Sylvania has long been known as a hockey hotbed, but resident Russ Thaler believes the number of young participants can increase at all levels.
Thaler has enlisted the help of two former Walleye players, Simon Denis and Evan Rankin, to provide more opportunities for youth hockey players in the city with an end goal of increasing the overall numbers in the Southview High School program.
The local periodontist has spearheaded the creation of the Southview Junior Cougar Hockey Club. The group already has more than 60 young players from kindergarten up to the 8th grade.
“We see hockey nets all around the community and we know that in this community, hockey is enormously popular and that there are a lot more kids that want to get involved,” Thaler said. “So we started it a few months ago, and it's already grown like wildfire.”
Thaler, who has coached youth hockey in Sylvania for five years, said there are no membership fees and all sessions are affordable. The group will even provide equipment for players.
“We want to make it fun and accessible for every boy and girl within the district to increase the numbers for Southview and make it as competitive as the other top programs,” Thaler said.
Thaler has enlisted the help of Pillar Hockey Academy, where Denis, a former standout defenseman for the Walleye, is an instructor. Denis, a Canadian who settled in Sylvania after his playing career ended, said he is honored to lend his knowledge of the sport to the Junior Cougar Hockey Club.
“To be able to help kids make memories and have fun in the sport of hockey means a lot to me,” Denis said. “I think what they're doing is just awesome for the community and Southview. I live in Sylvania and want to be involved in this community. It's cool to see them starting a program now that I think will pay dividends in the future, and I'm happy to be a part of it.”
Thaler said club co-founders Rusty Nighbert, Bill Scovell, Sharon Lapitsky, and Emily Robarge all have experience coaching youth hockey.
“We have some former professional hockey players that have been willing to help out and volunteer their time because they believe in the program as well,” Thaler said. “We're going to have professional hockey players there to answer all their questions.
“It takes a village. It’s not just me.”
Rankin and Denis played together on the 2016-17 Walleye.
“It's cool to see a guy who you got to play with in a different light where now you've got kids of your own and you're thinking more of a community aspect as opposed to, ‘Are we going to win the next game?’ or ‘Can I score another goal?’” Denis said. “A lot of [former Walleye players] have stayed here in this community and want to still be a part of it. Being able to give back and help grow the game that's been so good to us and to the people and the fans that have been so good to us, you just try to help their kids have a good experience. To be able to teach them what you know is a lot of fun.”
The overall number of high schools with varsity hockey teams in northwest Ohio has dwindled in recent years.
The program at Southview has suffered with low overall participation numbers despite the school being located right down Sylvania Avenue from the Tam-O-Shanter ice rink.
“We have the talent pool and a school with amazing academics with a rink across the street. So if we have the support of the whole Southview community, business sponsors, [Southview administration], the sky is the limit,” Thaler said.
Thaler said the goal is to give Southview the chance to catch up with the top local high school programs at St. Francis de Sales, Northview, and St. John's Jesuit. He said programs at Perrysburg, Clay, and Bowling Green have made recent gains.
“The reality is that there's plenty of kids that are talented within the Sylvania district. We want to get kids to play at a high level,” Thaler said. “We want to get that excitement back at Southview. We're going to have kids, and hopefully we'll eventually have a freshman and JV team at Southview.”
Thaler said the goal was to begin the program this fall, but early interest prompted the group to hold registrations this summer.
“We've had two events already,” he said.
Thaler said he grew up in New Jersey and his local high school did not offer hockey.
“I had to search for a team to play on, and it ended up being the best experience of my youth in high school,” he said.
Longtime Southview coach Wayne Collins is on board with the program.
“He has a wealth of knowledge,” Thaler said of Collins, who was a goaltender at Bowling Green State University.
Southview had a 14-13 record in 2022-23 but went 0-8 in the Northwest Hockey Conference White Division last year.
Southview was previously a member of the upper-tier NHC Red Division and had a JV program from 1997-2008. The Cougars’ program was founded in 1977 and reached the state semifinals in 1982.
“Southview is in a situation where they don't have a ton of players but they've got a lot of up-and-coming players,” Denis said. “I think what they're doing is great where they're trying to grow the public school team here.”
Former Toledo Storm forward Taylor Raszka, who is the head of hockey development at Pillar, has also lent his support.
“It has been incredible. We have a very good relationship with them,” Thaler said.
Thaler said the club also wants to increase opportunities for female hockey players.
“We hope that Southview will be on the forefront of having in the future a girls varsity hockey team,” he said. “We have the talent pool, boys and girls, in the community already.”
He said all skill levels are welcome.
“We're helping kids learn to skate, learn to play, we're funneling them into the programs at Tam-O,” Thaler said.
The club officially starts on Sept. 13. The club will meet twice a month with each session dedicated to different skills.
For more information go to the Southview Junior Cougar Hockey Club Facebook page or email Svjuniorcougarshc@gmail.com.
“This is a community grassroots program. We want to provide a fun, inclusive, positive environment,” Thaler said. “It's all about paying it forward.”
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