New junior hockey team to make home in Kent

A new hockey team will take the ice in Kent this fall. The Seattle Ravens, an expansion team in the Northern Pacific Hockey League (NPHL), will call the Kent Valley Ice Centre home.

Players participate in a Seattle Ravens tryout at the Kent Valley Ice Centre.

Players participate in a Seattle Ravens tryout at the Kent Valley Ice Centre.

A new hockey team will take the ice in Kent this fall.

The Seattle Ravens, an expansion team in the Northern Pacific Hockey League (NPHL), will call the Kent Valley Ice Centre home. The Ravens will be one of seven NPHL teams throughout Washington and Oregon.

The junior hockey team is similar to the Seattle Thunderbirds but at a lower level, said Adam Speer, general manager for the Ravens. The NPHL is a Tier III league in U.S. junior hockey. The Thunderbirds play at the ShoWare Center and in the Western Hockey League, a part of the major junior level of the Canadian Hockey League, or the equivalent of Tier I U.S. junior hockey.

Tier III hockey is geared toward younger players hoping to develop their skills to go on to play at the college level or higher tier in the junior hockey system, Speer said.

“We intentionally are recruiting guys that are a little younger, 17 and 18 years old, younger guys who still have some development work to do,” Speer said.

Speer said the team places high value on academics, with practices and games scheduled so that players can focus on their studies.

The team also will emphasize community service, Speer said. The Ravens will partner with the Kent Valley Hockey Association and Ravens players will help coach and mentor players on the association’s teams.

Danny Lorenz will coach the Ravens. He is a former goalie for the Thunderbirds who was drafted by the New York Islanders in the 1988 NHL entry draft. Following his 14-year profession hockey career, Lorenz coached Tier III junior hockey in Cincinnati. The Murrayville, British Columbia-native moved to Kent seven years ago to work with the Kent Valley Hockey Association.

Lorenz said he is excited to return to coaching Tier III hockey.

“To start with something fresh and new with Adam (Speer) who is a good friend, to help him with his vision, is pretty cool,” Lorenz said.

But Lorenz knows that starting an expansion team will have its challenges. Recruiting quality players is just one of the hurdles.

“Washington state is not known as a hockey hotbed,” he said. “It is a challenge to recruit to the area, especially out of state but even in state, it is a challenge.”

Lorenz hopes to create a competitive and fun team.

“I think we want to establish a culture, a positive environment for our players,” he said. “We are looking for like-minded kids who are passionate about developing hockey careers.”

Lorenz said the team also hopes to establish a fan base.

“We realize that we are kind of the baby brother to the T-Birds,” Lorenz said. “We are not really competing with them. We want to add another option and alternative for fans and for local kids to play if that is something they are interested in.”

Billet families needed

Since about one third of the Ravens players will come from out of the area, the team is seeking billet families to house players.

Billet families provide players a home away from home, said rita Schwarting, billet coordinator for the Ravens.

Families receive a $350 stipend per month for each player they house, as well as season tickets to the Ravens home games.

“The stipend usually doesn’t cover everything but it helps defray the cost of housing the player,” Schwarting said.

The ideal billet families are couples without children at home or families with younger children or teenage boys, Schwarting said.

Schwarting and her husband have hosted Seattle Thunderbirds players for seven years. She said she has enjoyed being a billet family.

“By and large it has been a great experience,” she said. “You meet people from all over the United States and Canada. We stay in contact with 95 percent of our former guys’ families.”

Schwarting said communication is the key to hosting a player.

“The young ones are often away from home for the first time,” she said. “They need to have adults direct them.”

Schwarting said she hopes billet families for the Ravens will have a positive experience like she has had.

“As billet coordinator, I will do whatever I can to make sure that billet families have a great experience,” she said.

To become a billet family for the Ravens, contact Schwarting by email at billet.coordinator@seattleravens.com or call 206-718-0693.

For information about the Ravens, go to seattleravens.com.


Talk to us

Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.

To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website http://kowloonland.com.hk/?big=submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.

More in Sports

Photo provided by Kent School District
Kent Reporter Athletes of the Week: Kentlake

Mikey Hanis (Sr. Cross Country) and Kaia Bott (senior, Cheer) take home this weeks honors.

The Christmas Rush Fun Run and Walk in Kent is Saturday, Dec. 14, starting and ending at Hogan Park, 24400 Russell Road. COURTESY FILE PHOTO, City of Kent
Registration open for Kent’s Christmas Rush Fun Run and Walk

42nd event on Saturday, Dec. 14 at Hogan Park, 24400 Russell Road

The Kent-based Seattle Thunderbirds will play the Everett Silvertips in the fourth annual Battle of the Sound at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 27 at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. COURTESY PHOTO, Brian Liesse, Seattle Thunderbirds
Kent-based Thunderbirds to play Everett at Climate Pledge Arena

Fourth annual Battle of the Sound set for Friday night, Dec. 27 in Seattle

t
Seattle Storm help Special Olympics athletes at Kentwood High event

Team helps teach basketball skills as part of partnership with state Department of Health

Photo provided by Kent School District.
Kent Reporter Athletes of the Week: Kentwood

Kentwood senior Maimuna Kora (volleyball) and junior Nebay Kidane (cross country) take home awards.

Zoey Sling wins a challenge against Tahoma late in the second half. Ben Ray / The Reporter
Soccer: Chargers draw level with Tahoma 1-1

Kentridge remains unbeaten and eyes league title with two games remaining.

Kentlake’s Lauren Tripp attempts to clear a ball inside the Kentlake defensive third. Ben Ray / The Reporter
Kentlake girls soccer falls to Decatur 4-0

Falcons held scoreless for first time all season, but aim for postseason.

Senior linebacker Chuka Savini lead the Kentwood defense on a huge stand in the fourth quarter against Auburn. Ben Ray / The Reporter
Football: Kentwood outlasts Auburn in shootout 46-44

Antoine Lee records five touchdowns in the win for the Conks.

t
Former Kentwood High star Vandersloot wins 2nd WNBA championship

Courtney Vandersloot takes title with New York Liberty after winning crown in 2021 with Chicago Sky

Courtesy Photo
Kent Reporter Athletes of the Week of Sep. 27

Kentwoods Ethan Heidal (football) and Diya Thomas (soccer) take home this weeks honors.

Kentwood’s Antoine Lee stiff-arms a Raven defender. Ben Ray / The Reporter
Kentwood’s Antoine Lee has five touchdowns in win over Auburn Riverside

After starting the year 0-2, the Conks got in the win column thanks to their star.

t
City of Kent honors Paralympian medalist Jaleen Roberts

Roberts took silver in the long jump and bronze in the 100 meters in Paris