Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/932507
82 | SignatureMT Montana kids yearning for professional hockey stardom like Lanny's, have a tough road ahead of them compared to their comrades hailing from traditional hockey power houses in the midwestern United States and Canada. With winter weather that supports a months-long outdoor season, many hockey communities sport quality outdoor rinks offering youngsters the chance to play competitive hockey against skaters of widely varying abilities on a daily basis. Chinook Winds and wildly fluctuating winters prohibit this type of low-cost, high frequency training opportunity for most Montana hockey players, forcing those desiring an edge in skill development to seek more organized options. Fortunately, the Montana Amateur Hockey Association (MAHA) has been facilitating solid options for youth hockey players throughout the state since 1990. MAHA President Mike McIntosh emphasizes their mission of community based hockey programs when stating that "MAHA strives to provide opportunities for Montana kids to play quality hockey with other competitors from their own community." Despite boasting a membership of over 3,000 players, coaches and volunteers, the sheer geography Coach McDonald and his staff pride themselves on not just coaching hockey fundamentals, but life skills as well. During a well deserved break in the action, players are open to and accepting of pearls of wisdom that benefit them off the ice. Despite the fact that hockey is a team sport, individual drills, including skating and puck handling are essential to player and team development.