BRANDON, Fla. — In-between all the crisp passing, goal scoring and cup hoisting that has taken place over the past 30 years on the ice, it’s what’s taken place off the ice that the Tampa Bay Lightning is equally as proud of.
The rink at Sadie Park in Brandon is one of 10 community rinks the Lightning has donated to the community.
“You don’t necessarily need ice to play in these hockey leagues anymore. You can come out in tennis shoes, you can join programs like these for $25 for an eight-week season,” Ty Mansueto said.
Mansueto directs youth hockey leagues at these community rinks for Hillsborough County. He said these rinks are specifically built in neighborhoods where families would probably otherwise not have the opportunity to play.
“When I was growing up here, it wasn’t even an option,” Mansueto said.
But now, it seems like every kid has a favorite player they are trying to emulate.
“The twins love to play hockey in our garage, so it’s very exciting that we get to come here two times a week, learn more, and actually get to play games with each other,” hockey mom Rachel Sahoo said.
The building of the rinks is just the beginning. The Lightning is a community partner for life.
“They do clinics before each season, which is completely free to the public. They bring out players. They’ve had ThunderBug come to our picture days,” Mansueto said.
From the helmets to the sticks to the balls, the Lightning provides all the gear.
"I notice they are more confident out there, learning more techniques and how to play on a team,” Sahoo said.
Parents said it’s amazing how much the hockey landscape has changed in Tampa Bay over the past 30 years, and they can’t wait to see what’s in store for the next generation.
“We’ve had this incredible run, three Stanley cups, and then they are out here in the community and got all these kids interested in hockey,” hockey dad Noland Robinson said.
