Louisiana Ice Hockey

All the NHL stars you see crashing the boards most likely got their start in youth hockey leagues across the globe. While many hail from the frozen regions of Canada, Russia and Eastern Europe, it today’s climate controlled world, Louisiana kids are hardly at a disadvantage. Whether you or your child is from New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport or right here in Lafayette, there are plenty of local skating rinks to help a new skater get accustomed to the ice. Just like football or basketball, hockey has a positive influence on youth, teaching valuable teamwork and leadership skills that will stay with them long after their skating days are over. Of course, extracurricular sports are just as important for what they shield kids from as the skills they teach them, helping to keep local youth busy and out of trouble. As basketball courts and football fields often find themselves overcrowded with the best athletes Louisiana has to offer, hockey could serve as an alternative outlet in which you or your child might find more success and stand out from the crowd. Like most warm weathered states, Louisiana historically has not produced very many high level hockey players. If a young boy or girl were to take the game seriously, putting in the requisite practice time and elbow grease, it would be far easier to garner attention and acclaim statewide than it would be to break through the clutter than it would be in one of the state’s more traditional pastimes.If your school doesn’t offer a middle school, junior varsity or varsity ice hockey team (most in the area don’t), don’t fret. Just like church league basketball, Pop Warner football, Little League baseball or at a higher level AAU competition, many local hockey rinks will either host their own hockey leagues for various age groups or field their own traveling team.