The puck starts here

The Rangers are a traveling team that practices and plays games at Belmont Iceland, but spends many weekends traveling to destinations throughout Northern California to play against other clubs.

The Rangers are not just one team. They're more like a self-contained farm system, consisting of five teams based on age groups. The Mites are formed of players 8 and under, the Squirts are 10 and under, the Pee Wees are 12 and under, the Bantam are 14 and under, and the Midgets are 17 and under. The players move up the ranks of the five teams as they grow older, and many don't play for another team until they leave for college.

The Rangers are essentially a parent-run organization, with moms and dads herding players to games and practices, coaching teams, sitting on the board of directors, and volunteering in other ways. "Being a Ranger parent is a big commitment. It's a way of life once you've started. I practically live at this place," said assistant coach Pat Coyle.

The Rangers have long had a tradition of excellence competing at the state level, along with a club in Berkeley, throughout the 1970s and 80s. But several new clubs were founded throughout the Bay Area in the early 90s, according to Mite coach Dan Crawford, and the Rangers' talent pool declined as players joined teams in Oakland, Santa Clara, and San Jose.

But the program has rebounded, with the Mites team placing second at the state championship the last two years. Last weekend, the Pee Wees won the Turkey Shoot Tournament in San Jose, beating teams from throughout the state.

The success of the Rangers, says Crawford, has much to do with the in-house hockey program run by Belmont Iceland. Kids as young as five join the program, learning how to skate, handle the stick and puck, and all other aspects of the game. "The Hockey Director, Melissa Fitzgerald, and coach Tony Clemette deserve a lot of credit for their work. They have a program that prepares kids to play at a skilled level," said Crawford.

The Rangers' season lasts from September to March, with the playoffs extending the season well into April. The players practice twice a week, then stuff pads, sticks, and helmets into cars with plenty of trunk space for games on the weekends. The Rangers have 20-26 regular season games, but when tournament and playoff games are added, the figure approaches 50, according to Coyle.

Hockey is not for the frugal of wallet, however. Parents must purchase equipment, travel, club fees and other associated cost. So why do parents put their kids into such a foreign, time-intensive, costly sport?

"What other sport allows you to play on a frozen pond, skate really fast, wear a bunch of cool pads, and hit people into a wall?" says coach Crawford. "What's not to like about it?" He admits that hockey is one of the most expensive activities a parent can put a child into, but adds "It is so fun for the kids, the expense becomes secondary."