A new street hockey league called NHL Street is coming to Chapman Hill in Durango this summer, intending to give local kids ages 6 through 16 the opportunity to try the game of hockey in a fun, low-pressure environment with no prior experience required.
The league is geared toward making friends, learning the game, having fun, being active and growing the sport in the community for all levels. NHL Street begins its eight-game regular season May 31 and ends its playoffs Aug. 9, with practices every Tuesday and games every Saturday. The $150 league fee covers the season plus equipment, jersey, T-shirt and swag bag.
“I know we all have our fun stuff we like to do in Durango over the summer, but this is something a little bit different,” said Joseph Singletary, the local coordinator for NHL Street Durango.
The street hockey league is separate and different from other local hockey leagues like the Durango Area Youth Hockey Association or the Durango High School team. Street hockey is lower-commitment. Games are three-on-three plus a goalie, with all the athletes playing on foot. Additionally, games are hosted in the Chapman Hill parking lot, with a smaller rink, two two-foot tall boards and minimal equipment.
NHL Street is a national organization sponsored by the National Hockey League in partnership with RCX Sports, which also partners with Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association to host similar youth leagues across the country. Singletary reached out to NHL Street to start a league in Durango.
“I thought it would be a good thing to bring to the area because hockey kind of dies in April when the ice melts,” Singletary said. “We have such a great community of hockey, so it's kind of a bummer that it just fades out. So I thought it'd be a good way to keep hockey alive a little bit and maybe get some more interest from other youth, as it seems like hockey’s growing everywhere.”
More information and league registration can be found here: https://www.icemonkeyevents.com/
