SANTA FE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION

Letter of Support - Taos Youth Hockey

Town of Taos

400 Camino De La Placita

Taos, NM 87571

January 10, 2025

Dear Mayor Maestas and the Taos Town Council:

On behalf of the Santa Fe Youth Hockey Association, I am reaching out to express our strong support for the ice rink at the Taos Youth and Family Center and the Taos Youth Hockey Association. The Taos Hockey Association has been an integral part of New Mexico youth hockey for many years and is critical to the continued growth and development of ice hockey in our State. Santa Fe Hockey enjoys an excellent and collaborative relationship with the Taos Hockey community and is committed to supporting their efforts for an ice hockey rink for the 2025/2026 hockey season.

The benefits of the Taos Youth Hockey program are felt broadly throughout the state of New Mexico. In a regular season, youth and families from our Association travel to Taos for more than 10 games in addition to tournaments or jamborees. Families look forward to playing in Taos and schedule recreational activities, team meals, and hotel stays during their time in Taos. Our Association members look forward to the camaraderie, sportsmanship and competition of the Taos Ice Tigers. As an integral part of the New Mexico ice hockey community, the loss of the Taos program has had a significant impact on all of the other youth Hockey programs in our region.

With the loss of the Taos ice rink this season, Santa Fe Hockey has hosted numerous Taos Players and Coaches on our youth teams. We have witnessed first-hand the dedication and commitment of these individuals who are driving to Santa Fe and other communities multiple times per week to participate in practices and games.

The mission of Santa Fe Hockey is to foster, promote and improve amateur youth hockey for charitable, educational and recreational purposes in our community and within the State of New Mexico. The ability to partner with the Town of Taos and Taos Youth Hockey Association to bring youth hockey opportunities to Taos not only helps fulfill our mission but serves to deepen our relationships across the state and region. Santa Fe Hockey is committed to supporting efforts by the Town of Taos to restore an ice rink for the upcoming hockey season. Further, Santa Fe Hockey is committed to a continued partnership with Taos Youth Hockey Assocation to ensure that all youth have access to ice hockey.

The dedication of Taos Youth Hockey players, Coaches, families and volunteers has been nothing short of remarkable, particularly during this season. It is my hope that the Town of Taos recognizes the vital role the Taos Hockey Association plays in extending youth sports activities to the Taos community and the critical role it plays in supporting the development of youth ice hockey throughout our region.

On behalf of the Santa Fe Hockey Association and it players, coaches, family members and volunteers, I respectfully encourage you to exercise your best efforts to bring ice hockey back to Taos for the 2025/2026 season.

Sincerely,

Bearclaw Shipe

President, Santa Fe Hockey Association

cc:

Town of Taos Mayor: Pascual Maestas

Taos Town Council: Marietta Fambro, Darien Fernandez, Corilia Ortega, Genevieve Oswald

Town Manager: Lupe Martinez

Assistant Town Manager: Mark Flores

News From the Rink

Breaking News Ice Repair! 2024-25 Season is around the Corner.

By SFHA Board 08/22/2024, 10:15pm MDT

Great News! The GCCC rink is now scheduled to open September 21st - maybe earlier! The GCCC Staff are looking for volunteers to help build the ice after September 10th. If you would like to volunteer, please sign up by filling out this form(click here).

SFHA Capitals practices are now looking to start as expected around October 14th and will run through late February.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TODAY!

We need Jersey numbers reserved at Squad Locker, so jerseys can be ordered in the first week of September! - so please reserve your preferred Jersey Number by midnight on August 31st. Fill out this easy form for your number request; https://forms.gle/d7SPr1uGePA6QHs6A

Rink Repair Update

Compressor repair will begin Sept. 2nd-11th with a new company hired by the City that has parts, expertise and have already started making necessary improvements! New Ice Rink Manager will be onboarded by the City by late September.

As you may have heard, there was a fire in the Taos ice rink, so they may not have a season. We have Taos folks waiting to register but we want to fill Santa Fe spots first. Its important for you to register as promptly, so that we can help support our larger hockey community and add Taos players as space allows!

Please register as soon as possible!

Viva SFHA!

The Santa Fe Hockey Association Board

an all volunteer nonprofit committed to youth hockey

And Thank you to all our generous sponsors who make every season possible:

2024-2025 Season: The City of Santa Fe and the Staff of the Genova Chavez Community Center

Gold Sponsors: The Gorsuch Family

Silver Sponsors: Dham Khalsa Photography, The Santa Fe Children's Museum, Genesis Pool & Spa Supply, Rancho Encantado The Four Seasons

Bronze Sponsors: The Parador, Ron Trujillo Dentistry, DBC Concrete

In-Kind Contributions: The Pink Adobe, Meow Wolf, The El Rey Hotel, Lisa Schub Skating, Coach Sage, Diana Pearson-Snyder

Thank you for your support and contributions!

Every donation is tax deductible. Become a sponsor today!

Season Registration is Open!

By John Utsey 08/08/2024, 7:15pm MDT

Click Here For more information and to register!

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Forms and Documents

SFHA Policies, Procedures and Forms are located here.

GROW WITH US!

Welcome to the Santa Fe Hockey Association, the home of the Santa Fe Capitals, where we continue to support the mission to grow hockey in the Southwest by providing opportunities for girls and boys of the Santa Fe community to succeed both on and off the ice. Here at Santa Fe Hockey Association, we are committed to fulfilling the three promises of youth hockey:

Promise of Fun
Promise of Guidance
Promise of Achievement

Do you want to maximize your ice time, improve your game, and help us make a difference? We are here to help you achieve your goals. We are introducing Life Skills Development, a pilot initiative with a promise to develop life skills that build a foundation for a child's confidence, pride, focus, and responsibility. Learn more here.

Ready to elevate your game with private and semi-private instruction? SFHA is pleased to introduce "on-demand" coaching sessions with coach Lisa and coach Sage. Learn more here.

Go Capitals!

The following Spread sheet is the GCCC schedule. You can find Stick and Puck times as well as open skate sessions.

IN THE NEWS

SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – After COVID dwindled the number of youth hockey players in Santa Fe, coaches are trying new methods to build the youth programs back up. Blades on fresh ice and the puck gliding away as kids chase after it was much-awaited sights in the rink for coaches and families, alike. Watch the full story here.

Welcome to Santa Fe Hockey Association, the home to the Santa Fe Capitals