Gaelic hurling wins collegiate crown

There is an unknown team of champions in our midst.

IU’s Hurling Club made history as the winner of the first collegiate hurling championship this summer.

The team won the finals, 13-9, in a heated match against the University of California, Berkeley at Irishfest in Chicago’s Gaelic Park.

Senior Duncan McCabe, the team’s vice president, said the team beat Purdue and several conglomerate teams from smaller schools before the final match.

“In the round before, we pretty much destroyed Purdue ‘cause Purdue sucks,” McCabe said. “Then with Berkeley, it was pretty crazy. We scored the final point, the whistle blew and everyone ran out on the field. It was joyous.”

Senior Alex Chesterfield, president of the team, said hurling is the oldest game known to man.

The game takes place on a grass field and is played using hands and a wooden stick known as the hurley, which is used to hit a ball known as the sliotar into the opponents’ goalposts. The sport is often compared to rugby, baseball and field hockey.

“People say it’s a mix of sports, but it’s the original sport,” Chesterfield said. “It’s the fastest game played on grass. It’s up in your face, aggressive and passionate.”

Chesterfield said hurling is the most popular game in Ireland, with a devoted fan base and professional league. Hurling, however, remains relatively unknown in the United States.

“It’s a struggle to recruit because people don’t know it’s out there,” IU Coach Timothy Fick said. “It’s a very unique sport.”

Fick said the team is in its fourth year. He said he hopes the team will attract more awareness on campus after winning the title of national champion.

The team meets year-round and competes with other teams across the nation.
One of IU’s main hurling rivals is Purdue, the only other Midwest team with a full roster.

The team practices from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at the North Recreational Field at Fee Lane and is open to all students.

The club is currently made of about 25 regular members, most of whom had never played before joining.

More information is available on their Facebook page, “Indiana University Hurling Club.”

“We raise awareness by playing in Dunn Meadow whenever the weather’s nice or just talking about it,” Chesterfield said. “I hope everyone at IU knows about it in the next couple years.”