PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – One of the leaders of the group attempting to get hockey reinstated at Robert Morris believes it's 'definitely doable'.
Logan Bittle was part of the inaugural Robert Morris men's hockey team in 2004. He then coached the RMU women's team from 2010 until March of this year. Devastated by the news in May that RMU was eliminating the men's and women's programs to save money. Bittle is now Vice-President of the Pittsburgh College Hockey Foundation working to raise funds to reinstate Colonials hockey.
"We had conversations with pretty much everybody who wanted to show their support in any way that they could," Bittle told 93.7 The Fan. "We started fundraising with pledges to get the ball rolling. It's amazing now that we are going to be able to work with Robert Morris to finish this and get to where we are trying to go.
The ultimate goal for everybody is to get these teams back on the ice."
His group basically tried to organize all the interested parties. Then they met with Robert Morris officials on Monday in what he called 'a big step in the right direction'. They issued a joint press release with the school to say they will work towards raising sufficient additional funds by July 31 to get the programs back.
"Meeting went well from both sides," Bittle said. "We had a great conversation figuring out ways to come together. Leaving that meeting, the feel we are all in this together. Let's make this happen. That's exactly what we as a foundation and the RMU hockey community, the hockey community in general, that's all we wanted to do. We achieved that. We are very, very happy that we are all working together now."
The fundraising goal is steep, $7 million over the next five years. It doesn't have to all be raised by the end of the month when the university will reassess to see if it can return hockey. They need to show they have the ability to make this more than a one-year commitment.
Bittle says there are no hard feelings between the sides. He approaches as they are moving forward as partners.
"It has to be that way," Bittle said. "That's the way that it is. Obviously the decision was made in May and that was a tough one. At the end of the day, we are RMU. We are a family. We have to work together to make this work. The foundation and the community, RMU all as one we are working to get these teams back."
