Why hockey is growing in east Idaho
Published at
After 20 years, three silver medals and one bronze the U.S. Women’s Hockey Team finally beat their longtime Canadian rivals in an overtime shootout for the gold. The men slammed into victory over Slovakia with a five to one score advancing them to the quarterfinals where they lost in a shootout against the Czech Republic. The Olympics has a tendency to make us die-hard fans of sports we otherwise never think about.
Hockey, though, is grabbing the public’s attention and not letting go.
Across the county, hockey is growing with USA Hockey reporting an 8.1 increase in enrollments since 2013. It is also growing locally. USA Hockey has seen a 16 percent increase in its Rocky Mountain district. That includes registration for children boy’s and girl’s leagues through adult men’s and women’s leagues.
The Rocky Mountain district includes Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah.
USA Hockey Rocky Mountain District Coach-In-Chief Mike Lehto told EastIdahoNews.com he has seen hockey’s popularity grow in east Idaho since his family moved here from Michigan when he was young. His father was Wayne Lehto, who played a major role in building the Joe Marmo/Wayne Lehto Ice Arena in Idaho Falls.
One local high school senior believes hockey is gaining more popularity because it’s no longer “just for boys.”
“I’ve been playing hockey since I was four-years-old,” Bonneville High School senior Emma Wells told EastIdahoNews.com. “Being younger, I had to play in the co-ed program with the boy’s team. I always grew up playing with boys. When I turned to about the age of 12 I started playing with the girl’s divisions.”
USA Hockey officials say the Rocky Mountain District has seen an almost 19 percent increase in the girl’s and women’s programs since 2013. Nationally the programs have grown by 13 percent.
“It’s not such a boy’s sport now,” Wells said. “It’s becoming a co-ed (sport). It’s not just, ‘oh my brother plays hockey,’ or, ‘my son plays hockey,’ it’s ‘my son and my daughter play hockey,’ kind of thing now.”
Along similar lines, Mike said he believes hockey is becoming more popular because of some of the changes that have been made to the sport. One example of this is it’s becoming less violent with checking (hitting) being banned for younger kids. Another thing helping the sport grow has to do with coaching and bringing in older players.
“The idea that you had to grow up skating to be able to play hockey just isn’t the case anymore,” Mike explained. “We’ve had high school athletes come in wanting to play who have never played hockey before and we have had a fast turnaround on teaching them.”
Mike said he believes one of the things holding hockey back in east Idaho, especially for adults is the lack of access to ice.
“The adults want to get out and try just like the kids do,” Mike said. “I don’t know many who want to get up at 2 a.m. just to get on the ice, though.”
Shelly explained there is only one ice rink in Idaho Falls. There is a rink in Teton County. Pocatello has an outdoor rink, which is subject to the weather limiting its availability. Sun Valley and Hailey each have their own rinks. The only other two rinks around east Idaho are in Salmon and Jackson Hole.
Wells said people need to know there is much more to hockey than “just bruisers getting out there to go and fight.”
“If you are looking for a winter sport, it’s absolutely excellent,” she explained. “It’s just a very good team building activity for any sort of person. It’s a great team sport because you’re not only working with your defensive partners or your offensive partners. You’re always working — we’re always talking to each other. It’s great for team bonding.”