"The fans, I love 'em."--Bob Uecker.

Not everyone can be one.

Then again, not everyone wants to be one--which explains why only 30 or so turn out for each game.

But if you've got a warm wardrobe and an adventerous spirit, why not join those who are making women's ice hockey the cult--and the sporting event--of the 1980s.

Why become an icewomen disciple?

You'll be joining a hardy but elite horde at arctic Bright Center for the Crimson's home contests. And, if you choose, you could become one of an even smaller--and more elite--group that joins the Cantabs on the road.

At Bright, you're treated to free coffee. You also get a complimentary program that tells you everything you'll ever want to know about the icewomen--all in a single page.

And while the Zamboni is clearing the ice between periods, you get to huddle with other fanatics in the bathroom in an attempt to keep warm.

Not convinced?

How about an autographed puck from Harvard goalie Jennifer White? A shattered stick from Co-Captain Genie Simmons? A recording of Coach John Dooley's pre-game pep talk to the girls before last Saturday's Vermont game?

The gifts are great, you say, but you want to know more? Who, really, are these thick-skinned souls you'd be joining in the icy seats of Bright?

"We get an awful lot of parents and friends," Harvard Assistant Coach Bill MacDonald says. "They're a hardy bunch. It's cold in the rink without a lot of people."

Sometimes, however, the internal flames of passion compensate for the lack of external warmth.

Take last Saturday, for example.

High above the rink, almost in the shadows, John Amory, Joe Harvey and Elliott Smith--Harvard freshmen--observed the action below.