Hockey Season is Here

Photo+taken+by+Isaac+Colby.++The+Lewis-Palmer+High+School+hockey+team+stands+at+the+ready+for+their+first+game

Photo taken by Isaac Colby. The Lewis-Palmer High School hockey team stands at the ready for their first game

Kenzie Snyder, Ranger Review Reporter

“A good player plays where the puck is. A great player plays where the puck is going to be.”

-Wayne Gretzky.

Grades are not the only things on ice, as the winter season rolls around, the Lewis-Palmer Hockey team is suiting up for the beginning of the season.

This year, the team’s coaches all stand by each other and rely on the team to help them to get to know the new players and to do well this season. The coaches this year are Hal Jordan, Cody Leaver, Kevin Margarucci and Ian Gustafson.

Jordan previously played on the team and is currently coaching Varsity Hockey as the head coach. Jordan ‘is excited for this years season.’ Jordan has been coaching since 2001. Margarucci, who has been coaching for eleven years, helps Jordan out by making sure the players are ready and prepared and are working hard during practice. He also gives the players pointers on how to improve on their skills.

Gustafson is new to the team this year and has secured a spot as the team’s goalie coach. He will be helping specifically, the goalies and getting them ready for the games.

Finally, the coach who will be handling the defensive aspect of the sport: Cody Leaver. He will be helping the team to achieve a strong defense.

The coaches are very supportive of their players and managers. When it comes to the managers “they are a part of this team and everyone treats them with respect” Jordan and Margarucci said. The three managers for this years hockey season are: Melanie Peterson, Kenzie Snyder and Ashley Ross, all seniors at Lewis-Palmer High School.  

The coaches expect the players to always be positive and to have a winning attitude– nothing negative or disrespectful about the team is allowed to be said on social media. The coaches care that the players are being positive and that they show up to practices, but “the most important thing is school and getting your homework done” Coach Margarucci said.

The captains of the team consists of six people. Those six players are: Ben Kleinsmith, Ian Fraser, Joey Duca, Sam Riesling, Tanner Colson, and Christian Perry.

There are a total of 22 players on varsity and 14 players on JV. The first varsity game is on Friday December 2.

Noah Vanderbeck 12 is one of the varsity’s goalies. He has been playing hockey for 11 years and is looking forward to getting amass of playing time as well as getting to play some really good teams. For Vanderbeck hockey is something more than a pastime, it is a career. After high school Vanderbeck plans on becoming a professional hockey player. He has a love for the sport and has always enjoyed playing the game.

“Never let success get to your head. Never let failure get to your head. You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take, so don’t be afraid to take the shot! To play the game is good, to win the game is better, but to love the game is best of all” says Wayne Gretzky.