Town league hockey season opens January 5

Look to build off last year’s success

By Than Acuff 

When Bill Frame took over as executive director of the West Elk Hockey Association (WEHA) two years ago, he inherited an adult town league in Crested Butte that had seen better days. As a result, he made it one of his many goals to revitalize the storied program last year and his efforts are paying off.

Seeing the better players frustrated with the variety of levels of players on the ice, the not-so-good players frustrated with the better players, folks who used to play town league hockey not playing anymore and people looking to start playing too intimidated, Frame decided a change was needed.

Last year he introduced two leagues to the Crested Butte Town League hockey program. For the better players he made an A/B league and for the rest he created a C/B league, and the change was an immediate success. In what was turning into one league of seven or eight teams was now two leagues with 11 total teams.

“I thought it went really well,” says Frame. “The A/B league was an outlet for the more competitive people and the C/B league was mellower for people just having fun playing hockey.”

As a result, he’s keeping the new format for the 2025 town league season, and he already has more players registered than the same time last year.

“There are a lot of people coming out to play who haven’t played town league in a while,” says Frame. “And it’s giving people an opportunity to start playing. Half of the elementary teachers at the school are signed up to play.”

But the league could always use more and registration for the Crested Butte adult town league is open until midnight on Saturday, December 28 so there’s time to still sign up. Frame does ask that folks sign up ahead of the deadline and warns people it’s a “hard” deadline at midnight.

“We start the season on January 5 and there’s a lot to do to get things ready,” says Frame.

Frame hopes to have enough signed up to fill six teams in each league and has room for more thanks to the cooperation of Joey Carpenter and town of Crested Butte Parks and Recreation and the rink crew.

“I can get more ice time if needed,” says Frame. “The rink staff and rec department are willing to go out on a limb to help us out. It’s a good relationship.”

C/B league games will be on Sunday and Wednesday evenings and the A/B games will be Monday and Thursday evenings, all games between 6:45 and 9 p.m.

To register go to wehockey.org and right now the leagues are even looking flush with goalies. But, as always, officials are a little harder to come by, especially with the retirement of Jack “Turner” Gibbons and it’s too late to get certified for this season through USA Hockey. But, if you have your training in place and can help, reach out through the WEHA website.