Now in its 31st season, East hockey is a consistent program and a huge tradition. This year East looks to the future for the season and the years to come.
The rich heritage of East hockey has gone through many changes over the years. Dave Monson, head coach for the previous 10 years and now the team's trustee, remembers his days as an East High hockey player. Practice started at 5 a.m. at the Hygia Ice Rink in Sugar House until it burned down in the late '80s. The team was forced to move practice to 11 p.m. at either the Cottonwood Heights or Bountiful recreation centers. Late nights and far-away practices would pay off with trips to the old Salt Palace for the state championship, something Monson was part of two of the four times East took the title. With this in mind, Monson knows the boys of East High hockey can be at the top again.
"East hockey is usually up there at the end of the season, but we've come up short a few times," Monson said.
Taking the reins from Monson as head coaches this year are Adam Van Wagoner and Taylor Lake, who have been assistants since 2003. They both played as Leopards from 1996-99 and grew up playing together since they were 9 years old. Hockey continues to be a huge part of their lives, and they are excited to take the helm this year.
"It's a lot more gratifying as head coach watching the development of these players and to grow as a team," Lake said.
Lake and Van Wagoner agreed that the high school league is very developmental for the game. Lake said the league is much more balanced this year with some "really skilled" teams.
"We're deeper than other teams I've seen. There are some better players out there who can score, maybe one to a team, but we have five or six guys who can put the puck in the net. We can move the puck, we can pass; everybody wants an assist. These guys are very unselfish players," said Van Wagoner. "I firmly believe that if we keep working the way we are, we'll contend for state and the scoreboard will show that."
The Leopards are led by talented players Henry Vadnais, Willi Richards, J.J. Ziegler and Kyle O'Cain, who all share aspirations of taking state and are die-hard fans of the game.
"If you're going to come out and play, come to win big or lose big," O'Cain said of the high school league.
East knows that the road to the championship has many worthy opponents along the way. Juan Diego, Riverton, Brighton and Weber are all tough teams that have their own high hopes.
Despite having fewer players than some of these other teams, East hockey is doing exceptionally well. The team is comprised of only 14 players this year, when in years past it has been made up of 25-30 players. Not only are their numbers smaller, but the team is also young. With only three seniors and two junior players on the team, more than half the team are sophomores and freshman. Youth has not been an obstacle for the Leopards yet as East is undefeated so far this year. They have beaten their opponents by a minimum of four goals to a maximum of 16 goals.
Proud of their team's development, East's coaching staff wants people to know that high school hockey is a sport worth the support, and it needs more support, as well.
"Hockey has a black eye from its reputation of being a rough sport played by toothless, hard-nosed players," Van Wagoner said. "We want to show that high school hockey is a classy sport with no fighting and no unsportsmanlike behavior tolerated."
Hockey on a high school level can be a tough sport for recruiting as it is still a club sport in the Salt Lake District. Each player has to shell out $750-$1,000 per season for ice time and traveling costs in addition to the cost of hockey gear. Practice time on the ice is limited to one hour per week.
"It's not like other sports where you can just go practice on a field," Monson said. "There are people out there interested in playing but just can't afford it."
Regardless of these hardships, the team leadership continues to be optimistic in the future of hockey as a high school sport at East and in the state.
"We strive to develop the inexperienced and teach them the game, and it has kept the tradition and the team strong," Monson said.