Ponies | 1960–65
In the early 1960’s rink conditions were very different from those of the present. Few rinks were available and rink maintenance was poor. It was not easy for the coaches. Wally Vandelae, Joe Herzog, and many others deserve much credit for their struggle to keep ice for the players.
When the Ponies were formed in 1963, Mud Lake was the only ice available. An appeal was made to Sibley officials to use school rinks on weekends.
With generous permission, the two Sibley hockey rinks gave the Ponies ice time. The fast-growing program gave our boys a start at an early age. By the early 1970s, many became fine athletes—playing on the Sibley, Brady, and St. Thomas hockey teams, and eventually playing on college teams.
The West St. Paul Youth Hockey program expanded in 10 years from 5 teams to 29 teams or from 80 boys to 464 boys.
More rinks were needed and the growing number of coaches worked many hours rebuilding the Harmon hockey rink. They built the lighted Oakdale hockey rink. Following, they leased land near Orme Ave., it was graded and a rink with lights was constructed. All was donated time, materials, and construction. The next year, the city of West St. Paul furnished lumber, and the men built the present warming house at Orme hockey rink. The Orme rink was of great importance to our program. It was flooded pre-season and post-season by coaches and saved many playoffs from forfeit.
West St. Paul Youth Hockey Association | 1966–71
In 1966 the coaches organized the West St. Paul Youth Hockey Association with funds donated by George Heimel, Sr. By-laws and constitution were written and incorporated in 1966.
West St. Paul Youth Athletic Association | 1972–199?
In 1972 it was re-incorporated as the West St. Paul Youth Athletic Association. The original incorporators were Wally Vandelac, Jr., Dwane Melville, Albert Braga, Bruce David, Kenneth Kirk, and John Hoene. By 1973, membership was opened up to any interested person in our community.
One of the finest early tournament wins was the Bloomington Bantam tourney, beating the Edina team that was later State champs.
For several years our teams have had a friendly exchange with teams for Fort Gary (Winnipeg). This year it was our turn to travel north and 10 teams took this eventful trip.
Teams were able to extend seasons beyond outdoor ice thanks to Bob Ridder and the other builders of the Wakota Arena and those who provided ice time until the West Saint Paul Civic Center Arena dream came true in 1973 after 5 years of unceasing effort.