Bakersfield is not exactly the typical area that is associated with hockey. However, there is a great hockey community within the city. This community can be attributed in part to the ECHL minor league hockey team, the Bakersfield Condors, and the presence of the San Joaquin Community Hospital Ice Center of Bakersfield.
Although it is less common to hear of someone playing hockey than it is, say, baseball, football or basketball, hockey players do exist in Bakersfield. Among the active hockey players in Bakersfield, there are CSUB students who also lace up the skates.
“I’ve been playing hockey since I was about 4 or 5, and I currently play defense on an in-house adult league team called the Black Magic,” said Hunter Lisuk, a junior history major.
Also a student at CSUB, left wing senior environmental resource management major Kevin Galanis, has been playing hockey for over half his life.
“I started playing hockey when I was 10, so I’ve been playing for 14 years. I’ve been watching hockey on TV and going to games all my life,” Galanis said.
It is easy to overlook hockey living in California, and America for that matter. Football vastly exceeds hockey in popularity, especially on the west coast. Hockey is arguably more action packed and exciting than football, so why is it that less people watch and play hockey?
“I honestly have no idea why hockey hasn’t reached the same level of popularity in the U.S. as football because hockey is a faster game and has lots of back and forth [action] throughout the game. You’re never out of it because it takes a matter of seconds to score a goal, and you can fight,” said Galanis.
Hockey is an extraordinary game and is even more fun to play. It can be difficult for beginners to get into, as many find ice skating relatively difficult which factors into the inferior popularity of hockey to football in the U.S.
“I think hockey is generally less popular than other sports because it’s a little more difficult to obtain the resources needed to play. Other sports can be played with just a ball and in schoolyards or at parks, while ice rinks are uncommon and cost money to use. The price and unavailability of hockey equipment makes it more difficult to become one of the popular sports in the nation,” said Lisuk.
Another factor that can contribute to the lack of interest in hockey is that not many people know the rules in a hockey game. Although the rules of the game can seem confusing to those who are watching a game for the first time, it is easy to pick up on the rules and scenarios that occur in an average game.
Despite all of the obstacles that hockey faces, and the lockout that shortened the current season, the National Hockey League is thriving.
According to SportsIllustrated.com, “NHL teams are filling up their buildings to 97.4 percent of capacity, and television ratings on a national level are up considerably.”
California has experienced an increase in hockey popularity as well, as the Los Angeles Kings were the 2012 Stanley Cup Champions. California also has excellent fan bases in the San Jose Sharks and the Anaheim Ducks. The battle of California is currently on in the NHL, with the Kings and Sharks both playing in the Western Conference Semi-finals.
Compared to other areas in California, Bakersfield has a loyal following of hockey fans on account of the Condors and the SJCH Ice Center of Bakersfield. However, it is still frustrating to be surrounded by individuals who are only present at a Condors game for the possibility of a fight and the refreshment of a few Bud Lights because they have no concept of what is occurring on the ice.
Nevertheless, hockey will always have a home in Bakersfield thanks in part to the passion of CSUB students for the game.
