Littleton leaving its mark on Colorado’s youth F


By Matt Mackinder


or an organization that’s been around nearly 50 years, the Littleton Hockey Association (LHA)


has certainly left its mark on the Colorado youth scene. Starting on an outdoor rink back in 1963, the


LHA hit its peak in participation over the past 2-3 years with more than 600 players skating in the program. LHA hockey operations director and scheduler


Brian TenEyck said the program is the largest travel organization in the state of Colorado with 20 teams at that level. New house-level teams are being formed on a yearly basis and the 8U division has more than 165 players currently enrolled. “We keep growing because we have the ice to


run such an extensive program,” said TenEyck, a former Littleton Hawks player who started in the program in the late 1980s and played through the late ‘90s. “We practice quite a bit and make sure our travel teams are on the ice a minimum of four times a week. For all levels, the schedules are very consistent; we think that makes life a little easier on families.” Housed out of the South Suburban Ice Arena


and Ice Ranch, the Hawks have won three Pee Wee AA national championships in recent years and have their eyes set on adding to that total. More importantly, though, comes the sense of


pride players have with being members of the LHA. “Kids in the program understand the sense of community we have here,” TenEyck said. “They all


wear their team jackets to school and they always get asked how their weekend went and how they did on the ice. I think that gets other kids inter- ested in playing for the organization.” Along with their players competing at a high


level, the coaching staff for the Hawks is another source of what makes the LHA such a highly re- garded association. “I know everyone else


probably says this, but I think we have the best group of coaches any- one could ask for,” said TenEyck. “They all have an in-depth knowledge of the game. “What makes our


coaches unique, too, is the fact that one person doesn’t name the coach- es; we have a seven-per- son hockey operations committee that names and approves all of them and it’s a very detailed process.” Several prominent alumni have come through


sity, helps run a summer hockey program in Little- ton. Other notable LHA graduates include current DU skatersNick Shore andDrew Shore and their younger brother,Quentin Shore, a member of USA Hockey’s National Team Development Pro- gram. Ryan Massa also passed through Littleton on his way to the University of Nebraska-Omaha. “We also have a number of alumni in the (North American Hockey League, United States Hockey League, Brit- ish Columbia Hockey League), you name it,” said TenEyck. “We have guys all over the place.” All of the alumni


High-profile graduates of the Littleton Hockey Association often return to assist the program’s current young players during the offseason. Photo/Brian TenEyck


the Hawks organization, including current Univer- sity of Denver skater Josiah Didier, also a Mon- treal Canadiens draft pick. Didier came home and skated with players from the LHA’s 8U program this past summer, much like he has in past years. Ryan Jacobson, now playing at Brown Univer-


numbers notwithstand- ing, TenEyck said the No. 1 goal of the LHA is to teach kids the game of hockey within a positive environment. “We want our kids


to all be first-class citizens, first and


foremost,” said TenEyck. “If they have the ambition and we can do what we can to help them move up, we’re happy to do that. “At the end of the day, if we’ve taught these kids


how to play hockey the right and safe way, then we’ve done our job. We want them loving the game and still playing when they’re 50 years old.”


High school game continues to flourish H


By Paul Willis


ockey can no longer lay claim as the fastest growing sport in Colorado - that distinction


now belongs to lacrosse - but make no mistake, it remains an emerging game in the high school ranks. Previously composed of a small pool of teams


mostly located in Colorado Springs, the circuit has broadened into a statewide league deep on talent. “When I first started covering high school hockey


in the late 1990s, there were 12 teams,”Denver Post high school hockey reporter Jon E. Yunt said. “They’d add two here, two there and we’re up to 30 now.” What used to be a league dominated by Chey-


enne Mountain (the Indians had a streak of 29 consecutive trips to the final four) has become much less predictable. Now, it’s not only the Indians who are highly regarded. Mountain schools such as Aspen and Vail-based


Battle Mountain are in the mix. Ralston Val- ley, which draws players from the Arvada youth leagues, also has morphed into a key team although the Mustangs have yet to capture a state champion- ship. And, most notably, Denver-based Regis Jesuit and Monument-based Lewis-Palmer have risen to the top. Lewis-Palmer has won the past two state championships and Regis the two before that. “It’s on the upswing, definitely,” Lewis-Palmer


coach Steve Fillo said. “I’ve been coaching high school hockey for seven years, and it gets better and better each year. It’s across the board and it’s because high school hockey has become more of a desired place to be.”


Fillo understands the chief factor of why the


quality of high school hockey has improved in recent seasons. Previously, athletes were forced to choose between club and high school hockey because the seasons overlapped. As new teams continued to sprout up and playing for the high school team became more alluring, more athletes hedged on


is that expansion hasn’t evolved to the point that it’s watering down the field. Most programs draw from multiple schools, because perhaps only one school in a particular area has a hockey squad. For instance, two-time Goaltender of the Year Brent Schwartz played for Lewis-Palmer but attended Palmer Ridge, which doesn’t have a program. That concept means high school players often are


of AA or AAA quality, ensuring worthy competition. Two schools will add hockey this season: Moun-


tain Vista and Resurrection Christian. Mountain Vista will draw from the Douglas County area while Resurrection Christian will take from Loveland and its surroundings. Despite the influx of teams, hockey remains one


classification with all the teams vying for one title. It’s expected to remain that way for the foreseeable future. “We’re at 30 (teams) now, and it would have to


High schools like Monument’s Lewis-Palmer, the two-time defending state champions, play in unique environments where students and supporters embrace school spirit to its fullest.


their decisions, with many leaving their club team to become part of something that represented the student body. “You’ve seen the club programs change their


business model,” Fillo said. “They’ve shortened the Midget AA and A seasons at both the Major and the Minor levels to accommodate high school hockey be- cause they were losing customers. Because of that, we’ve seen a mass of talent come in to play high school hockey.” Another factor that’s kept the circuit talent-heavy


grow to double that, or maybe two-and-a-half times that, for us to consider adding a second classifica- tion,” Colorado High School Activities Association assistant commissionerBert Borgmann said. Undeniably, the allure of high school hockey


has ascended in recent seasons with the increase of quality competition. Now, players feel more like football or basketball players from the school in regards to recognition. “It’s far more glamorous than club hockey,” Fillo


said. “Kids want to play for their school, get their names in the paper and wear their jerseys on game day. “Our rink is small, but we sell out for every


game.” RubberHockey.com 7


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