The Parking Lot Volume 17
From the Parking Lot to 25 Years Later, We’re Still Lacing Up
As the holidays settle and the new year begins, most people are making resolutions like “go to the gym,” “save more money,” or “stop eating leftover cookies for breakfast.”
Meanwhile, the AHA community is over here lacing up skates, breaking in new tape, and wondering if Santa can retroactively add “backcheck more” to our wish list.
2026 isn’t just another year — it marks the 25th Anniversary of the Adult Hockey Association.
Twenty-five years of new teammates becoming lifelong friends.
Twenty-five years of slapshots that definitely weren’t going top shelf, but felt like it.
Twenty-five years of first goals, first teams, first tournament… and yes, first time falling trying to stop.
Some of us have been here since the early days, back when DVDs were new, and dial-up still screamed at us. Some joined last season. Others walked in this winter thinking, “I can’t skate… but maybe I can learn.” And that’s the magic of AHA. It’s not about how old you are, how fast you are, or how many goals you score. It’s about showing up even when you feel like you don’t belong on the ice yet and discovering you do.
This year, we’re celebrating not just where we’ve been, but where we’re going. Because AHA isn’t just a league; it’s a launchpad. A community. A reminder that trying something new is brave.
Which brings us to this month’s Player Spotlight — the perfect example of what can happen when someone takes that first brave step onto the ice. Tyler Maxey’s story starts like many of ours: a spark of interest, a leap of faith, and the realization that this game has a way of changing us.
Player Spotlight
Name: Tyler Maxey
Hometown: Elkhart, Indiana
# / Position: #5 Forward
Team / Tier: C3 Growlers & C2 Boreal Hockey Club
As a child of the ’90s, it’s easy to point to a single moment and say, “That made me want to play hockey.” Who didn’t want to be a Duck set up the Flying V, or send a knuckle puck screaming into the net? The Christmas after The Mighty Ducks came out, I was all things hockey. I asked for a net, sticks, pucks… and maybe checked a few family members into cabinets. But with limited resources and barely any rinks around, hockey wasn’t in the cards. Instead, I spent summers playing tennis and winters fencing.
Fast forward to 2018: I accepted a job that required me to move to Minnesota. My first house-hunting trip just so happened to land during an April blizzard. Classic welcome, right? One of the first Minnesotans I met asked me, “So… what’s your winter hobby?” It felt like a quintessential question, and I had no idea how to answer. Hockey? No way, I didn’t even know how to skate, and I was already 30. Curling? Maybe. If a group of dads could win Olympic gold, maybe I could figure it out. So I learned to curl, joined a team, and spent two seasons on the ice.
Then COVID hit. I moved closer to my now-wife and away from the curling club. I missed the ice. I missed being on a team. One spring night in 2021, thanks to a rerun of The Mighty Ducks and a little liquid courage, I convinced myself that skating didn’t look that hard. A quick Google search led me to the AHA Beginner School program… and my life changed for the better.
It was the summer of 2021. Masks were required, and we had to get dressed for our first practice in the parking lot. To this day, I laugh thinking about how I didn’t know what any of my teammates’ faces looked like for the first three months. After a few lessons, we were split into teams, asked to pick a name, and designate a captain. Our group of passionate, positive players became the Growlers and they asked me to be captain, a role I’m grateful to still hold today.
Since day one, the Growlers have felt like a true community—people genuinely working to get better together. It’s been incredible watching teammates who came “just for exercise” get hooked on competition… players who once only wanted to score now searching for the pass. From D2 to C3, with half the team still together from Beginner School, we’ve grown through teamwork, effort, and joy for the game.
My hope is that all of us in AHA continue to stay motivated by each other, committed to improving together, and always ready to welcome anyone curious about hockey. There’s no greater courage than trying something new and failing for a little while.
Because if I can learn to skate at 30… anyone can.
Hockey Happens On the Ice – But AHA Happens Everywhere
Before we wrap up this month’s edition, we want to leave you with a reminder of what truly makes the AHA special. It isn’t just the goals, the wins, or the perfect tape job that actually stays on for more than two periods. It’s the people. The parking lot laughs. The shared beverages after a tough loss. The “we’ll get ‘em next time” handshakes. The warm gloves raised in cheers on a cold Minnesota night.
Like this moment, captured by David Biren of the D1 No Stars, where his team gathered in the lot after a loss not defeated, but connected. The scoreboard said one thing. The night said something else entirely
As we roll deeper into our 25th Anniversary year, we want to keep celebrating moments just like this. If you have a photo or player spotlight nomination, please reach out to communications@ahahockey.com.
| Program | Start Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 Winter Beginner School | Nov 17th | FULL, IN PROGRESS |
| 2025-26 Winter League | Nov 1st | STARTED |
| 2026 Summer Beginner School | Registration Opens Jan 20th | UPCOMING |
