Over the years, numerous playoff banners have accumulated in the rafters inside Hobbs Ice Center in Eau Claire. Banners of Columbia blue and banners of purple, signifying the accomplishments of the North Huskies and Memorial Old Abes boys’ hockey teams. Each team has had the runs of success, with several trips by both squads to the WIAA state tournament in Madison.

Hockey has meant much to the kids, parents, and residents of Eau Claire, from the part of our state cold enough to support outdoor pond hockey rinks. The sport has produced local professional players reaching the National Hockey League, like Jake Dowell. Hockey also managed to end the city’s three-decade-long public school state title drought when the 2008 Old Abes brought home the trophy from Madtown.

To further prove the importance of hockey to Eau Claire, recall the 2005-06 season, when both the Huskies and Old Abes, each ranked near the top of statewide polls, were determined to have ineligible players on their rosters, wiping away most of the teams’ wins for the year. Passions were so intensely stoked that security concerns were raised for one North-Memorial game late that season, since the player ineligibilities were revealed by parents from the rival schools.

“Competitiveness is NOT a factor in deciding whether or not to form a co-op. In fact, it is specifically precluded by the WIAA.” – Mike Sullivan, “the voice” of local hockey

Therefore, when news began to break earlier this year that North and Altoona boys’ hockey parents were advocating the formation of a co-op amongst the schools, I was surprised that such a top-flight prep hockey program with a long record of success would find itself in position to need another school’s students to field a team. The proposal floated in February was to possibly combine the Huskies and Railroaders hockey teams with Fall Creek High School players.

Co-ops can be used to field full teams to compete in cases when enrollment does not provide enough players at a given school. You may be familiar with the Eau Claire Stars, a girls’ hockey co-op consisting of Memorial, North and Altoona players, and soon to be expanded to include Mondovi, Fall Creek, and Eau Claire Regis students. Co-ops are used for other sports in the region, as well. However, hearing the term “co-op” with “North boys’ hockey” threw me for a loop.

The Huskies parents promoting a co-op claim that declining enrollment on the north side has resulted in a smaller roster and younger – and more physically vulnerable – players on the ice. A co-op might also allow a viable junior varsity hockey team.

How did North get to this situation? One of the best people to ask in the Chippewa Valley is Mike Sullivan, longtime radio play-by-play man of area high school and college athletics and the voice of hockey our area. Sullivan sees the enrollment decline as not necessarily a trend but as “cyclical.”

“The numbers of North-side kids involved in youth hockey has been down for a few years. There also were a few players who transferred to a private school or decided not to come out for hockey.”

Having multiple coaches in recent years has also not helped the on-rink results, according to Sullivan. He says, “that, more than numbers, impacts systems.”

One of the biggest concerns is that North may be shrinking from relevance in hockey, but Sullivan points out that we need to understand that “competitiveness is NOT a factor in deciding whether or not to form a co-op. In fact, it is specifically precluded by the WIAA. Can North compete? Certainly. They won a WIAA State Championship in baseball in 2011. Can they co-op? Maybe ... if the bodies involved approve. But the decision to apply for a co-op cannot be based on a desire to be more competitive. I saw a team in the WIAA Sectional Semifinals (Chequamegon/Phillips) with the same number of players as North.”

The parents’ co-op proposal has been tabled for the time-being, but regardless of any need to combine North with other schools to keep younger players off the ice, perhaps we needn’t fear the end of North’s state title potential.

As the current NCAA basketball tournament proves, the big boys do not always win – talent and chemistry are major factors. The Husky may be a bit smaller these days, but never underestimate its heart.