Caltech hockey. The very phrase inspires both curiosity and disbelief. But believe it or not, the coming of another school year brings not only the excitement of classes, new students, and cooler weather, but the unforgettable exhilaration of Caltech's icebound warriors doing battle with big-name schools in southern California's only full-contact hockey league. These stick-wielding Beavers, who finished atop their division last year, feature a mix of grads, undergrads, and staff who constantly bring their devoted following edge-of-your-seat action in contests which are the closest thing Caltech has to offer in the way of bigtime intercollegiate athletic competition. Although only those members of the hockey club with a reasonable level of ability typically find icetime in games (which occur approximately once a week), all who are interested in finding emotional release by strapping on skates and smacking a small rubber disk are welcome at the twice weekly practices that take place October through March. As for those of you who hunger for the sheer spectacle of bone-crushing, spin-tingling, lightning-quick action, all free of charge, there is no substitute for the thrill of watching Caltech's hockey underdogs take on, and often defeat, frustrated opponents from larger, better athletically-endowed, schools. Indeed, though sometimes lacking in size and strength, the team utilizes a subtle combination of strategy and finesse to maximize the impact of its intrepid efforts. And, of course, these soldiers of icy fortune are not like those nameless, faceless, mercenaries who these days increasingly populate the world of sport, but members of the Caltech community who labor alongside the rest of us. But, though similar to us in their daily toil, these special individuals carry in their hearts a burning need for raw physical conflict that one seldom encounters during peacetime. Returning veterans this year include star player/coach Pavel Svitek (also known as the Czech Express) whose bad-boy antics and thrilling goals win him league-wide renown season after season; and the undergrad tandem of Mark Stewart and Steve Chase, whose determination often leaves their pursuers gaping in awe. Also valuable to the Beavers will be the stickhandling of Maxim Lyutikov, the passing of Mike Slessor, the unbeatable defense of Biff Yamazaki and Chris Claypool, the hard-nosed play of Jon Hodowany, and the eye-popping acrobatics of goalie Frank Monzon, who has saved many a game for our sometimes tiring frozen heroes. The feats that these and other members of the team perform throughout the winter not only make one proud to be a member of the Caltech community but they showcase a different side of Caltech to opposing fans who might otherwise think of us simply as narrowly-focused engineers and scientists. So if, as fall advances and winter falls, you find yourself craving some untempered physical stimulation, go ahead and contact Yamazaki, the team manager, for more information; or, if you feel you need but the visual satisfaction of seeing our boys wearing their game faces, check out game times in Campus Events and stop by the Pasadena ice rink for non-stop action and heart-stopping suspense.