When most students at N.C. State think of intramural sports, the first sports to pop into mind are the big three: flag football, basketball and softball. But there is an intramural sport that has such success among students that it has even caught University Recreation staff members by surprise: ball hockey. Ball hockey is different from ice hockey in two significant ways. Ball hockey is played on a court (outside basketball courts here at State) and instead of ice skates, players play in tennis shoes. The idea for ball hockey as an intramural sport at State started with Peter Koutroumpis, assistant director of Special Events and Assessment. “The idea to have ball hockey on campus came from running an activity that we didn’t have on campus from a recreational standpoint,” Koutroumpis said. “We obviously have a club team, but nothing for recreational players.” Campus Recreation decided to host a one-day ball hockey tournament. The purpose of the tournament was not only to give recreational hockey players a chance to compete in a sport similar to hockey, but to measure how much interest there would be for an actual intramural league. The interest was there among the students.   The first ball hockey tournament in 2010 had eight to nine teams register and play for the one-day event. The following year, 2011, saw the number of teams double. “The tournament increased from eight or nine the first year, to about 14 or 15 teams the next year,” said Koutroumpis. “This year, the tournament has graduated into an intramural league and now we have a ball hockey league.” In its first season as an official intramural sport, the intramural ball hockey league has experienced success. There are 20 registered teams spread across five separate leagues. The development of the tournament into a league has even taken the campus recreation staff members by surprise. In the first year of the tournament, Campus Recreation did not have any equipment to host a ball hockey tournament. However, the Promotions and Fan Development Department of the Carolina Hurricanes stepped in and donated all of the equipment needed to play, so students could show up with nothing and participate. “The Hurricanes have been involved each year,” said Koutroumpis. “We work with their promotions department and it helps to promote the game. We didn’t have any equipment three years ago to run a tournament, so that’s where partnering with the Hurricanes was a great benefit.” “They donated all the sticks, goalie equipment, and goals for the students to use. So there was basically no cost for [Campus Recreation] to start the tournament.” Campus Recreation hopes that ball hockey will continue to increase in popularity among the student population. Dan Payne, coordinator for Intramural Sports, is excited to see the level of student participation in the league and wants to host a league in both the fall and spring semesters starting next year. “If it can continue to grow that will be great,” Payne said. “If we can continue to get the support, then maybe we can do it both fall and spring semester or even during the week.”   University Recreation and the Carolina Hurricanes will host a Hockey Appreciation day today, April 3, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Carmichael Recreation Center Playzone. Students, faculty and staff members can come out to win free giveaways from the Carolina Hurricanes. Registered ball hockey players will receive a courtesy appreciation gift on a first-come,  first-served basis.