sports
Roller Hockey Hero
I
Steve Stein
Contributing Writer
R
obert Berman's speed on the rink
helped Lindenwood University win
back-to-back National Collegiate
Roller Hockey Association Division I nation-
al championships.
But the senior defenseman has had any-
thing but a speedy recovery from a sports
hernia that has sidelined him for four
months.
"I haven't skated at all:' he said.
Lindenwood coach Ron Beilsten can feel
Berman's pain.
"Being out is killing Robert. He's such a
rink rat," he said.
There's light at the end of the tunnel.
The last few weeks have been encouraging
because of a new treatment regimen, and
Berman thinks if he continues making prog-
ress, he could play again by early February.
Lindenwood (16-1-1) doesn't have a game
until Jan. 24 and quite likely will earn a berth
in the 2015 national tournament field.
The tournament will be held the second
week of April in Independence, Mo., about
31/2 hours from the Lindenwood campus in
St. Joseph, Mo.
"Even if Robert is less than full strength,
he'll be an asset to our team:' Beilsten said.
The 22-year-old Bloomfield Hills
Andover High School graduate has been an
asset since he arrived at Lindenwood.
After losing in the quarterfinals in 2012
when Berman was a freshman, Lindenwood
has won two straight national champion-
ships.
The most recent was a 2-1 win over
Neumann University in April 2014 in Aston,
Pa.
Lindenwood beat Michigan State
University 6-2 in the 2013 national champi-
onship game in Fort Myers, Fla.
Berman knows many Michigan State
players from his days playing roller hockey
at the Jewish Community Center in West
Bloomfield and Joe Dumars Fieldhouse in
Shelby Township.
"We're still buddies:' he said.
Lindenwood has three intercollegiate roll-
er hockey teams. Berman has been on the
Division I team since he joined it as a fresh-
man and began moving up the depth chart.
"Robert has great wheels," Beilsten said.
"His skating is effortless and fluid. He's one
of the fastest skaters on our team:"
Combine that speed with Berman's sharp
vision on the rink and an understanding of
the game, and you have the prototype roller
hockey defenseman.
"Robert is a cerebral player, which is very
important in our sport:' Beilsten said. "It
doesn't do much good to be fast if you skate
around without a purpose:'
Berman played ice hockey and roller
hockey when he was growing up (he was a
forward and goalie in ice hockey) and decid-
ed after high school that his strong suits were
a better fit for roller hockey.
"There's no hitting in roller hockey. It's
a fast-paced, skills game' the 5-foot-9,
190-pounder said.
Berman has won scholar-athlete honors at
Lindenwood.
The finance major has a 3.75 grade-point
average, a significant improvement from
high school.
He plans to graduate in May and begin
to pursue a career as a financial analyst or
in real estate. Graduate school also is in his
future plans.
"I've grown up academically since I started
college' he said. "I realized how lucky I
was to have a scholarship (at Lindenwood)
and how important academics were to my
future."
"He has a good balance in his life' Beilsten
said.
The coach said Berman has the respect of
his teammates because of his work ethic on
and off the rink.
"He relates well to everyone' Beilsten said.
Berman and his brother Gabe Berman,
an outstanding pitcher for the Western
Michigan University baseball team, played
roller hockey for host Detroit in the 2008 JCC
Maccabi Games.
Robert Berman's team won the gold
medal, beating Gabe Berman's team in the
championship game.
The brothers talk often. Robert said he's
looking forward to next summer, when
Gabe is expected to be selected in the Major
League draft.
❑
Send news to stevestein502004@yahoo.com .
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