks has a 1-4 record. Although this may seem rough, the team is undergoing many different changes this 2018-2019 season.

After losing several seniors including Oshkosh North alum Hunter Pouh, the team undergoes a newer era with a youthful team. Returning for the Hawks includes junior goalie  Connor Klett who averaged a .827% save percentage in the 2017-2018 season. Seven freshman, however, join the Ice Hawks this year including defenseman Max Bittner and forward Nick Samples.

With a newer team, Klett is hopeful that the younger players cope with the differences between youth and high school hockey.

“The season is going okay so far, but we still have lots of improvement and work to do before we become more successful against the harder teams,” Klett said.

The Ice Hawks have a variety of opportunities throughout their season including a winter tournament in Madison. Tough competition can only improve the team to get ready for playoffs.

“As a team we want to get farther than 2 rounds in the playoffs, and of course, improve our record and have more wins than losses” Klett said.

However, for the team this year, their hard work comes from the heart. Most of the players on the team have known each other for many years and have played on the same travel teams. Their love for the sport and their teammates will only help them succeed in reaching their goals this season.

“Everyone on this team whether it’s JV or varsity is very close, it’s a different kind of team sport and I enjoy seeing the results from our hard work,” said Klett.

The Ice Hawks take center ice at the 20th YMCA against Waupun next Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.