It is easy to forget that most hockey players never see public glory. They never sign a pro contract, make a major league All-Star team or raise Lord Stanley’s Cup.
Most hockey players just play the game because they love it.
It is with no hint of snobbery that I take a break from following our new pro Tucson Roadrunners and admire the everyday hockey player, dragging their own equipment bags, rushing from work to get their pads on in time to play in the Tucson Adult Hockey league.
Now in its ninth season at the crowded TCC Arena ice, the league is run primarily by Pat McDonagh, Robert Nissenbaum, and Danny Plattner.
All three are busy as working professionals, putting in any spare minute to help Tucsonans play hockey.
“We have 140 slots available for players each season,” said Plattner, “and they are spread over 10 teams with 14 players each.”
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This year’s squads are already full, but Plattner added, “There’s a waiting list, too, so there can be opportunities during the season for more players to get in a game.”
The Tucson Adult Hockey League has six intermediate-skill teams and four advanced teams, with players ranging from 18 to more than 70 years old.
There are former college and high school players, Border Patrol agents, and men and women with little or no prior organized hockey experience.
What they have in common is a passion for hockey, a passion for going out and playing as hard as they are able.
“There are some really good players out there,” Plattner said, “but, oh, we do need more referees!”
The TAHL games are usually on Monday and Wednesdays nights at the TCC, though like all groups using the ice there is flexibility in scheduling that goes with limited availability. The league usually knows its exact schedule only about one month in advance, but generally operates from late September to January. A 10-12 game schedule usually fills a season.
There’s a recent comedy series made by the streaming video channel Netflix called “Benders.” It follows the quirky exploits of a men’s league team in New York City. The ridiculous rivalries, silly characters, and locker-room hijinks in the short-lived series will ring true to anyone who knows just how fulfilling hockey can be as an adult — when it is played just for fun.
The Tucson Adult Hockey League games are free for the public to watch, which is great fun if you want to see folks who could be your neighbors playing hockey in a huge arena.
Adult leagues like this also make a hockey fan appreciate just how skilled the best players are at the highest professional level. The swooping and gliding of NHL superstars can look effortless, and can also numb you to just how difficult a game it is.
What a great surprise for me to learn that so many Tucsonans know this fact firsthand — because they play hockey. They are out there giving their all, keeping the game alive at a grassroots level, having fun, living their personal all-star moments one adult league game at a time.
Hockey journalist and filmmaker Timothy Gassen explores the Arizona hockey scene and beyond in his weekly column. Send your Arizona hockey story ideas to AZpuckMan@gmail.com and follow AZpuckMan on Facebook and Twitter.
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