Having spent their fair share of time in ice and roller hockey rinks, Meka Trepainer and Trevor Sandham figured it was time to use their experience to the betterment of the game.
Wanting to give roller hockey a new face, the friends have ventured into business together, creating The Hockey House.
The Hockey House is located at #107 20740 Mufford Cres. After renovating the building over the past five months, they ran a small men’s league over the summer.
But the real season begins Sept. 17 as The Hockey House’s kids and adults ball hockey and roller hockey league start play for the season.
The Hockey House will also offer drop-in hockey, camps and clinics and tournaments.
“Roller hockey especially, but both sports, there is a growing demand for them,” Trepanier said.
The goal is to offer a higher level of competition and help develop the players as they grow in the game.
The Hockey House, which is about 20,000 square feet, features a full-size roller hockey arena with a SportCourt, or roller hockey specific, floor.
Both Trepainer, who is 29, and the 30-year-old Sandham played ice hockey growing up and got their starts in roller hockey during their later teenage years.
Trepainer was in White Rock while Sandham was in Victoria.
“Langley was the only town that ever offered roller hockey,” Trepainer said, referring to playing initially where The Hockey House now is, and then later at the Walnut Grove Sportsplex.
But with Sportplex converting one of its two roller hockey rinks to ice, the pair felt the time was right to open a facility dedicated just to roller and ball hockey.
“We wanted a new place with a new attitude and a new vibe,” Trepanier said.
“It has been a childhood dream of mine to be a part of a roller hockey facility full time and I’m grateful to be given my chance.
“I want to be able to grow the game that I love, and get as many people as possible interested in the sport.”
He expects to take his expertise from playing in multiple roller hockey league as each one has been operated slightly different.
For Sandham, growing up in Victoria, he didn’t play in a typical roller hockey league.
Instead, he would gather with a group of guys from his work and they would play every Sunday night in an underground parking garage. The games would begin at 10 p.m. and sometimes last until 4 a.m.
Once he moved to the Lower Mainland, Sandham, who plays goal, joined organized leagues and has not looked back.
“I look forward to being able to share the goalie skills I’ve acquired with the up and coming youth in efforts to create great goalies for our local teams.”