COALDALE – If you stop in for a night of Coaldale Rec Hockey you’ll notice a few differences from a typical minor hockey game. There is no scoreboard and no body contact. But there are on-ice coaches giving hands-on instruction, and most importantly, a lot of smiling faces.
“Fun! My kids have a blast here,” said hockey parent Lee Reid. His daughter, Madi Reid, is one of the 130 registered players in the co-ed league. Madi previously played in a rec league in Taber, but her passion for the sport was dwindling. That changed once she got to Coaldale.
“Before I didn’t really think to keep trying,” said the 9-year-old Reid. “But now that I’ve been here, I’ve kept trying a lot.”
The program uses hockey as an outlet for kids to learn teamwork, sportsmanship and get exercise, without the competitive pressures which sometimes come from a traditional minor hockey program. Players are split up into three divisions and play for one hour, once a week. That helps keep both costs and time commitments low, which appeals to many families.
“That kind of is what tweaked us on it in the first place, and that was two and a half, three years ago,” said coach and parent Tony Deys. “And I’ll tell you what, I’m so glad we found it.”
At the heart of the program is Cheryl Neufeld. She’s served as commissioner for 11 years, working tirelessly to provide the opportunity for players. “She’s a saint, to say the least,” said hockey parent Scott Crabb.
Neufeld first got involved by enrolling her son, Conrad, to play. She has since taken over as the head of the organization and built a hockey program that is more like a club. The group makes a yearly trek to an NHL game in Calgary, and caps off each season with it’s own Stanley Cup game at the Enmax Centre. A chance for kids to play on the large ice and celebrate a seasons worth of accomplishments.
Her key to making the program work is to treat every player the same. “Everybody is a hockey star when they walk through the doors of this rink, and that’s it,” said Neufeld.
Her family ties run deep. Conrad has graduated from playing and now coaches in Coaldale Rec. And her granddaughter, Jasmine, is in her second season as a player.
With a waiting list 40 players long, and a plan to expand next season, the program shows no signs of slowing down. And neither does Neufeld, despite the long hours it takes to make the program run.
“I’ve been told over and over how it’s changed their life,” she said. “But it’s also changed my life. It’s definitely one of the most positive things in my life.”
Friday and Saturday the organization celebrates 25 years with a hockey festival at the Coaldale arena. The highlight is an alumni game Friday night at 7:15, with all proceeds going to the Coaldale Food Bank.
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