(Photo: Nick Badders/WCSN)
Arizona and hockey is a weird combination. The 365 days of blistering heat should strike fear into anything frozen within a hundred miles radius. However, something incredible is happening. There is a hockey surge happening, and the Arizona State University Women’s hockey team is feeling it full force.
According to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN, hockey in Arizona has seen a growth upwards of 22.6% of people under 18 registering to play hockey since 2014. The national average during that same period was 6.51%. Arizona has been a clear outlier to the average, setting themselves up as a potential hotbed for up and coming hockey players.
As the sport’s popularity and attention continue to grow in the state, so too has Arizona’s national attention, as well as the influx of out-of-state talent committing to ASU.
In fact, nine of the eleven incoming players for ASU hail from outside of Arizona.
For Illinois native and freshman forward Sami Lutsch, the hockey culture that surrounds ASU and the state itself was one of the driving factors for joining the Sun Devils.
“When I was scouting [ASU] in January, I saw so many fans, it was so exciting,” Lutsch said. I thought that was cool because, in the midwest, it is so broad, but over here it is close-knitted.”
Coming from a hockey rich environment, Lutsch found a change of scenery to be just what she needed.
“When I looked at colleges [in the Midwest], it just was not a good fit for me. I could not see myself at those schools,” Lutsch explained. In Arizona, I love the atmosphere, and I get to play in this lovely weather. It is the best of both worlds.”
At the helm of creating the hockey environment that so many players are flocking toward is head coach Lindsey Ellis. Ellis explained that when she searches for prospects she keeps a short but critical checklist.
“We are actively pursuing high character and high talent at all times, and we put much effort into that aspect,” Ellis said. “It’s been a long building process, but the foundation we’ve built pulls players in.”
The search for those types of players is a constant grind for Ellis. However, she does it to ensure that the team is constantly creating an environment that promotes success.
“We have created an influx of interest that we have to turn away players at this point,” Ellis said. “We even are trying to add a DII team within the next few years because of this.”
The hockey growth in Arizona has made it a viable option for these young recruits to continue their passion for the game at ASU. Prospects realize that the stigma of Arizona not being a hockey state is melting away. They see the potential — the potential to be one of the faces for this movement in Arizona and at ASU.
Even still, there are many schools that a player can commit to. So, why pick ASU? Junior forward Danielle Dupont shed some insight on why.
“I think the big reason many out of state players have come to our team is because of our increasing success in each season, and I attribute it to all the great people on our team,” Dupont explained.
The environment ASU has built has been a critical aspect of their growth. Dupont joined in with Lutsch about the atmosphere being welcoming to out of state players.
“In Oklahoma, even though the hockey community is small, you don’t get to know many people or coaches in the community because they’re not nearly as involved or invested in the sport growing,” Dupont said. “There are a lot of girls on [ASU] that coaches for the girls in the state, and we have little girls that play hockey that come out to our games.”
Players being active within the local community is something that coach Ellis has come to expect from her players. Playing an active role in the community is a focal point for the team.
“High character is something we expect in our program, so being part of the community and supporting the Kachinas and girl’s hockey growth is the norm,” Ellis said. “So for them to give back to our growing girl’s hockey community here is very important.”
Hockey continues to grow evermore popular, so is it possible that Arizona is potentially entering a hockey renaissance? Maybe so. Prospects not only see the potential of crafting their skills but also the opportunity of developing young hockey players’ minds for the future. That responsibility is just as important to these young recruits as winning.
“I feel so honored to be a part of this team,” Lutsch said. “The ASU team here has such a huge role. I think it’s important to be leaders on and off the ice for [young players] because it helps them with opportunities and to build a future with that.”
