Mililani League Offering Free Inline Hockey Clinic At Rink
If inline hockey should ever need a lobbyist, Mililani resident Andrea Owens would qualify. He is living proof of how quickly a family can take to the game.
When she was living in Washington, the state of her birth, she gave little thought to hockey. And when the Owens family relocated to Oahu three years ago, that wasn’t likely to change until a neighbor talked her into signing up her sons Alex and Evan.
“It was pretty standard in Washington baseball, basketball, football,” she said. “They didn’t even rollerblade much because of the weather. We had no experience with hockey at all. We decided to try it out, and everyone was really nice. We consider MIHA (Mililani Inline Hockey Association) an ‘ohana. It’s a relaxed environment.”
The sport is hard to beat for keeping kids active, she and other enthusiasts said.
“There’s no down time in inline hockey,” Owens explained. “If they’re on the bench, they’re catching their breath. Hockey is a real dynamic sport. They’re constantly engaged, it’s fast-paced, and it’s an exciting game to watch.”
Aspiring inline players can get their start in the sport this Saturday at 10 Acres Park, where the Mililani Inline Hockey Association will conduct “Hungry for Hockey” clinics. MIHA offers three sessions, beginning at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m., for boys and girls of all ages. The association requests that players arrive 30 minutes prior to their session. All clinics are free to the public, and players who don’t have their own equipment can get loaners.
“We want it to be a fun day,” she said. “It’s a chance to meet people and learn about hockey.”
Owens has now come full circle, taking a position on the board of directors for MIHA, which is nearly 20 years old. Its facility at 10 Acres Park was the first outdoor rink built on Oahu.
“I felt like I needed to do something to help maintain and hopefully grow the league,” Owens said. “We had gotten a lot out of the league in our family, and I wanted to do my part.”
The first 50 players to sign up for Saturday’s clinics will receive a free gift.
The rink is located at 95-1000 Makaunulau St. in Mililani. To register, call 216-0220 or email mililaniinline@gmail.com.
