Meet a group of people that plays hockey every Monday night – a group that plays hockey on unicycles.

The Unicycle University Unicycle Club was founded by the Edwards family of Rochelle.

The club has performed at various parades in Rochelle and Creston, like the Fourth of July and Memorial Day parades.

In Christmas 2002, Bruce Edwards decided to buy his sons a unicycle for Christmas, believing it would help them improve their balance.

Sons Brad, 9, and Ben, 12, started by practicing their unicycling skills in the living room. Friends and neighbors soon became interested and the club came into existence.

Thirteen-year-old member Will Patrick said what got him hooked on unicycling was the fact that all his friends were doing it.

Ben won the gold in artistic free style at last year’s World Unicycling Championship in Seattle. Brad won the bronze in standard skills at the same competition.

“[Unicycling] is addictive and it’s much safer than roller blading and skating,” Edwards said.

The 50-member-strong club has an informal meeting every Monday night at the Rochelle Middle School in Rochelle.

Membership is $40 for the year and $50 for family membership.

The club is hosting the Midwest Regional Unicycling Competition in April in Rochelle and is busy planning events, trying to come up with equipment and practicing.

“I think you have to credit Bruce Edwards for extending not only himself, but also his family to teach people unicycling,” said Sue Shields, ex-vice president of the Twin Cities Unicycling Club.