Ithaca boys hockey staying busy

Ice hockey was one of the high-risk winter sports that was recently delayed indefinitely due to COVID-19. State championships were canceled as well, which means the Ithaca boys hockey team doesn’t get to make a run at a title in a season in which they’d have over 15 returning players from last year’s 12-6-2 team.

In the meantime, the Little Red have been staying busy off the ice. They recently completed their annual wreath fundraiser, selling and delivering more wreaths than they had in any of the past five years. They also assisted 27 local families in need through The Salvation Army’s Adopt-a-Family program. That community involvement, especially in a year when they haven’t been able to play, means a lot to head coach Paul Zarach.

“It just shows the camaraderie of the kids and the families as far as doing the fundraiser,” he said. “It’s just such a great thing that we do at The Salvation Army. The families participated and understood the importance of it, especially during the pandemic. A lot of families are struggling right now. Anything we could do as a program to give back definitely means a lot to the families that receive that help and those gifts.”

Commitment to the community, the team and the sport has been on display this offseason from Ithaca. Many players have been putting the work in outside of school to stay ready for when practices are able to finally begin.

“The majority of the guys have been skating through the Ithaca Youth Hockey Association with the Midget group,” Zarach said. “We’re on the ice anywhere from three to four days a week, and it’s through the association. We’re not able to play games and we’re not able to schedule games, but the kids are on the ice, and they’re actually doing really well and enjoying having the opportunity to skate together.”

Whether or not they’ll be able to compete together this year is still up in the air, and Zarach is keeping his hopes up for any amount of hockey.

“I’m very hopeful and optimistic that we will have an opportunity at some point in January to get started and to play some kind of a condensed season,” he said. “We have a lot of kids returning from last year and plus some other new kids that were coming out for the team. I think it’d be a shame if we can’t get on the ice and at least have some games.”

The condensed season timeline has cut the number of games scheduled in half, going from 20 games originally to about 10 games in Section III (Ithaca is the only Section IV hockey team). As the season gets pushed back, more games will have to come off the schedule, but Zarach is still hopeful for a six-week season that can start sometime next month. He just wants a chance for his seniors to play together.

“We’re not the only team in this boat, so it takes a little bit of the pain away knowing that it’s not just Ithaca in this situation,” he said. “But I have a heavy heart, and there’s frustration and there’s some sadness involved with these kids not knowing if they’re going to get an opportunity to play together as seniors. … My heart goes out to the seniors, and I really hope that we get an opportunity to skate together, whether it’s one game or 10 games, just an opportunity.”

However long the season is, the first practice with the entire team together again will be a special one.

“It’s going to be fun and exciting because there are a lot of kids that have not yet been on the varsity ice with us,” Zarach said. “There are some kids that haven’t skated with us this winter. They’re skating in other associations. So, to get the whole group of guys out there, it will be fun. But it’ll be quick — get our six practices and go kind of thing. There’ll be a lot of stuff to get done in a short amount of time. But if you ask anybody, they’ll take it over nothing.”

Those who have been skating with the Ithaca Youth Hockey Association at Cass Park have been adapting to the protocols. They include wearing a mask while playing, only being in the building for 10 minutes before and after skating and not being able to stick around to shower after.

“The masks during the first couple skates bothered some kids probably more than others,” Zarach said. “But everyone’s adjusted because if we do get to play games, we’re going to have to wear a mask. … I don’t think there’s going to be a way around it. So, it’s just been good to get used to, and the kids have adapted. At the end of the day, we’re playing hockey. We’re out there skating and working on our skills.”

The willingness of his players to do whatever it takes to play the game means a lot to Zarach.

“It goes to show you what a great group of kids that we have,” he said. “The group that we have returning and the new kids coming up was primed to have a really awesome season. At this point, the kids are still optimistic, and they still keep going forward. They just want to have a chance to play games of some sorts. Like I said earlier, one game, 10 games, it doesn’t matter. They want to be able to put the Ithaca High School jersey on and get out there and give it a go.”

If the team does get just one game, Zarach would love to have it be for the Cortaca Cup against Cortland/Homer. The Little Red have won the game for three straight seasons, including a thrilling 3-2 overtime win last season. Hopefully, the season will be more than just one game.