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; kids from different schools can also join the team. 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 11-5-1. Some other powerhouses in the conference are Prep, New Trier Blue, and Chicago, ranking ahead of them in the first, second, and third spots. Evanston has scored 60 goals total over 18 games.
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 lead you to believe the school is supporting this team and their initiatives.
“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,” said senior Garrett Hagerty.
One issue that the hockey team faces is a lack of promotion. Many sports at ETHS get a large amount of social media promotion from, including KitPit, Barstool, and the main Evanston High School accounts.
“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,” said Hagerty.
The difficulties of not being a school sport affect more than just the players, but also the leaders and adults in the program.
“Playing for your school is a unique experience; to represent your school community and play in front of your classmates is truly special,” said Coach Evan Neilsen.
Even with a lack of help from the IHSA, Evanston students are still lucky to have the chance to play the sport of hockey in their community, with Robert Crown being in such close proximity.
“We are fortunate that Evanston offers its ice hockey-playing students a chance to have that experience,” said Neilsen. “Our players, coaches, and families are always proud to represent ETHS and the entire Evanston community.”
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 do. They are not included in the pep rally, the senior sports banquet, the award ceremonies, or the awards handed out by the school. Yet, all other ETHS athletes get to enjoy and participate in these experiences.
