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League of Its Own: Clark Park Girls’ Hockey Celebrates its 20th Anniversary

Eric Guzman by Eric Guzman
January 5, 2023
in Community, Sports
Reading Time: 9 mins read
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  • Alejandro Ugalde
  • January 5, 2023
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In the winter of 2000, officer Robert Ayala was serving as a community police officer at Detroit’s Third Precinct when he got a call from his commander, Catherine Garcia -Lindstrom. She wanted to see if Ayala could help troubleshoot a registration problem between Clark Park Coalition and USA Hockey, the national ice hockey organization in the United States.

Ayala knew about the local hockey community. He was a hockey dad, his kids played at different clubs and he served as president of the Ecorse Hockey Association. He stepped in and helped sort out the confusion and was immediately asked to stay on and help revamp Clark Park’s new program. He did. And since coming to the aid of Clark Park, that day 20 years ago, Ayala has served as head coach of the Bantam division team and director for the Clark Park girls’ hockey league.

The league was first introduced during the 2002-03 season in an effort to get girls from the community involved in the sport. Chais Plascencia is a former Clark Park hockey player. She lived a block away from Clark Park, and as a kid always spent time there. She’s proud to say that her daughter Rosalia is now part of the league.

“It’s probably one of the best experiences you can get,” Plascencia said. “Yes there are other programs outside of Detroit I could take my daughter to, but it’s the diversity of different kids that are in it, and her having the humility of knowing she’s getting this from the neighborhood she lives in.”

When Robert Ayala first got involved with the program some two decades ago, there was very little funding for girls’ hockey.

“For those who are well-to-do, this is their sport,” Ayala said. “If you live in Trenton, Novi, Farmington Hills, you can afford to play hockey. Economically, you can’t afford it here.”

Ayala says playing Hockey can cost up to $300 a month. Determined to raise funds for the new hockey program, Ayala reached out to local businesses such as Xochimilco Restaurant, Taqueria El Nacimiento, and Ryan’s Foods for sponsorship. Later Ideal Steel and nonprofits such as SER Metro purchased new jerseys for the girls’ team.

“If you ask the community to help, they will help,” Ayala said. The newer equipment is funded through grants from USA Hockey, while used equipment is donation based from various sources.

The girls’ hockey league has become so popular that they now have different divisions, such as the Minnie Mites, Mites, Pee-Wee, and Bantam. The divisions are determined by age groups.

Chais Plascencia reflects on some of the things that have changed since she was skating for the team.

“Obviously equipment is better,” Plascencia said. “There are more donations and I feel that there’s more parent involvement.”

As a mother, Plascencia believes that the hockey team brings a lot of value to the kids. She believes the team helps the young girls learn how to play the sport, and how to protect themselves both on and off the ice.

Playing hockey helps children build confidence, teaches persistence, increases physical literacy, builds mental agility, and helps build social skills according to USA Hockey.

As a former player, she expressed her gratitude toward the league which she says helps keep young girls out of trouble and teaches them how to create lasting relationships, something that seems to be a generational tradition from the league.

“I have a lot of people I grew up with, younger and older, who bring their kids to the park,” Plascencia said. “It’s good to rekindle and reminisce.”

The rink is a community gem. Filmmaker Troy Anderson has been filming a documentary about Clark Park Hockey. He writes that “the hard work of this Mexicantown community has resulted in the preservation of Southeastern Michigan’s only full regulation outdoor ice rink and sustained the tradition of playing hockey outside in Detroit.”

Two decades in, Clark Park Hockey is stronger than ever. Ayala believes this program keeps kids focused and out of trouble at an early age.

Ayala says he’s seen former players grow into strong individuals including Hillary Valenzuela, a Western High School student, who he believes the girls’ hockey team helped with her life goals.

“You could see her movement in the right direction in life,” Ayala said.

The girls’ hockey team will celebrate their 20th anniversary with their season starting Jan. 2, and will go through March 16.

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Una liga a otro nivel: El equipo de Hockey para niñas celebra su vigésimo aniversario

En el invierno de 2000, el oficial Robert Ayala recibió una llamada de su comandante, Catherine García-Lindstrom, él se desempeñaba como oficial de policía comunitario de la comisaría 3 de Detroit; la petición fue para que el oficial ayudara a solucionar un problema de registro entre Clark Park Coalition y USA Hockey, que es la organización nacional de hockey sobre hielo de los Estados Unidos.

Ayala conocía la comunidad de hockey local, pues sus hijos practicaban Hockey, jugaban en diferentes clubes y él se desempeñaba como presidente de la Asociación de Hockey de Ecorse. Intervino y ayudó a resolver la confusión e inmediatamente se le pidió que se quedara y ayudara a renovar el nuevo programa de Clark Park. Él lo hizo. Y desde que acudió en ayuda de Clark Park, ese día hace 20 años, Ayala se ha desempeñado como entrenador en jefe del equipo de la división Bantam y director de la liga de Hockey Femenino de Clark Park.

La liga se introdujo por primera vez durante la temporada 2002-03 en un esfuerzo por involucrar a las niñas de la comunidad en el deporte. Chais Plascencia es una ex jugadora de Hockey de Clark Park, vivía a una cuadra de Clark Park, y cuando era pequeña siempre pasaba tiempo allí y ahora está orgullosa de decir que su hija Rosalía es parte de la liga.

“Probablemente sea una de las mejores experiencias que puedas tener”, dijo Plascencia. “Sí, hay otros programas fuera de Detroit a los que podría llevar a mi hija, pero es la diversidad que hay en éste, y ella tiene la humildad de saber que está obteniendo este valor agregado en el vecindario en el que vive”.

Cuando Robert Ayala se involucró por primera vez en el programa hace unas dos décadas, había muy pocos fondos para el Hockey femenino. “Para aquellos que son ricos, este es su deporte”, dijo Ayala. “Si vives en Trenton, Novi, Farmington Hills, puedes permitirte jugar al Hockey. Realmente no te lo puedes costear aquí”. Ayala dice que jugar Hockey puede costar hasta $300 al mes.

Decidido a recaudar fondos para el nuevo programa de Hockey, Ayala se acercó a empresas locales como Xochimilco, El Nacimiento y Ryan’s Food para obtener patrocinio. Más tarde, Ideal Steel y organizaciones sin fines de lucro como SER Metro donaron los uniformes nuevos para el equipo femenino.

“Si le pides ayuda a la comunidad, te ayudará”, dijo Ayala. El material y equipo nuevo se financia a través de subvenciones de USA Hockey, mientras que el equipo usado se subvenciona con donaciones de diversas fuentes.

La liga de Hockey Femenino se ha vuelto tan popular que ahora tienen diferentes divisiones, como Minnie Mites, Mites, Pee-Wee y Bantam. Las divisiones están determinadas por grupos de edad.

Chais Plascencia reflexiona sobre algunas de las cosas que han cambiado desde que jugaba para el equipo. “Obviamente actualmente el equipo es mejor; hay más donaciones y siento que hay más participación de los padres”.

Como madre, Plascencia cree que el equipo de hockey aporta mucho valor a las niñas. Ella cree que el equipo ayuda a las jóvenes a aprender cómo jugar el deporte y cómo protegerse tanto dentro como fuera del hielo.

Jugar hockey ayuda a las niñas a desarrollar confianza, enseña perseverancia, incrementa la capacidad física, desarrolla agilidad mental y ayuda a desarrollar habilidades sociales según USA Hockey.

Como ex jugadora, expresó su gratitud hacia la liga que, según dice, ayuda a mantener a las jóvenes fuera de problemas y les enseña cómo crear relaciones duraderas, algo que parece ser una tradición generacional de la liga.

“Hay muchas personas con las que crecí, jóvenes y mayores, que traen a sus hijos al parque. Es bueno reavivar y recordar esos tiempos”, dijo Plascencia.

La pista es una joya de la comunidad. El cineasta Troy Anderson ha estado filmando un documental sobre el equipo de Hockey de Clark Park. Él escribió que “el arduo trabajo de esta comunidad de Mexicantown ha resultado en la preservación de la única pista de hielo al aire libre de regulación completa del sureste de Michigan y ha mantenido la tradición de jugar Hockey al aire libre en Detroit”.

Dos décadas después, el equipo de Hockey de Clark Park está más fuerte que nunca. Ayala cree que este programa mantiene a las niñas concentradas y alejadas de los problemas a temprana edad.

Ayala dice que ha visto a exjugadoras convertirse en personas fuertes, incluida Hillary Valenzuela, una estudiante de Western High School, a quien cree que el equipo de Hockey femenino le ha ayudado con sus metas en la vida.

“Puedes ver como se está conduciendo en la dirección correcta de la vida”, dijo Ayala.

El equipo de Hockey Femenino celebrará su vigésimo aniversario con la temporada que comenzó el 2 de enero y terminará el 16 de marzo.

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