Ice or Roller Hockey: North State Kids Find Community, Encouragement and Personal Growth While Having Fun

“Participating in hockey helps kids build character,” says Siskiyou Ice Rink Manager Gary Nordell. “It helps them understand how to be in competitive situations and develop motor skills and coordination. It’s a fast sport that anyone can play.” Whether its indoor roller hockey or outdoor ice hockey, the benefits of participating in these fast, gliding sports are often beyond measure. We are fortunate in the North State to have two extraordinary facilities, Big League Dreams hockey rink and Siskiyou Ice Rink that along with their supporting organizations provide places where kids can learn to play hockey, find a supportive community and learn important life skills, all while having fun.

A culture of personal growth and positive reinforcement

Now headquartered at the Big League Dreams hockey rink in Redding, the nonprofit Shasta Roller Hockey Youth League (SRHL) has been coaching youth in-line hockey in a supportive, family-friendly environment for over 20 years. “We want our league culture to be positive, reinforcing, inclusive and fun,” says Kyle Taormino, board president of SRHL. “The culture of our league is very important to us and we work to keep it foremost in all we do,” adds SRHL Registrar Melody Mugridge, whose 13-year-old son, Jarrett, joined the league when he was six and has worked his way up to playing goalie on the advanced skills travel youth team.

“Playing roller hockey has developed Jarrett’s confidence,” says Melody. “He has learned self-discipline. He is more aware of what he puts in his body. And he really enjoys helping the younger players.” Jarett says he likes the unique environment at the rink. “You don’t have to worry that you’ll get hit or hurt playing hockey. Everyone is family here.”

Youth roller hockey is fast, competitive, inclusive and most of all it’s fun.

Inclusive, safe and competitive

Inline roller hockey is played indoors on a dry rink on inline skates that have three to four wheels arranged in a single line, creating a skating experience much like ice skating. It’s a non-contact sport and players wear padding to protect them from stray sticks and pucks and falls in the rink. “There is little danger of injury,” says Redding resident Robert Lambert, whose 13-year-old twin daughters Aubrey and Makenna both play in the 14-and-under SRHL league division. “It’s competitive, fast and fun.” And there’s no bench-warming in this sport. “Unlike many other sports, every kid gets to play in each game, rotating in and out of the rink at scheduled times,” says Robert.

“Everyone is welcome to join the league,” says Melody of this year-round sport, “including neurodivergent children and children with other challenges. All the kids play together.” Kyle tells of a 12-year-old Downs syndrome child who started in the eight-and-under division and “in just two seasons is now playing in our 11-and-under division and he is so excited. Everyone cheers for him when he is out on the rink. You just see that kid light up. He is so excited to be out there playing.” Aubrey and Makenna’s mother Deanna adds, “Everybody supports everyone and everyone’s kids.”

SRHL is an official affiliate of the San Jose Sharks, which donate supplies to SRHL. “It helps us to provide good quality equipment to our players,” says Kyle. SRHL offers scholarships to cover fees and rents full equipment sets for the season at extremely low cost, making it accessible for everyone. Kyle tells parents “If you want to get your kids involved in an inclusive low-cost family-friendly sport, roller hockey is perfect.” Melody says they have kids from as far away as Chico and Mount Shasta who come to play in the program.

The best outdoor ice in the North State

Speaking of Mount Shasta, head north from Redding to that majestic mountain community and you’ll find the Siskiyou Ice Rink, which has “some of the best outdoor ice I’ve ever skated on,” according to Mount Shasta Ice Breakers hockey league longtime coach Mark Thibideau.

Mark attributes the creation and maintenance of this top-quality ice rink to collaboration and partnership between three organizations:  Mount Shasta Recreation and Parks District, which owns and oversees Shastice park where the rink is located; the public skating instructors and all-volunteer USA National Hockey League accredited coaches; and Friends of the Rink, which works with Mount Shasta Recreation and Parks District to ensure sustainable rink operations.

At 85 feet wide and 200 feet long, Siskiyou Ice Rink is the only National Hockey League regulation-sized outdoor rink in California. Group and private skating instruction for nominal fees are available at most public skating sessions. The rink hosts a USA National Hockey League sanctioned youth hockey league, the Icebreakers, that promotes a culture of safety, fun and growth opportunities for kids. “We try to foster not only skill development but personal growth and becoming a better person through the experience of hockey,” says coach Mark. “We have three basic rules: have fun, be nice and try hard. Those three basic rules can get you a long way in life.” Steven Bryan, whose son plays on the youth Ice Breakers hockey team says, “Hockey builds confidence, mental agility, persistence, social skills, balance and agility.” And he adds, “it cuts down on ‘screen time’.”

Ice hockey in Mount Shasta is uniquely affordable for kids. They can rent all the equipment they need for a season for a $20 rental fee and a $20 deposit.

Icebreaker hockey coach Jacob Bass and the Advanced Intermediate youth players. Hockey dad Jesse Cohen (wearing red and white gear) often joins the team for practice. Photo by Stacey Leigh Mohr.

Figure skating lessons

For those who may want to focus on grace on the ice, the rink is excited to offer a figure skating class for the first time this year. Figure skating class teacher and former figure skater Audrey Gagnon also heads up the learn-to-skate program. Originally from New Hampshire, Audrey says she “grew up on the ice.” Her hockey player father even built an ice rink in the backyard every winter so she could practice to her heart’s content.

“It’s really rewarding to see the joy the children feel and how confident they become when at the beginning of the first class they didn’t even know how to skate and by the end of the class they are zooming around the rink” Audrey says. “It brings a whole new level of confidence when they realize how well they are doing and how fast they are picking up skills they will have forever.” The figure skating class will present its first show Wednesday Feb. 21, 5-5:30pm, and the public is invited to come out to see these young skaters perform graceful routines.

Rink manager Gary Nordell says “Skating in an outdoor environment is like nothing else in the world. In a small community like this we are really lucky to have this resource.” Youth ice hockey is “a great cross training activity to do in the winter to prepare kids for other sports like soccer and basketball” says Laura Bradley, youth hockey coach and coordinator of the adult ice hockey program, whose two children, now age 15 and 19, grew up in the youth hockey program.

And, best of all, the hockey community in the North State merges when youth players from SRHL, adult roller hockey players from Big League Dreams and Ice Breakers hockey players from Mt Shasta come together to play against one another at the Siskiyou rink during the winter season, completing the hockey community circle.

For a schedule of public skate times, weather closures and to learn more about public, private and figure skating classes, go to msrec.org/ice-rink.

To learn more about the Shasta Roller Hockey League or to register for the spring 2024 Season, go to shastarollerhockey.com. Use promo code Celly25 for $25 offseason fees.