SCOUTS HOCKEY’S HAT TRICK

Hockey club featuring Lake Forest High School icemen has been built on the triad of team work, character, and community involvement. The 2025-2026 season marks its 50th anniversary.

WHEN HE FIRST SPOKE to a room full of fellow Scouts Hockey JV Gold players, right wing Bobby Rolek was a Lake Forest High School (LFHS) freshman. Talk about having to grow up in a hurry. “Our coach made all of us do that at least once,” says a grateful Rolek, now a junior and a member of Scouts Hockey’s Varsity Gold team. “He knew it would help us grow as public speakers and leaders, and develop us into men.”

Perhaps you thought a sports squad is only about winning. Think again. And then twice more. Scouts Hockey—a club consisting of four teams (Varsity Gold, Varsity Blue, JV Gold, and JV Blue) that’s marking its 50th anniversary during the 2025-2026 season—values teamwork, character, and community involvement way more than an odd-man rush that results in a game-winning goal in a playoff game.

“Winning is important, but it’s not everything,” says Scouts Hockey Director Steve Sarauer. “Our players learn accountability and leadership skills that will serve them well beyond hockey. They build lifelong friendships, learn how to manage adversity, and understand the value of being part of something bigger than themselves.”

What Scouts Hockey’s JV Gold accomplished in March at United Center—home of the Chicago Blackhawks—was gargantuan. JV Gold brought home the gold after defeating Providence Catholic High School 2-0 in an American Hockey Association-Illinois (AHAI) state championship game.

Rolek was a member of the 18-player championship team that was the first Scouts Hockey team to compete for the state title in nearly 4 decades.

“Shocking,” he recalls, referring to the team’s immediate reaction upon entering the cavernous arena. “Then, to win the game—what an incredible experience for all of us players and for our families. It was such a thrill.”

Bringing home the state title was the perfect end cap to 50 years of excellence, which would not be possible without the support of the Lake Forest & Lake Bluff communities. Keep an eye out for championship banners to be on permanent display at LFHS, and Chief’s Pub and Duffer’s Pub in Lake Forest.

Another highlight of the Scouts Hockey is the “Pucks and Poms” event held at the Lake Forest College (LFC) ice arena every Thanksgiving Eve. Also known as “Hockey Homecoming,” the annual event stages games involving each of the club’s teams and on-ice performances by LFHS’s dance teams at intermissions; draws Scouts Hockey alumni and their families; and holds a 50/50 raffle, a Shoot the Puck contest, and segments showcasing figure skaters and bagpipers.

All proceeds go to Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association (GLASA).

“The rink is always packed and is a true example of why the hockey community is the best community,” says third-year Scouts Hockey President Emily Savage, who’s the mother of a former and a current Scouts Hockey player. “Stepping onto the ice in front of a loud, energized crowd is a great community activity, fuels team camaraderie and play, and creates lifelong memories.”

“This event,” she continues, “also reinforces the culture of hockey in our community, showing that it’s not just a sport but also a tradition people value and celebrate together.”

Scouts Hockey’s largest annual fundraiser is its Christmas Tree Sale, which also sells a variety of wreaths and decorative items. Kirstin Carruthers and Becky Milliman will serve as this year’s Tree Committee members.

The players deliver all items for free to Lake Forest and Lake Bluff customers—a tradition that senior and second-year Varsity player Jack Rancourt eagerly anticipates.

“This season I am most looking forward to events with the team like working in the lot and delivering trees, and Pucks and Poms, when the stands at the college are filled with friends, fans and alumni,” Rancourt says.

“It’s another great opportunity for our players,” Savage notes, “to help give back to the community and to level up their sales, customer service, and communication skills.”

Among Scouts Hockey’s inaugural offerings in its 50th year is the Learn to Skate program, Little Scouts, for rookie skaters (ages 3-7) on Sunday mornings at LFC. Scouts Hockey players serve as coaches and help to inspire and motivate the young skaters while honing leadership skills.

Look for plenty of 50th anniversary swag, including limited edition sweatshirts, at Scouts Hockey events in 2025-2026, Savage says.

What excites Sarauer most about the milestone season is the chance to celebrate the history and tradition of Scouts Hockey. But he also plans to appreciate what his current skaters and goaltenders accomplish on and off the ice via the program’s strong culture.

“It’s an opportunity to honor the players, coaches, and families who built the program, and at the same time showcase the strength and character of the players on today’s teams,” he says. “It’s also a reminder that we’re part of something bigger than just one season.”

For more information about Scouts Hockey and its various events, visit scouthockey.com.