Ice hockey has often been in the shadow of other major American sports like Baseball and Basketball, but that narrative is beginning to change. Hockey continues to grow in popularity, particularly in our local Tampa Bay area as the Lightning have seen great success in the past few years in the NHL. The National Hockey League (NHL) was formed in America in 1917, with only four competing teams until 1924 and expanded to six teams until 1967. Growth has been slowuntil recently, but today we see an exponentially different hockey scene, with 32 competing teams all throughout the United States and Canada, containing players of almost every nationality. Such large scale growth of the sport has had a trickle-down effect to smaller, local communities and that couldn’t be more apparent than here in Wesley Chapel.

  AdventHealth Center Ice is “…the largest ice facility in the Southeast! With over 150,000 square feet…” according to ahcenterice.com, and is home to three National Hockey League standard hockey rinks here in Wesley Chapel. Such an increase in the popularity of the sport led to a demand of such a facility, and with that came local hockey leagues. AdventHealth offers all kinds of Ice Hockey opportunities including youth leagues, travel leagues and even adult leagues, allowing those of any age or skill level to partake in the fun. Not only does the facility host it’s own leagues and programs, it is also the home of the Wiregrass Hockey Team.

Wiregrass High School is the only school in Wesley Chapel that has a hockey team of its own, because of such a limitation the program allows students from surrounding schools to join, including our very own Wesley Chapel High School. Despite the open invitation the team “Was just Wesley Chapel and Wiregrass kids” says Jackson Colding, Wesley Chapel alumni and former Wiregrass Hockey Player. While the list of member schools was rather short, the turnout for tryouts was not, “When I played about 30-40 kids tried out.” says Colding, really driving home the popularity of the sport in Wesley Chapel, particularly among the younger male population.

The Hockey boom in our area is evident, kids and adults alike coming together to participate in both recreational and competitive settings. The trend of Wildcats being apart of the Wiregrass Hockey Team continues; Jose Portillo and Caleb Zink to name a few. Hockey continues to grow all across America and in our local community, likewise does the involvement and support of your fellow Wildcats for our athletes who take part.