Hello, and welcome to the end of summer, and the start of a new hockey season.  I hope everyone had a wonderful, restful summer and are looking forward to getting back on the ice once again.  While it was nice to have early Saturday mornings free, it’s once again time to start setting the alarms and coffee makers to help you get ready to make that trek to the ice rink.

Now, be prepared, because this is going to be a rather long-winded letter, but please bear with me.

First of all, I’d like to apologize for a lack of news and information during the summer.  The IHA Parent Advisory Board has been working hard at making plans and commitments for the new season, but it’s been a slow progress.  As you know, the Columbia Inferno will not be playing this coming season, to save money towards the building of a new arena.  As a result, there will not be ice at the Carolina Coliseum for us to play on.  Back around the end of the season, Paul Marriot, Kim Potts, Samantha Merrifield, and myself had a meeting with Mayor Bob Coble about the possibility of the City keeping the ice available for this season. Since the City actually owned the ice equipment and the Zamboni, and actually helped fund a good bit of the operation, it was a reasonable assumption that they might be willing to do it.  The mayor was very much interested in the idea, and was willing to sit down not only with us, but also with the University to see if arrangements could be worked out. Unfortunately, it worked out that it would not be possible for the ice to remain, and the IHA was forced to look at other options.

There were 2 possible options left.  Play at the IcePlex in Irmo, or play at the Augusta ice rink. Discussions were held with both rinks, and options were available at each.  Ultimately, the IHA board decided that working with the IcePlex would be in our best interest for 2 main reasons.  1, financially, with gas prices as high as they are, it would be sounder to play locally.  2, it would be better for hockey in Columbia for the kids to play here.  By playing in Augusta, we only hurt the future of youth hockey in the midlands area.  Additionally, Augusta is currently without ice for an indefinite period of time due to some necessary repairs they are making.  I would , however, like to thank the staff of the Augusta Ice Rink for their friendliness, hospitality, and willingness to work with us to provide us with a possible place to play.

Through the hard work and devotion of Pam Cronin and Kim Potts, discussions were held with the IcePlex, and the decision was made to merge our 2 programs.  The IcePlex had the facilities, and the IHA had the experience. We felt that a combination of the 2 programs would only serve to benefit the kids in both programs.

In the past, there has always been an “Us vs. Them” mentality between the 2 programs.  There have been situations that didn’t reflect favorably on either organization, and there has occasionally been an unwillingness to cooperate.  The IHA board, along with the ownership of the IcePlex, has decided that it is time for all of that to change. Therefore, we have formed a new youth hockey organization called the IIHF, or the Irmo Ice Hockey Federation.  This organization is a
combined, cooperative effort between both hockey programs, and it has 1 nd only 1 goal: To provide the best possible hockey program for the youth of the Columbia area. 

 

While the Inferno Hockey Association still exists, it is mainly for account and recordkeeping of the IHA assets. For all intents and purposes, everything is now being done, and run, through the IIHF.  The IIHF is a USA Hockey certified organization, and all kids and coaches are required to be members of USA Hockey.  In addition, the coaches are required to be USA Hockey trained and certified.

There will be growing pains.  This season is getting off a little more disorganized than usual because of merging 2 different ways of running things.  It has taken a little more time than usual to get things rolling, but they are underway.  Things will be a little different than the IHA is used to.  In particular, the season will be starting earlier, and instead of 1 long season, it will be broken down into 2 distinct seasons.  However, there will actually be real locker rooms to change in!

There will be an IIHF parent board. For the immediate future, it will be a 6 person board, consisting of 3 people from the IHA and 3 people from the IcePlex program.  Hopefully, in the future, we can stop referring to people as “from the IHA” and “from the IcePlex”, but for now it’s a distinction being used to show that we are committed to equally involving both programs, and going forward as 1 program.  The board members currently consist of myself, Kim Potts, and Tim Wracker, from the IHA.  Ryan Petz, who is the director of hockey at the IcePlex, is going to be speaking to several people who have been active and involved in the IcePlex program to join the board as well.

Right or wrong, true or false, there have been stories, rumors, and innuendos made about issues with each program in the past, and as I mentioned earlier, there has always been an “us vs. them” mentality. It’s time we all put that behind us.  The Irmo Ice Hockey Federation needs your support and commitment to move forward.  We are now 1 organization.  The primary focus of this organization MUST be doing what is best for the youth hockey program in Columbia. The kids are the first, foremost, and only priority.

The equipment swap is set for Saturday, Sept. 13, and the season will be starting immediately.  The registration form has been emailed out, and can also be downloaded from the IHA website.  You can also register online from the Irmo IcePlex website.  Don’t forget to register with USA Hockey as well.

I encourage you to come out and be a part of this exciting new organization.  Help us all work together to bring the best program possible for our youth in Columbia.  If you have any questions, suggestions, complaints or comments, please feel free to contact me via email, or call me at 422-9534.  I look forward to seeing everyone next month, and watching all of our kids enjoy the great game of hockey.

Craig Dooley
Irmo Ice Hockey Federation