Colorado Extreme, a local youth hockey program, has taken the midValley (and beyond) by storm, exceeding expectations on and off of the ice.
Specifically, the lack of diversity in hockey is a conversation that’s been percolating nationally, up to the National Hockey League (NHL). And, Colorado Extreme has been sought out for challenging that norm.
For example, 9News out of Denver covered the program in April. A five-minute documentary opens with the rink at 2340 County Road 100 in Carbondale; in the frame viewers see the Mexican, United States and Canadian flags flying side-by-side in the background. Visit www.bit.ly/9NewsColoradoExtreme for that story.
From there, the calls rolled in. The NHL, having already heard of the organization and donating 100 suits in its first year, was impressed to see how widespread of an impact Colorado Extreme has since made, with roughly 500 kids getting on the ice last year.
Then, the Aspen Institute invited the team’s leaders to present at the 2023 Project Play Summit in Colorado Springs, sponsored by Nike. “They had a breakout session specifically around diversity and inclusion that they asked us and two other organizations to present on. It was super impactful,” said Colorado Extreme founder and president Sheldon Wolitski.
“Now, we’re helping other organizations achieve the same types of goals,” he added. A key piece of advice that he shared was to model diversity within an organization. “Because, ‘If you can see it, you can be it.’ We say that all the time.”
Another suggestion: remove all barriers. While Wolitski has funded much of the program out of his pocket, it is a registered nonprofit. From the gear to the tournament fees, no expenses are passed onto participants’ families.
Asked how they manage to get 500 kids on the ice, Wolitski noted that moving from the smaller rink at Crown Mountain Park to the team’s very own home on CR 100, with a NHL-size rink, made a big difference.
The organization expects to grow the numbers this year as it continues to gain popularity. It’ll welcome the first 12U (12 and under) team, up from 10U in previous years, as well as an all-girls 10U team.
To keep up this winter, there are plans to lay a second outdoor rink and hold practice every day of the week. “Right now, we’re just doing six days a week, but I think we’re going to go to seven,” he added, “just to accommodate all of the kids.”
Last year, the team traveled as far as Las Vegas and Salt Lake City for tournaments. They won the Vegas tournament and the 10U A team won its state championship in Denver.
Down the road, Colorado Extreme plans to build a permanent indoor rink and is working toward submitting those plans to Garfield County. The team has already gone before the commissioners for a special use permit for its outdoor rink.
In the meantime, dryland training is in full swing, and summer ice hockey camps are hosted at the Lewis Ice Arena in Aspen.
Nikita Lu has three children in Colorado Extreme. “You look out for each others’ kids, and the kids look after each other,” she shared. “We are all a part of the team.” She appreciates that the program builds character and teaches values. “You build the person before you build the athlete,” she said. “It’s not just the stick and the puck, it’s more than that.”
Kathy Vega Muñoz has two boys in the program who had never skated before joining. “It’s built character and passion,” she echoed. “And, major credit to the coaches of Colorado Extreme, because the relationship they build with these kids is extraordinary.”
Coach Jay Wolitski, Sheldon’s little cousin, pointed out a Colorado Extreme team member who recently moved from Venezuela and has never been on the ice. The organization gave him a pair of rollerblades to practice skating before winter hits. “That’s what it’s really about, giving kids a chance who would have never played hockey,” she added.
“I don’t think we ever thought it was going to be this big,” Jay concluded. “It’s pretty incredible.”
Visit www.coloradoextreme.org to find out more. Tune into Everything Under The Sun at 4pm on Thursday, Aug. 17 for a live interview in English with the Extreme coaches. Then, at 4:30pm, El Sol Habla speaks in Spanish with Extreme’s Director of Operations Carlos Ross.