With USA Hockey's Hockey Weekend in America upon us, it seems like a good time to take inventory of the status of the game in each region of the United States.
Of course, the game is solid in virtually every place across Canada, but the health of the game varies from place to place in the U.S. The interesting thing is, in so many cases, the game is far more prominent in a region's day-to-day life than the media would portray.
In Southern California, the media often treats hockey as a second-tier sport, but the numbers indicate otherwise. There are nearly 20,000 registered players in California, and the state is second only to Michigan in total number of adults playing the game.
Aside from the Anaheim Ducks and the Los Angeles Kings, the region has a long history of minor league hockey. While that is on sabbatical this year following the demise of the Long Beach Ice Dogs, a new arena in suburban Ontario, California, is expected to host an ECHL team next fall.
Youth hockey is booming, and several of the region's major midget AAA teams are among the nation's elite. The Los Angeles Junior Kings, California Wave, and LA Selects have experienced significant success over the past decade, while newcomers California Stars and SoCal Titans show early promise.
As with many markets, ice time is an issue, but new rinks continue to pop up. The Toyota Sports Center, practice home of the NHL's Kings, is one of the premier small rinks in the nation. Quality and age of other rinks vary considerably, but things appear to be on the right path.
With increasing numbers each year, hockey is stronger in Southern California than many people realize. Yet at the same time, hockey is a rarity on bar televisions, in the local media, and in the day-to-day conversation of the average resident.
More than ever, this blog is meant to be interactive -- if you have the time, please post the status of the game as a whole in your region.
Following the southern migration of the Stars, minor hockey teams are now spread out all over Texas, and a lot of farm teams down here. This was unheard of 10 years ago.
A fine example is the ECHL's Texas Wildcatters who have only four regulation losses in 50 games and set an ECHL record with 23 consecutive games without a regulation loss.
The Ft. Worth The Brahmas have won 11 of their last 14 games, including four in a row. They have a strong fan base. As much as I love the Stars, I see more Brahma games. It's only a 30 minute drive from Dallas and the tickets are $12-$28.
Hockey between local city high school teams began in 1997 with just four teams in one division. With strong support of the Dallas Stars and the enthusiasm of local players, the second season produced 20 teams competing in two divisions. Now our league has grown to an amazing 70 teams competing for the fun of the game and the pride of their schools, so the growth has been great.
The Dallas Stars have been tremendously generous building Stars Centers - local hockey rinks - in every community in Dallas County. My 3 year old grandson is a great skater and begins hockey next year!
Last edited by MidniteCowboy on February 15th at 8:46 AM.
As a life-long hockey fan and sports fan in general, sports has always been a big part of my life. I have combined that with my interest in writing to create a long-term interest in sportswriting , something that has manifested itself in various sportswriting opportunities over the years.
