03/25/2026
End of Season Banquet 🏒💙💛
What an incredible season, Lakers!
To every player who laced up their skates, battled in every shift, and showed up with heart and hustle week after week — thank you. You didn’t just grow as hockey players; you grew as teammates, friends, and young athletes who truly love this game. To the parents who drove the hours, juggled schedules, and cheered louder than anyone in the building, thank you. To our volunteers, assistant coaches, and those behind the scenes — this season happened because of YOU.
As we wrap up the year, you’ll probably hear it all from the sidelines (or the group chats): “Shorten the bench… give them more ice… we need more dryland…”
We hear it too. And we get it — everyone wants what’s best for their kid.
But here’s the reality of running a team in a small community like ours: we have to consider it ALL. Can the out-of-town families make the hour-long drive three or four nights a week? Can families already stretching to cover registration fees afford even more ice and training? And most importantly — are we protecting these 9- and 10-year-olds from the burnout that comes when the pressure at home to “score more” starts to shut them down?
Because this? This isn’t where real development happens.
Consistency breeds development.
That’s not just our philosophy — it’s backed by USA Hockey’s own American Development Model (ADM) and the data:
At 10U, USA Hockey recommends 75–80 quality practices and only 20–25 games — a clear 70/30 practice-to-game focus so kids actually develop skills through repetition, not just game pressure.
USA Hockey is crystal clear: youth players should get equal playing time so EVERY kid gets the chance to improve. Shortening the bench might feel good in one game, but it doesn’t build better hockey players long-term.
98% of NHL players played multiple sports between ages 5–14 and didn’t specialize in hockey until after age 14. The best athletes weren’t the ones who did the most at 10U — they were the ones who stayed consistent, had fun, and kept coming back.
We chose the harder road this season — the one that keeps families together, keeps kids loving the game, and keeps the whole roster developing together. And looking at how far these boys and girls came, we know it was the right one.
Proud doesn’t even begin to cover it.
See you all next season, Lakers. Keep working hard, keep having fun, and keep being the great teammates you are.
Go Lakers! 💙💛
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