POCATELLO — There was no ice, but a group of enthusiastic teenagers used their hockey sticks to hit pucks back and forth to each other last week. The ice will come for the first ever high school hockey team in Pocatello/Chubbuck.

    Right now the players and coaches are working on basics.

    This new hockey team includes teens from all three high schools in the area: Century, Highland, and Pocatello. The new team includes mostly freshmen and sophomores with a few juniors. They are called the CPH Nighthawks, using the first letter of each high school’s name.

    They will be playing as a JV team in the Idaho Falls league. The Nighthawks will be playing 10 to 15 games against Idaho Falls High, Skyline High, and the Bonneville/Hillcrest team. Their games will take place about every other week.

    “We wanted to build the sport,” said Jim DiSanza, one of the hockey coaches. “Eventually, we’d like to have an area high school league over here.”

    Currently, the CPH Nighthawks are practicing on the hockey rink at Capell Park on roller blades. As soon as the weather gets colder, the Chubbuck Pocatello Hockey Association will freeze over the USA Hockey regulation sized ice rink at Capell Park so the team can play on their ice skates.

    The team and all of its members are USA Hockey affiliated. USA Hockey even provided the Chubbuck Pocatello Hockey Association with a big grant last year, allowing them to buy new gear including padding, jerseys, roller and ice skates.

    The practices are every Tuesday and Thursday nights at the hockey rink in Chubbuck at Capell Park, located behind City Hall. The Chubbuck Pocatello Hockey Association currently has openings for players ages 8-18 for their four divisions based on age groups. Open registration is available for the youth to join in until Nov. 18. Kids from all three schools are encouraged to come have fun on the team.

    “Everybody is welcome,” DiSanza said. “We welcome anybody who wants to play.”

    Diane Haviland, the president of the local hockey association, encourages the public to come skate at the ice rink later this winter when they are able to fill it up and freeze it over. Idaho State University’s outdoor program even rents out ice skates.

    “There’s a full-size NHL rink plus an inline roller rink,” Haviland said. “We have full glass all the way around it and everything. It’s open to the community. On the weekends, the ice rink is always open. Get a bunch of friends and come play.”

    For more information on how to register, check their website at chubbuckhockey.com.