Local Mariners ice hockey members enjoying the limelight

STEVE AMES/The Acorn RECOGNITION-Among the Ventura Mariners ice hockey youth travel team players saluted during the team's recent picnic are, from left, Jeff Jacobs, Agoura Hills; Brendan Foley, Westlake Village; Gordie Ceasar, Oak Park, and David Soloway, Miles England and Evan Hinds of Agoura Hills.

The Ventura Mariners ice hockey travel team season received a warm salute Sunday at Conejo Creek Park in Thousand Oak.

More than 500 people attended an awards barbecue for the youth, ages 5 to 18 years old.

At the heart of the event was the recognition of kids who spent the fall and winter participating in a sport that is traditionally played in cold weather states where bad weather is the norm, unlike California.

Lance Soloway of Agoura Hills, club vice president and co-coach of the Mariners Squirt B team, directed the event with Wayne Lavaglio of Ventura, club president.

"Going to the rink is kind of a different environment for kids," Soloway said. "Growing up in California, it gives them a dimension that they typically don’t have. It has to be a unique game. It is a fast game, a very colorful game.

"A growing number are playing and it is growing rapidly," Soloway added. "Hockey is becoming extremely popular in Southern California."

Soloway played the sport for 10 years up to the Junior B level in New Jersey.

He is especially delighted that a part of this year’s barbecue were presentations for academic excellence.

"We want to link excellence in athletics with excellence in academics," Soloway said. "This year 40 kids received the Grade Point Average awards. That says a lot about our program. We’re trying to build good citizens. For the kids who don’t make the awards it inspires them; it raises the bar."

Team names and the kids’ ages who play on the Mariners Youth Hockey Club travel teams are Mites (5-9)), Squirts (10-12) Pee Wees (12-14) and Midgets (15 to 18).

The Mariners are among 27 teams playing in the Southern California Amateur Hockey Association.

"We use the sport as a template to mold good well-balanced people, win or lose, and who have a good attitude and balance about

competing," said Soloway, whose son David is a player on the Squirt B team.

The league also is marked by good sportsmanship and volunteerism. Moms, managers, board directors, coaches and assistant coaches all help out.

In addition to the games, the Mariners and their coaches travel to the Staples Center to see the Los Angeles Kings and to the Arrowhead Pond to see the Mighty Ducks play.

The league runs from September through March.

While boys’ ice hockey is on the increase in popularity, so is girls’ hockey.

"We’d really love to see that. Girls’ and women’s hockey is growing. They are excelling at it," Soloway said.

Information about the Ventura Mariners travel teams is available by calling (818) 707-3812 or (805) 988-1100.