GLADWIN— The Gladwin Flying G’s are in their first year of having a varsity hockey team that operates under the Flying G’s name. The team is a co-op with Beaverton and Coleman.
There was a group effort within the community and current Flying G’s coaching staff, lasting about two years, to create the varsity team after MHSAA-sanctioned high school hockey left the area back in 2017.
“It was cool to see that happen for my senior year because I’ve pretty much wanted to do this my whole life, because hockey was my first love, so it was cool that this program got started back up again,” team captain Treyton Siegert said.
“When we used to have high school hockey back when I was in middle school, I used to come to games and always wanted to play high school hockey, and then when it got taken away, I was devastated, but obviously, we got it back, and I’m very glad,” co-captain Andrew Von Matt added.
In lieu of having an MHSAA-sanctioned varsity hockey team available, the team was playing hockey across the state, or in Gladwin Hockey Association’s “house” or “JV prep” teams.
“It’s fun to have a team back here again, in a rink that’s basically in my backyard,” Von Matt said.
The team is currently undefeated with a 2-0-1 record, their one tie being to Petoskey in a high scoring 5-5 game.
Though they’re a brand new team, all of the boys have played together in the past at some point in their careers.
“It’s nice to see all of these kids back together,” assistant coach Cory Wheeler said, who has been coaching the majority of the team since they were four years old. “Teamwork is by far the most impressive thing with these kids. They work very well together. They don’t get down on themselves. They’re here to win, they’re here to compete, and they just give it their effort.”
The players aren’t the only ones putting in effort with the new team. The community has majorly stepped up to make sure the team thrives.
“The outpouring of funds and support we’ve gotten through the community and our sponsors, we can’t say enough, or thank them enough for what they’ve done for us,” Wheeler said.
