sun load. Courtesy/LAHA
SPORTS News:
After a tough opening loss to the Santa Fe Capitals, the Los Alamos Atoms (6U) team bounced back against the Capitals in their fourth game of the Los Alamos Hockey Association (LAHA) End-Of-Year Hockey Jamboree with an exciting win to even the record with our closest, friendly competition from Santa Fe. The Los Alamos Atoms team was comprised of 30-players divided into 3-separate sub-teams that also competed against the NMAHA Scorpions (Rio Rancho, NM) and NMICE Ice Wolves (Albuquerque, NM) over this two-day hockey jamboree played February 15 – 16, 2025 at the Los Alamos County Ice Rink. Overall, the team finished with a jamboree best record of 6-1-1 in the (6U) age division.
Coach Joe Artnak commented:
“We had a fantastic turnout for this event that brought teams from all over northern New Mexico. The (8U) age division also included the Ice Tigers (Taos, NM) and New Mexico Mustangs (only all-girls ice hockey association in New Mexico) teams. The success of these events demonstrates our vision for continued youth ice hockey player development and progression here in Los Alamos, but more importantly, across the entire state of New Mexico. Ice hockey is not only here to stay, it is here to thrive!”
“We continue to battle a shortened season due to difficulties associated with increasing sun load, snow removal, and inconsistent weather conditions. In fact, sun load caused a 25% loss of available ice area in the afternoons during this event, but we have remained successful and adaptable in our planning with tremendous help and support from our parents, families, and larger organizational and community volunteers. Looking forward, we are extremely excited to have the support and backing of the Los Alamos County Parks and Recreation Board as well as the Los Alamos County government and community at large to help us review, design, and hopefully implement a sun-shade structure at the ice rink within the next two years. This would be a one-size fits all solution to our most critical issues and concerns with growing our ice hockey program as well as supporting our winter ice skating and summer roller derby, hockey, skating, and other youth activities. Even our youngest (6U) players understand the importance of this effort and are counting on us (as a leading organization and community) to make this a reality.”
A list of Los Alamos Atoms (6U) team players during the jamboree follows:
Isla Rosenow, Stephen Christensen, Patrick Keenan, Alexander Chandler, Rowynn Gong, Devlin Rosenow, Cayden Gong, Eli Fleming, William Elliott, Anne Long, Eli Artnak, Carter Disterhapt, Torren Certik, Bryan Charonko, Gideon Kestell, Mollie Wooten, Asher Johnson, Ryan Sargent, Owen Fresquez, Everett Morrison, Phoebe Byrd, Maja Mcatee, Riley Martin, Julianna Mcatee, Clara Jennings, Kason Martin, Asher Tomko, Orion Johnson, Tavish Dean, and Lachlan Blom.