Ice, Ice, Baby!

Youth Hockey: Local Youth Program Thriving

Peirce Saunders chases the puck Sunday Oct. 12, 2014 against Wichita.
Peirce Saunders chases the puck Sunday Oct. 12, 2014 against Wichita.

— “If you build it, they will come.”

It’s been almost 20 years since the Jones Center opened in Springdale with the only ice arena between Tulsa, Okla., and Memphis, Tenn. Over that time, the rink has spawned a very competitive junior hockey program.

While most natives of Northwest Arkansas scratched their heads at the thought of winter games, the area was also home to large numbers of transplants from northern states who put the first building blocks of a program in place.

The Puck Drops Here

The NWA Youth Hockey program has close to 100 girls and boys in its program this season. The teams are all NWA Ice Hogs and work closely with the University of Arkansas’ club ice hockey team.

NWA Youth Hockey League Home Schedule

Today

Springfield, Mo. at NWA Bantams, 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

Nov. 15

Tulsa, Okla. at NWA Squirts, 10:15 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

Tulsa, Okla. at NWA Mites, 11:30 a.m.

All 4 teams will have a shoot-out at the intermission of the Razorback club game at 4 p.m.

Nov. 23

NWA Squirts exhibition game at Bentonville Square Ice Rink, time TBD

Dec. 6

Tulsa, Okla. at NWA Squirts, 10:15 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

Feb. 21-22

NWA Squirts tournament

All home games played at Jones Center Joel Carver Ice Arena. Springfdale

NWA Ice Hogs Teams

Mites Division: Ages 8 and under

Squirts Division: Ages 9-10

Peewee Division: Ages 11-12

Bantam Division: Age 13-14

High School Division: Ages 15-18

  • Division ages defined by USA Hockey

For more information, visit nwahockey.com

“When we first got started, I would say it was mostly people that had moved here from places like Chicago or the midwest where there is a lot more hockey,” Vince Brick, President of the Northwest Arkansas Hockey Association said. “But now I’d say it more than half of the people are from around here. They may not be all that familiar with the game, but they know their kids enjoy it.”

The NWAHA program has close to 100 participants enrolled and fields competitive teams in ages 9-10 (Squirts), age 11-12 (Pee Wee), age 13-14 (Bantams) and 15-and-up (high school). All the junior teams play as “Northwest Arkansas Ice Hogs.”

“We have a program for as young as 3 and 4 years old where we teach them to skate and let them come out and learn the fundamentals of the game,” Brick said. “If you can walk, you can skate.”

Brick grew up in Canada, near Toronto, where junior hockey has a huge participation at all age levels.

“I started playing hockey when I was 5 years old and I knew I would never make the NHL by the age of 6,” Brick said. “But I have loved the game all my life.”

The local teams compete against teams from Wichita, Kan., Springfield, Mo., Oklahoma City and Tulsa.

Typically, teams will come into town and play a doubleheader on Saturday and another game on Sunday on the Joel Carver Ice Arena rink. The NWA Ice Hogs will make return trips to the teams that come to the Jones Center to play.

“You do have to travel a little bit to find other competitive teams,” Brick said. “Some people see that as a drawback, but the kids get to go stay in a hotel with a pool and order pizza so they think it’s great.”

The program is sanctioned through USA Hockey, which takes a close interest in making sure youth programs are organized and consistent.

“I have coached baseball, softball, soccer and most of those sports you are pretty much on your own,” Squirts head coach Bryce Freymark said. “USA Hockey has you take a training program for a full day every year. They are very supportive of the coaches and take a big interest in helping our program. They really care and want to grow the sport.”

Jonathan Gainer, a 10-year-old fourth grader at Root Elementary in Fayetteville, is one of the new players in the program.

“I used to play football and basketball, but I just play hockey now,” Gainer said. “It’s easier and it’s more fun to play than those other sports.”

Brick says that close to 10 percent of the participants are girls.

Annie Xu, age 8, of Fayetteville is a member of the squirts.

“I got started because my brother played and I saw a girl playing on his team,” Xu said. “I wanted to follow her and play hockey, too.”

Ice Hogs Squirts Sweep Wichita

The NWA Ice Hogs squirts team swept all three games from Wichita, Kansas last weekend at The Jones Center in Springdale.

The team will return to action next Saturday in Springfield, Mo., and will return home Nov. 15 to face the Tulsa (Okla.) Jr. Oilers.

Game 1

NWA 2, Wichita1

Both NWA goals scored in second period, Cy Scott scored the first goal on an assist by Gunner Beaver, and Scott scored again with an assist from Peirce Saunders. Wichita’s goal came on a power play.

Cooper Lavell was in the net for the Ice Hogs.

Game 2

Saturday, October 11

NWA 3, Wichita 2

Scott was at again with a pair of goals, including the game-winning in the third period. Thomas Picconatto and Scott each scored first period goals for NWA on assists by Cooper Lavell on a power play, and Saunders.

After Wichita tied the game at 2-2 on a pair of power-play goals, Scott scored his second goal in the third period on an assist from Jonathan Garner.

Ben Harp was in the net for the Ice Hogs to complete the Saturday sweep.

Game 3

NWA 7, Wichita 4

It was a scoring frenzy as the Ice Hogs scored 4 goals in the second period and 3 goals in the third. Finding the net for NWA were Tyler Freymark with a hat trick (3 goals), Andrew Bullifent, Cooper Lavell, Peirce Saunders and Thomas Picconatto.

Brick said many people that aren’t familiar with hockey have misunderstandings about the sport.

“There are a couple of myths about youth hockey,” Brick said. “For one, people think it’s too rough and their kids will get hurt. But there is really very little contact until they are least 13 and the statistics show that football is actually a lot more dangerous as far as injuries.

“And people also think its too expensive, but we have a great program with sponsorships and equipment rentals that help people out. In our recruitment program we tell people to come out and try it for about three or four weeks and they won’t have to invest a lot of money. At the end of that time, if they don’t join the program at least they will know how to skate.”

Freymark said most kids that come out are quickly hooked.

“We’ve had parents say, ‘He didn’t like baseball and he didn’t like soccer, but he loves hockey,” Freymark said. “Most of them take right to it. They love to skate.”

Hockey can also be a lifelong sport for many people.

“Most of us can’t play basketball once we get past about 40 or so because it’s so hard on your knees,” Freymark said. “I never really played hockey growing up, but I started playing as an adult. Because you’re skating and gliding. We have guys that come in the adult league that are mid to late 40s and they’ve never played hockey before.”

The older Ice Hogs have been very competitive in leagues based out of Kansas City and St. Louis. The arena is also home ice to the Arkansas Razorbacks club hockey team which has won four consecutive SECHC championships.

“USA Hockey is hoping to grow the sport and develop top level talent here in the United States that will help the US Olympic program compete at the international level,” Brick said. “You never know if one of the kids from our program will wind up playing hockey for Team USA in the Olympics.”

More information on the NWA Hockey Association can be found on the website at www.nwahockey.com.

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