SPOONER, WI — The 2022-2023 hockey season has begun with a wave of excitement in downtown Spooner! The Spooner Area Youth Hockey Association (SAYHA) kicked off their 50th year on the ice with practices beginning at the end of October, first home games the first weekend in November and a Peewee level home tournament this past weekend.
But, that is only the beginning! SAYHA has registered nearly 200 skaters this season through Learn to Skate, Learn to Play Hockey, Mite I 6U, Mite II 8u Red, Mite II 8u Blue, Mite II 8u White, 8u Girls, Squirt A 10u, Squirt B 10u, Girls 10u, Peewees, Bantams and a Club Level. Club level is new this year and offers newer skaters the opportunity to practice and skate with their friends.
SAYHA skaters work so hard at two to three practices a week and when it is game day, they don the SAYHA jersey with pride. This photo shows coach Evan giving a first-time goalie a little advise and a pat on the back during a period break.
SAYHA’s Peewee team enjoyed early success this season bringing home the 1st place trophy at the Burnett (Siren) Peewee tournament! Way to go RAILS!
SAYHA Bantams spent some early season team building with a team meal, camp fire, ghost in the graveyard and hockey trivia team competition.
As you can image it takes a village of volunteers or as SAYHA calls them – our hockey family. Here are some numbers to put it into perspective: 20 USA Hockey certified coaches, 8 team managers, 10 zam drivers, 131 full sets of equipment lent to skaters, at least 3 concession workers per game, 5 off ice officials for every game and 2 refs for every game, and many, many (too many to count) life lessons along the way.
SAYHA skaters’ love hearing the cheers from fans, so come out to The Spooner Civic Center this season and enjoy in the festivities and putting smiles on our skaters faces and memories in their hearts.
Here are some highlights of the upcoming SAYHA season: (dates subject to change)
- November 19th, 2022 - Purse Bingo!
- November 26th, 2022 - Peewee Play Eau Claire at Home
- December 3rd, 2022 - Bantams Play New Richmond at Home
- December 4th, 2022 - Squirt A Play Superior at Home
- December 10th, 2022 - Mite II Home Jamboree
- December 11th, 2022 - Squirt A, Peewees and Bantams Play Amery at Home
- January 14th and 15th, 2023 - Squirt Home Tournament
- February 18th and 19th, 2023 - Bantam Home Tournament
Check out the full calendar of SAYHA games, jamborees and scrimmages here.
The Wisconsin Lumberjack are back in action as well. Their pre-season started in August when the Spooner Civic Center put their ice in and they have been going strong ever since! If you have not been to a game, find an upcoming game and get out to the rink. They are fast moving and assertive; there will not be a dull moment of action. Please find their most up to date schedule here.
And if you didn’t think there was enough hockey action at the Spooner Civic Center, remember we also have the Spooner Rails Varsity High School Team with home ice action! Coach Nick Freeman is looking to have a full house to cheer on your RAILS: (dates are subject to change)
- December 13th, 2022 - Spooner Playing Chequamegon at Home
- December 22nd, 2022 - Spooner Playing Hayward at Home
- January 5th, 2023 - Spooner Playing Johnson at Home
- January 13th, 2023 - Spooner Playing Ashland at Home
- February 6th, 2023 - Spooner Playing Frederic at Home
- February 11th, 2023 - Spooner Playing Amery at Home
Check out their schedule here.
Spooner Rails Varsity High School Players love to see the Spooner Hockey – Rails logo back in the ice at the Spooner Civic Center.
Last Update: Nov 16, 2022 4:33 pm CST
