IRON MOUNTAIN, Mich. (WZMQ) – Over the weekend, Iron Mountain’s Mountain View Ice Arena hosted the state playoffs for youth hockey, drawing teams from across Michigan. Tim Jaska, President of the Dickinson Area Hockey Association, expressed his excitement for the event, highlighting the camaraderie and sportsmanship displayed by the young players.
Jaska remarked, “These kids will amaze you. I was able to watch 2 of these teams this week. I was able to watch Ironwood during districts. One of the things I took away from it was that they’ll surprise you with the little moments, the pats on the head, the fist bumps going back-and-forth on the ice. It really restores the faith in youth sports and in the kids. It says a lot about the parenting, it says a lot about the character of those kids.” Jaska emphasized the unity within the hockey community, regardless of geographic origins, stating, “Win, lose, or draw. Whether you’re from Marquette, or whether you’re from Iron Mountain, or are from anywhere downstate, we come together for the love of the sport. That’s really a great feeling, and it’s a great thing to see that we support each other in hockey. It’s a brotherhood, and a sisterhood now too. There were many sisters here this weekend. Most teams had at least 2 [girls]. The actual state champions; the Gladwin gladiators, had 7 girls and 6 boys on their team. It’s kind of neat to see. Girls are still trailblazers in our sport, but we were happy to have the teams here representing both the boys and the girls.’”
While the Marquette Junior Wildcats made an impressive run in the tournament with championship goals scored by Will & Sully Gordon, as well as Michael Verbridge and Sawyer Dietsch, the excitement doesn’t end there. Jaska mentioned an upcoming charity game, Guns & Hoses, scheduled for this Saturday. “There’s a policeman and firefighter charity game coming on Saturday. Part of it’s going to the youth hockey organization, part of it is coming directly back to the rink & then yes they are using funds for part of their support services throughout town,” he explained. This year, 50% of the funds raised will go to the Dickinson County Cancer Unit Loan Closet, and the other 50% will be split evenly between the Mountain View Ice Arena and the local hockey organization.
Reflecting on the impact of local organizations, Jaska noted, “We have the figure skating club, the Dickinson Amateur Hockey Association, and Mountain View itself.” He highlighted the importance of volunteers in keeping hockey alive, stating, “There’s a huge opportunity for volunteers here.” Volunteer opportunities can range from helping with concession stands, running the scoreboard or time clock, or sitting on a board to help make decisions for the organizations themselves.
As the hockey season winds down, attention turns to summer programs and preparations for the upcoming season. Jaska mentioned initiatives like the learn-to-skate program, which nurtures future hockey players, and the annual ‘old-timers’ tournament in honor of Jimmy Moore, which raises funds for local causes. He also mentioned a figure-skating competition coming up in two weeks, and emphasized the importance of the figure-skating program in developing skating techniques for the hockey players.
“Figure skaters actually are some of the best instructors for skating, and we appreciate the service they bring even to the hockey players throughout the year just for the basic lessons and the practice & the technique work that they do with us,” he said.
In Iron Mountain, hockey isn’t just a sport; it’s a community-driven passion that brings people together for a greater cause. Whether on the ice or in the stands, the spirit of unity and support resonates through Mountain View Ice Arena. Come this fall, the hockey association will be ready to welcome new players from ages 4-14 to the ice.
For more information about the Dickinson Amateur Hockey Association, visit:
For more information about the Mountain View Ice Arena, visit:
https://www.dahahockey.com/page/show/240400-mountain-view-ice-arena
