Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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UNDER THE DOME Tom Nevala has been involved in the development of the Compton Family Ice Arena from when it was first brainstormed, sometime in 2008, to its comple- tion in 2011. He continues to manage the rink, balancing the needs of the Notre Dame hockey program with the many oppor- tunities such a venue provides for others. After the Chicago Blackhawks spent Sept. 18-21 holding train- ing camp at Compton for the second consecutive year, Nevala discussed the benefits. Blue & Gold Illustrated: During the development of Compton, was anyone ambitious enough to suggest the possibility of hosting an NHL team for practices? Nevala: "You kind of hope for something like that or maybe a preseason game or probably a notch below that. There are a lot of junior leagues out there that run festivals and jamborees. We thought we might be able to host something like that." Blue & Gold Illustrated: How did this relationship with the Blackhawks begin and then develop? Nevala: "It came after we were open, and they had the opportunity to see what we had available here. As [Blackhawks general manager] Stan [Bow- man] mentioned to the team the other day ... the year they won the Stanley Cup in 2010, they started the year going overseas. He remembered it as being a good team-building experience for them to travel together to start the year. "He was in the area, came over and wanted a behind-the-scenes tour of the place to make sure he understood what was available. He thought the same notion was in play. He could get the team out of the city and into an environment that was conducive for them to be together." Blue & Gold Illustrated: How does Notre Dame, and Comp- ton, benefit from the Blackhawks holding training camp there? Nevala: "The benefit is just their presence. It's such a buzz that they're in town. A different set of people get to come in and experience the building. Blue & Gold Illustrated: What type of comments do you hear from the Blackhawks in regard to Compton? Nevala: "You're hearing from guys that have played college hockey or played in major juniors in Canada. They feel it's a world-class facility that every young player might want available to them if they're trying to develop to the best of their ability." Blue & Gold Illustrated: What do you hear from fans who have not been to Compton before? Nevala: "If they're used to going to the United Center, certainly the feeling of the building is so dif- ferent, so much smaller. They definitely get the sense that they're in a much more intimate environment to watch the game. "Most of the players and the fans appreciate the fact that they all feel a lot closer than they might ever be if they are watching them play at the United Center." — Douglas Farmer Five Questions With … SENIOR ASSOCIATE ATHLETICS DIRECTOR/GENERAL MANAGER OF THE COMPTON FAMILY ICE ARENA TOM NEVALA Nevala balances the needs of the Irish hockey program with the many opportunities the Compton Arena provides, such as hosting the Chicago Blackhawks training camp for four days in September. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME MEDIA RELATIONS