Thankful for our hockey families

As we come back from Thanksgiving break, we want to take a moment to share our gratitude for the incredible families that make our hockey community so strong. Your support—driving to late practices, early games, cheering in cold rinks, helping with gear, volunteering at events, and encouraging your players every step of the way—creates the foundation our athletes rely on.

We’re here for each other, and that sense of community is what makes this program special. With more holidays approaching—a time that can be exciting but also stressful—we encourage everyone to take care of themselves and look out for one another.

Thank you for showing up, lifting each other up, and helping build a culture where every player can grow, compete, and have fun. We’re grateful for the dedication, positivity, and teamwork that our families bring to the rink each and every day.

Here’s to the continuation of a great season —and to the families who make it all possible.

Thanks, Brad

Our community is stronger because of the people who are in it. Read on to learn more about those who make it so special.

The Yonker Family

Many of you already know Brandon and Kobe. Or, do you?Here we'll spotlight how they stay involved in our community, reveal their chosen superpowers, and tell us what it means to be a General!

How long have you been a part of this hockey community, and why?

Brandon: My first experience with NIHA stretches back 30 years.  I was a Junior at Newark Catholic...

 Fifteen years later, I walked into the Lou & Gib Reese arena for the first time with my son, Kobe, to an NIHA opening-day event...

Since then, NIHA and hockey have been a major part of our lives. The lessons we have both learned through our time being a part of NIHA have been invaluable.  The connections and friendships my family has developed in the hockey community in central Ohio are some things my family greatly values.   

Click below to read the full family interview!  

• 12/26 Annual Alumni game 4:30 - 6:20 pm
• 12/29 & 12/30 Holiday Clinic 8u/10u 4:15-6:15pm each day. 12u/14u 6:25-8:25pm each day
• 1/11 National Hockey Moms' Day celebration
• 1/31 Varsity Tailgate
• 2/5 Senior night
• 3/6-3/8 Newark Invitational for 8U & 10U House teams
• 3/13-3/15 Newark Invitational for 12U & 14U Travel B teams
• 3/21 Save the Date for 30th Anniversary/Year-end Banquet at Venue 901 in Newark!

• Jersey order #3/FINAL: Orders are in. Speak to a manager.
• Jersey order #2: Delivered
• Jersey order #1: Delivered

Interested in apparel, helmet decals, or other Gens products & gifts? Click one of the buttons below to view your selections and make a purchase.

Help strengthen our community and become a volunteer! Our non-profit organization relies on volunteers to run our programs and to help keep costs down.

Please contact any Board member to learn more and get involved!

Join the Planning Committee for the 30th Anniversary to help plan this milestone event!

Looking for volunteers to help identify potential sponsors, DJ/photographer/videographer, secure silent auction donations, assist with alumni outreach, and help with day-of setup, clean-up, and coordination. 

Whether you’re full of creative inspiration, great with logistics, or want to be part of the fun, we’d love to have you join us. This is a great way to get involved and help create a memorable night for our players, families, and alumni.

If you see someone wearing this pin, ask them what it means and learn how you can get one!

Sign up for Kroger Community Rewards and link your Kroger Plus Card to the Newark Ice Hockey Association. A percentage of your spending will go directly back to the Generals—helping our players and programs grow.

✅ No extra cost to you

✅ Doesn’t affect your Kroger fuel points or rewards

✅ Just shop like you normally do!

👉 Register today at www.kroger.com/communityrewards and search for Newark Ice Hockey Association.

Every swipe makes a difference. Thank you for supporting the Generals!

NIHA has proudly teamed up with R. Riveter, a handbag company with a mission; their signature bags are assembled by military spouses across the U.S.A. The owner of the brand is local to Granville and -a parent of a Newark General!

R. Riveter will be offering 15% off your purchase as well as a 15% donation to NIHA with each purchase when you use the code NEWARK_HOCKEY

Shop with a purpose, double the impact!

Strength Through Community.

Go Generals!

A good coach can change a game. A great coach can change a life.

-John Wooden

UCLA Basketball Coach

The NIHA all-coaches meeting took place on 9/8 with coaches ranging from 8U through Varsity in attendance. They discussed rules and expectations for the 2025-'26 season, shared tips & tools for successful practice structures, game-day experiences, and more. Hockey Director, Jeff Laird, highlighted the importance of being a mentor and the benefits of positivity; "Not only do great coaches provide the technical knowledge and tactical guidance to improve an athlete's performance and lead a team to success, but they also teach young people how to interact, bond, grow, learn, and overcome adversity."

Next time you see one of our amazing coaches, please let them know how much you appreciate their time, effort, and energy.

2025-2026 marks the 30th anniversary of NIHA and Generals Hockey, so what better time could there be to bring back the annual banquet to reflect on our past season as well as honor players, coaches, volunteers, and alumni?

In years past, the NIHA community would gather to reflect on its season during an annual banquet. Over time, this event faded away, but it was never forgotten. In fact, it's remembered by Gens alumni as one of the highlights of the season. This year we are bringing it back, bigger and better than ever!

Event Details

Date: Saturday, 3/21, 2026

Location: Venue 901, Newark, Ohio

The 30th Anniversary Celebration & Year-end event will serve as:

• A season wrap-up recognizing the dedication and achievements of our players, coaches, and volunteers.
• A celebration of 30 years of youth hockey in our community.
• An opportunity to strengthen community ties through alumni engagement, sponsorship recognition, and family participation.
• A fundraising opportunity to support the league’s continued growth and future programs.

The next 30th Anniversary planning meeting is scheduled for 12/9/25 at 8pm HYBRID (Teams and Meeting Room at rink). Join the fun!

Food Drive recap:

120 lbs. of food collected to support the Food Pantry Network of Licking County

• Shed hours are from 6-8pm Wednesday nights, or by appointment. Contact Andy Hollis, Gear Coordinator
• Registration is ongoing for our 8U in-house program and 10U House division participating in the CBJHL
• Mark your calendars for Thanksgiving and Winter Holiday clinics! Dates and details to come.
• Reminder to all players, please make sure your USA number is uploaded into Crossbar, and players 17 or turning 17 this season need to complete the SafeSport player training.  

Registration for the Winter '26 session is now live! The Lou offers a six-week beginner adult hockey program. All adults who've ever had any interest in hockey are encouraged to sign up. Let’s grow the sport of hockey right here in Licking County. Besides, your kids might think you're cool if you try it! Sign-up today!

• Adult League playoffs start in December 
• Next session games start in January 
• Standing below:

ANNUAL ALUMNI GAME

Calling all Gens Alumni! Work off that holiday feast by joining us for the Annual Gens Alumni Game on 12/26 from 4:30-6:20 pm.

Please spread the word and tag friends on social media to help us reach more people. We hope to have a big turnout this year in honor of NIHA's 30th Anniversary. Click below to register

PRIZE TIME!

Sign in on the paper at the front desk to enter your name into a drawing. Following the game, we'll have pizza and announce one winner! The Prize? Their Adult League fees for the Winter '26 Session will be covered, a $255 value!

For those interested, we'll head over to The Lot afterwards to continue the festivities.

Lane Doersam from the Gens JV team was the first player to guess correctly... the kid in the picture is Coach Wieber!

Congrats Lane, you won a $15 gift certificate! See Coach to claim your prize!

We are a beginner-friendly, small, non-checking, recreational hockey league for women of all skill levels (18 years and older). Whether you are new to hockey or a seasoned vet, we would love to have you join us on the ice!

Note: The NIHA women’s league has games just before the adult skills session on Sunday nights. Ladies, join both! We hope to see some moms out there!

National Hockey Moms Day Celebration

January 9th, 2026, is National Hockey Mom's Day! Let's celebrate and recognize the hard work of mothers in supporting their children's hockey activities.

And since Gens' Hockey Moms are the BEST Hockey Moms, we are planning events to let them know how much we appreciate them.

Date: Sun, Jan 11th, 2026

4:30 pm –5:30 pm: Wellness Presentation with refreshments, door prizes, and time to connect with other hockey moms

5:30 pm – 6:20 pm: Shed time to grab gear for MTHFF

6:20 pm –7:10 pm: Mom's Try Hockey For FREE (no skating skills needed!)

7:20 pm: Stay for Women’s League 

Help us grow our image library by sending us a favorite photo or video clip to feature on our website and social media. We want to see players, families, and volunteers from all across NIHA, top to bottom, representing what it means to be a General on or off the ice.

Please send images as .jpg files and video as MP4. Bonus if you share a quote on what it means to be a General! Send to Nandi O'Dell at odellnandi@gmail.com or text to 614-563-3579