Hockey Hits the Northshore: In-Line Roller Hockey

by Shawna Windom

A new sports craze sweeping across the South is taking hold on the northshore. Hockey—minus the ice.

In-line roller hockey, a fast-paced indoor sport, keeps spectators on the edge of their seats. And with the controlled atmosphere of an indoor arena, players are able to compete all year round without having to worry about rainouts.

One of the only arenas in the area equipped for the sport, St. Tammany Hockey Arena in Madisonville opened its doors in March 2006, the proud home of the Southeast Louisiana In-Line Hockey Club, or SLIHC (pronounced “slick”). An organization of youth and adults who just enjoy playing, the league had been formed years earlier, but was inactive after losing its rink, the Covington Roller Kingdom, to fire.

“We started right after Katrina and debated for quite a while whether we should open at that time,” says Lou Luzynski, one of the coaches. “But ultimately, we felt the community needed something to get its spirits up again and that this was a good thing to be involved in.” The league now has more than 100 players. Most are residents of the northshore and metro New Orleans, but some are from the Baton Rouge area. 

“Hockey is not on the minds of most Louisiana parents,” says Becky Kennedy, a hockey mom. “But once they get their kids out in the arena to play, 99 percent of the time the kids and parents just fall in love with it.” (Kids as young as five or six are eligible for SLIHC’s youth division. The league offers beginner’s classes for ages four and up to enable kids to get up on the skates and maneuver around on them.)

Becky and her 12-year-old son Preston got involved with SLIHC at the suggestion of some of his neighborhood friends. He attended one of the league’s practices, fell in love with the sport and wanted to join. After giving in to her son’s persistence, Becky learned more about the sport. Having originally thought of hockey as a very aggressive sport with a high risk of injury, she soon realized that she could feel secure with her son playing in-line roller hockey.
The precautions taken with roller hockey leave minimal room for injuries. Players are protected with extensive gear: helmets with cages, elbow pads, shin guards, chest protectors and padded pants. Roughing up the other players is discouraged, as penalties affect the whole team. Because all members of a team are in the rink at the same time, the loss of one could cost the team in the long run.

“You can’t just rely on yourself in this game,” says Preston. “Everyone’s position is important, and you need everyone playing together as a team in order to win, to succeed.”

SLIHC’s coaching staff is composed mostly of hockey-enthused dads. Keith Lauf is the exception—he’s never had a son or daughter involved in the league. His interest in being a coach came purely from his love of the sport. Although he played ice hockey as a kid in St. Louis, Keith admits that he was never really the best hockey player. He jokingly says that he lives by the old adage “Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach.”

“I love working with the kids,” he says. “You get to make an impression on them and let them know that winning and losing are not everything. I love the chance I get to watch them develop as young people doing what they love.”

Keith teaches ages eight to 19. He particularly enjoys working with the younger players. He recalls traveling with his team of 11-year-olds to the State Wars in Cincinnati. One of the coaches there questioned the ability of Louisiana boys to play hockey. Keith boasts that his team went on to defeat that coach’s team twice in the playoffs—and also brought home the gold medal.

Twelve-year-old Jeremy Brown says he admires the love and dedication Coach Keith has for each of his team players. He says the coach never goes over something just once, but repeats it until all members of the team are able to incorporate it into their game.
Jeremy says it is because of his coach’s example that he often works long before practice to improve a skill. “I learned discipline from Coach Keith,” he notes. “He teaches us that when you want something, you can’t give up on it. You’ve got to keep on working towards it until you get it.” 

Jeremy’s teammate, 12-year-old Matthew Dennison decided he wanted to play hockey after watching a game outside the building during the construction of the arena. He agrees that hard work and dedication are the keys to being a good hockey player. “There were times when I just wanted to give up, to just lie down on the floor and breathe. But I kept going, and it all paid off in the end when we finally got that gold medal. It felt really good.”

Eleven-year-old Tristan Allen has been a hockey fan since he was nine months old. Brad Allen, Tristan’s father and coach, recalls taking the whole family to a New Orleans Brass game when Tristan was just under a year old. He remembers that Tristan never took his eyes off the puck during the whole game. Tristan’s love for hockey has continued to grow, along with his skills. He says that through playing hockey he’s learned many valuable life lessons, such as sportsmanship, effort equals victory and self-control.

Last year, Tristan was selected as one of the elite to represent his country on Team USA; he has played in Canada and Hong Kong. He says that representing his country in the sport that he loves is what he is most proud of. Dad/coach Brad is thrilled to watch his son take on new challenges. “I feel extremely honored to have a son like Tristan. He just works really hard and is extremely dedicated to what he does. It’s so much fun to see him and his teammates, who are from all over, sticking together and helping one another out.”

Brad likes to stand back a little and let the other coaches help shape Tristan. “He learns so many different philosophies through those coaches that he could never get from just me. If he has ten different coaches and just learns even one thing from each, I know that he’ll be a better player because of it.”
Tristan aspires to play for the National Hockey League one day and follow in the footsteps of his hockey hero, Alexander Ovechkin. His favorite team? The same as his dad’s—the Washington Capitals.  

For more information on the Southeast Louisiana In-Line Hockey Club and its events, or for the offerings of the St. Tammany Hockey Arena, visit northshorehockeyleague.com.