Clad in skates on the crisp ice of the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex, Taylor Shaw watches a group of fast-paced hockey players practice their puck shooting and passing skills.
Shaw is head coach of the Kenai River Brown Bears, the official junior ice hockey team of the Kenai Peninsula. He says the group of 26 post-high school players is just getting started for the season, having played their first home game earlier this month.
“We’ve been off to a good start, and now we’ve just got to find a way to keep it going,” Shaw said.
The team has new and returning players from all over. There are kids from states like Minnesota and Georgia, and countries like Canada and Slovakia. The majority of this year’s players have never been to Alaska before.
The team is on a two-month stretch of home games. Shaw says he’s optimistic about what the year could bring.
“It’s been really good," he said. "Really coachable group, come to work every day willing to give us what they have. They’ve been really great with resiliency so far that we’ve had throughout the year.”
Most Alaskans know the key to staying sane in the winter months is finding some sort of fun wintertime activity. For some, that might be cross country skiing or attending local trivia nights. But for others, Shaw says hockey games provide that sense of community.
And, the numbers show. During peak winter months, Brown Bears games have been known to draw in hundreds of spectators. That stimulates the local economy and supports players on the team.
“The fans show up every weekend that we’re in town and show their support for the boys out there on the ice," Shaw said. "It’s important for us to show that back to them.”
Just this week, the Brown Bears organized a canned food drive to support those struggling with food insecurity on the peninsula. Players have also volunteered with local nonprofits and visited area schools to mingle with young hockey fans.
But the team’s impact spans beyond local reach. Shaw says it brings new people to visit the Kenai Peninsula, boosting its economy. Brown Bears players are hosted by local families through the spring, but Shaw says many return to visit Alaska.
“We find that a lot of them come back during the summer months, or even when they’re done playing for the Brown Bears, so you get a lot of traction with that," Shaw said. "And then, word of mouth. All these players are going through on a day-to-day new experiences in Alaska, and they talk to people – friends, family, future coworkers. I think you see a wave of people as a result.”
The Kenai River Brown Bears are second in the Midwest division of the North American Hockey League. The team is hopeful they’ll make it to the playoffs this season.
