Stearns, FA could be on ice next year Numbers a major issue for both schools

Hockey players for Stearns High School of Millinocket and Foxcroft Academy of Dover-Foxcroft may have extra incentive this season.

This could be the final season of hockey at the two institutions.

Stearns, which has had varsity hockey since the 1984-85 season, and Foxcroft, which put its first team on the ice a year later, have significant numbers problems created by the loss of their youth hockey programs.

Stearns High School athletic director Tom Winston and Foxcroft AD Tim Smith said their teams each have only 14 players and seven of them are seniors.

And there doesn’t appear to be nearly enough eighth graders to compensate for the loss of the seniors next season.

“It’s not that we don’t want to have the program,” said Smith. “The Academy has no interest in dropping hockey. I like the program and the school likes having it.

“It’s totally a numbers game,” said Smith.

Winston agreed.

“It’s going to be very tough to continue hockey next year only because we have no feeder program now,” said Winston. “We’ve run the cycle. That last class of players who went through our youth program [are upperclassmen].

“I’d love to keep it but it’s tough without a feeder system,” added Winston.

Smith said youngsters in their district who want to play hockey are in the Bangor youth program and the numbers have dwindled.

“There are a lot of kids who live on the fringe who aren’t playing any more and the parents aren’t as interested because their kids have to go to Bangor to practice and play,” explained Smith.

Youth players from Millinocket would have to play in Bangor or Houlton.

Players and coaches at the two schools have been at a distinct disadvantage ever since they instituted hockey but both have managed to have some productive seasons.

Neither community is close to an indoor hockey arena while virtually all of the teams they play against are within 20 miles of an indoor arena and get more practice time.

Stearns and Foxcroft Academy have outdoor rinks they use when the weather cooperates.

Foxcroft Academy currently practices at Bangor’s Sawyer Arena a couple of times a week while Stearns practices at Houlton’s Millar Arena on Wednesday evenings.

It is approximately 70 miles from Millinocket to Houlton and 40 from Dover-Foxcroft to Bangor.

Smith said between ice time and the expense of renting a school bus to take the players to Bangor, it costs approximately $500 per trip. Winston said they get a great break on ice rental in Houlton so their Wednesday practices, including transportation, costs them around $300.

“Traveling at least two hours round trip for practice makes it rough on the kids,” said Winston.

Then, if you have a warm winter like last year’s, the availability of outdoor ice is limited.

“Logistically, it’s a very tough town to have a hockey team,” said Smith.

The other problem for the two schools is hockey is a specialized sport.

Smith pointed out that if you have low numbers in other sports, like football or basketball, you can recruit athletic youngsters from the community to play.

“But if you can’t skate, you can’t play hockey,” said Smith.

Coach Anthony Phillips and his Foxcroft Academy Ponies open against Maranacook of Readfield Saturday at Kents Hill while Coach Shawn Boutaugh and his Stearns Minutemen open on Tuesday against Houlton-Hodgdon.