Although many people see the varsity Evanston Hockey team as a high school team, it is not officially a high school sport in the state of Illinois. The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) does not sponsor hockey as an official high school sport; therefore, it is classified as a club sport. This means that the IHSA does not fund or manage the team in the same manner as most other high school sports, such as basketball or football.
A positive to hockey not being an official high school sport is that there can be combined teams. A combined team means that it is not just kids from one school; other kids from different schools can join the team as well. This is helpful in areas where there may not be enough kids from one school to make up a team. It provides an opportunity for all students to play on a hockey team.
With hockey not being supported through the IHSA, there are many different leagues that the teams are a part of. Evanston is in the IHSHL North Central Division (IHSHL-NC). The North Central is the largest high school league in the state, including 52 total teams. Teams compete in different tiers similar to youth hockey. For the IHSHL-NC, there are Varsity Champions, Varsity Gold, Varsity Silver, and other JV divisions. The Kits compete in the Varsity Champions League and are currently ranked fourth with their record of
Evanston’s ice hockey team is viewed in the community as a school sport. The details on their jersey resemble those of ETHS, which would make you think the school is supporting this team and their initiatives. Garrett Hagerty says, “Everyone in our locker room believes that hockey deserves to be a high school sport because it is a commitment to each other, to our culture, and to the standard we choose to uphold.”
“Everyone in our locker room believes that hockey deserves to be a high school sport because it is a commitment to eachother, to our culture, and to the standard we choose to uphold,” said Garrett Hagerty.
One issue that the hockey team faces is a lack of promotion. Many sports at ETHS get a large deal of social media promotion from, including KitPit, Barstool, and the main Evanston High School accounts. With the IHSA not having the proper funding, the school should still be able to support and promote a team that is made up of ETHS students. Captain Garrett Hagerty expresses this struggle: “I want my friends to be able to support me at games, but a lot of them don’t even know there is a game because it is posted nowhere publicly.”
Coach Evan Neilsen says “Playing for your school is a unique experience; to represent your school community and play in front of your classmates is truly special.”
With the IHSA not being able to fund ice hockey, Evanton is still lucky to have the chance to play the sport that they love and are passionate about.
“We are fortunate that Evanston offers its ice hockey-playing students a chance to have that experience. Our players, coaches, and families are always proud to represent ETHS and the entire Evanston community,” explained Coach Neilsen.
Most students have the opportunity to play in front of their friends, for their school, and can play for their community. Although the team represents Evanston Township High School, they do not get the opportunities that other students participate in. They are not included in the pep rally, the senior sports banquet, the award ceremonies, or the awards handed out by the school. These are things that student athletes at ETHS all get to enjoy and experience.
Evanston Varsity Hockey is currently ranked fourth in their league, and are competing all through the winter. Catch one of their home games at the local community center, Robert Crown.
