See the recent Sound Slideshow on BYHL
Burrowed deep in the maze of north Wayland, and a 15-minute drive from Wayland High School, the Backyard Hockey League brings together WHS sophomore, junior, and senior hockey lovers every Sunday.
One December day in the back of history class, juniors Evan Barber, Lee Junkin, Connor O’Regan and Doug Lyons had a “joke of an idea” to start a recreational hockey league with other friends who played the sport. This idea soon turned into reality when schedules and teams were formed, Junkin’s ice rink became their designated rink, and what was once a crazy thought turned into the BYHL.
After all of the planning was complete, Evan Barber and Lee Junkin took over the league as co-commissioners and got other Wayland hockey players involved. They decided that Sundays would be their league day because every other day of the week they were playing hockey for the high school team, and that would be the only time that Junkin’s rink would be available.
“Sundays get really hectic,” said Barber. “Pretty much Shane Brady, Lee Junkin, and I, show up at ten and start setting up speakers, tables, and we get the grills and the firepit going, and we try and make it wicked nice because the first game’s supposed to start at 10:30.”
Throughout the day, eight to ten games are played, and each team plays at least twice. A team in the BYHL consists of four players, but only three can play at a time. Each game consists of two eight minute halves, and will go to continuous two-minute overtimes if the game is tied. The fifth overtime becomes sudden death.
A minor penalty takes the player off the ice for one minute, a major penalty takes a player out for two minutes. Instigating a fight gets a player taken off of the ice for three minutes. Each player is allowed three fights over the course of the two games they play every Sunday. If a player fights more then three times, they miss their next game.
“My favorite part of the BYHL is definitely seeing the guys settle their conflicts out there on the ice, either through hockey or potentially some roughhousing, but we keep it all safe,” said Oliver Levin, a BYHL commentator.
Senior E.J. Nicholas built custom goals for the league, which have two openings where a goal can be scored. The team standings are based on a point system, with two points for a win and one for an over-time loss. The team with the most points is in first place, and the team with the least points is in last. After every completed game, the losing team must clean the ice.
“The atmosphere is usually very positive,” said Lee Junkin. “We usually get Mark Haffey free-styling up on the mic over there. It’s usually a lot of joking around. We get a bit competitive sometimes, Haffey is a competitor, but other than that, it’s a very positive atmosphere.”
Junkin and his parents act as the hosts for BYHL every Sunday, supplying a rink that they co-own with another family.
“It’s a great opportunity for these guys to get out on a Sunday and get some exercise and bond more as a team,” said Beth Junkin, Lee Junkin’s mother. “A lot of different classes come together, sophomore through senior, and I think it’s been great for the boys. They’ve all been very polite and helpful, and they really organized the whole thing themselves, so it’s been easy.”
Every Sunday, the swish of skates on the ice, the steady beat of music, and the loud cheering from the sidelines can be heard throughout the Junkins’ front yard, setting the mood for the league. The players continue to sharpen their skills and share their love of the icy sport as they prepare for the upcoming playoff games.
As senior and player Cogan Register puts it, “What do hockey players do on their day off? Play more hockey.”
