First games Saturday. Adam Calkins serves as hockey teacher and coach.
Early evening temperatures in Kemmerer hover at zero but it doesn’t detour a group of young skaters gathering at the frozen pond at the Kemmerer Golf Course.
Undeterred by the frigid conditions with small ice crystals floating in the air, the hockey players tie on their skates and some pull on oversized jerseys for an evening practice at the frozen golf course pond. Each carries a hockey stick.
While young, they are ready to represent the return of hockey to Kemmerer/Diamondville. “We’re reviving and bringing back the old Kemmerer Kodiak’s hockey team,” said Coach Adam Calkins. “It was a club back in the 90s and the early 2000s. We’ve been working hard and we have a program for 2nd through 6th graders.”
Two teams are divided into two age groups, 2nd and 3rd grade, followed by 4th through 6th grade.
“They’re ready to play. Everybody’s really excited,” Coach Calkins pointed out. “We’ve been inside the rec center the last couple nights, kind of going over some basics before we get out on the ice, but everybody’s excited to start skating and playing some real hockey.”
After a few warm up exercises and basic coaching for the up and coming athletes, Coach Calkins dropped the puck and initiated the first practice game.
The Kemmerer program has 30 on the roster and they are eager to play. “We’re really excited and we were excited that partially through the city and, then partially through some fundraisers, we were able to raise enough money to provide all the equipment for all the players,” Calkins explained.
Understanding the basics is key to the coaches program. “We have lot of ice skating practice,” he said. “About half of our players have never even ice skated before. It’s great. They are coming out.”
Calkins continued, “They’re excited. They’re trying to learn and develop some new skills. My son is here with us.”
The coach’s son, Graham Calkins, says hockey was a natural sport for he and the siblings to follow because of their father. “My dad really likes hockey, so I just wanna be, more like him and hockey’s a fun sport.”
Coach Calkins concluded, “We’re just really excited to have a hockey program here in Kemmerer. We’re looking forward to our first season and hopefully to see some growth over the next couple years.”
Kemmerer Kodiaks
Feb. 7, Saturday
10:30 a.m. 2nd/3rd grade
11:30 a.m. 4th-6th grade
Fossil Island Golf Course
Dr. Karl Robinson announcer
