Youth Hockey Jamboree Opens Los Alamos Season, Teams Shine

The Los Alamos Hockey Association officially launched its 2025 youth season on December 5 with a full day Season Opening Hockey Jamboree at the Los Alamos County Ice Rink. The event brought teams from Santa Fe, Rio Rancho, Albuquerque, and Taos, and showcased the LAHA Atoms 6U and LAHA Mites 8U amid spirited competition and significant logistical hurdles.

Organizers faced a major challenge when mechanical problems delayed ice readiness until the day before the jamboree. Compressed practice time complicated preparations, but coordinated efforts by LAHA volunteers, families, coaches, and Los Alamos County Ice Rink management and staff enabled the rink to open in time for scheduled games. The community response ensured visiting teams could compete and local players had a meaningful start to the season.

On the ice, the LAHA Mites 8U dominated early play, scoring five goals in the first ten minutes of their opening match and finishing the jamboree with a 4 to 0 record. Standout contributors included points leader Korbin Parton, defensive anchor Wyatt Smith, and goaltender Gurmukh Khalsa. The LAHA Atoms 6U posted a 2 to 0 record, winning both of their games despite limited practice, with notable performances from Cayden Gong, Carter Disterhaupt, Gideon Kestell, and Asher Johnson. Coaches praised player resilience and the broad community effort that made the event possible. Multiple photos from John McHale of ladailypost.com document the day.

Beyond the scoreboard, the jamboree exposed operational vulnerabilities at a key county facility. The last minute compressor issues that nearly derailed the event point to the need for preventive maintenance, clearer contingency planning, and dedicated funding paths to avoid future disruptions. For parents and residents, reliable ice time affects youth development, travel demands, and volunteer commitments. For county officials, the episode raises questions about maintenance schedules and resource allocation ahead of an expanded season of youth sports.

The successful execution despite setbacks reflected strong civic engagement and volunteer capacity in Los Alamos. Moving forward, county leaders and LAHA organizers will need to translate that community energy into stable operational plans to ensure youth sports remain accessible and uninterrupted.