USA Hockey Adult Hockey

The spirit of hockey burns bright in all corners of the United States. Alaska is no exception.

In the heart of the nation’s 50th state sits the Juneau Adult Hockey Association (JAHA). A volunteer-run organization, JAHA hosts leagues for all genders, age groups and skill levels in five different tiers. It’s as unique as the traffic coming in and out of Juneau, making accommodations to anyone that wants to lace up and play.

JAHA registrar Thomas McKenzie and president Jason Soza sat down to discuss the organization and the state of hockey in Juneau.

USA Hockey: JAHA was formed in 2003. What was the adult hockey presence like in the city prior to that? How far has it come in more than a decade?

Thomas McKenzie: There was plenty of hockey in Juneau long before Treadwell Arena was built and JAHA was formed. Whenever Juneau experienced a cold snap, any lake that froze and any outdoor field that could be flooded always ended up with a couple of nets and a bunch of players on it. Hockey is definitely in Juneau's blood. In part because of that, JAHA is just now beginning to stabilize as far as interest and registration numbers go.

USA Hockey: This league is a little different from the norm in that anyone can join, even without a team. Why that type of format?

McKenzie: Juneau is a very transient community. Many folks come to Juneau to attend the university here, take a short-term job or are transferred to Juneau's Coast Guard station. When combined with the fishing season that runs in the fall and the ski season in the winter, registration numbers and the skill levels of the players who sign up can vary wildly from year to year. To deal with this, our approach is to run two seasons per year: fall and winter. Based on the number of players and teams we have in each tier, we create the schedule. It allows us to be very flexible as players come and go and we can adjust how many teams/tiers we have each season. 

USA Hockey: What else makes JAHA unique?

Jason Soza: The way we create teams is unique, not just in that anyone can join, but in that it also helps those new to the city meet new people and begin making friends. Juneau has a population of a little more than 30,000 and the only way in or out is by air or sea. It can be daunting for newcomers to work themselves into an established social circle here.

USA Hockey: The league has more than 200 players. How often do new players sign up for JAHA, especially with how accessible it is to join a team?

McKenzie: With Juneau being so transient, we have seen up to 20 new players in a year. That is usually offset as we lose about the same amount of people due to work, classes, family, or players leaving town, making our net gain from year to year typically pretty low. JAHA has started running intro-to-hockey clinics, which have proven to be a great way to draw potential players curious about the sport, but not wanting to commit to a full competitive season.

USA Hockey: The league is non-profit, so how have the majority of funds been generated?

McKenzie: Currently, 100 percent of JAHA's funds come from registration fees, though we are able to offset some costs associated with jerseys when businesses sponsor a team. This past year was the first year that JAHA formed a fundraising committee with the focus of looking at other ways to fund JAHA through events, auctions, merchandise, etc.

USA Hockey: What have been the biggest challenges JAHA has faced?

McKenzie: JAHA's biggest challenges are those years where we see long-time JAHA players, especially those with high talent levels, leave town with no one of equivalent skill coming in. This makes the board's job of balancing teams and tiers very difficult.

USA Hockey: Any favorite memories you have from the league?

Soza: My best personal memory playing JAHA is winning my first championship as a goalie, in a shootout, on a team that was captained by a friend who ultimately ended up officiating my wedding last year. This was a team where the core players stayed as other players came and went. My most unique JAHA memory was being the goalie on a team with Hilary Lindh, a World Cup ski racer, U.S. Olympic medalist and member of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame, who decided to add hockey to her list of skills. Only in Juneau.

McKenzie: I have been playing in JAHA since 2003, so I have quite a bit of times I can remember and can't. My first season as a goalie was when I was 20 years old. My team went 3-12-3. We didn't win a game until the 10th game of the season. We won more games in the tournament (four) than we did all year and won the championship.