If you’ve been to events at the Loudy-Simpson Park rink lately, you’ve probably noticed crowds are louder and the energy on the ice is more intense.

And that’s just how organizers of Craig’s new hockey program want it to be.

The Colorado Fighting Elk began its opening season in September as part of the US Premier Hockey League, a junior hockey organization with teams across the United States and Canada.

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The structure of the league allows college ages and older teens enhance their skills in the sport and potentially make the jump to higher levels, even as high as the NHL.

The Fighting Elk are only part of the new era of hockey in Moffat County, which also saw the implementation of the Colorado Extreme program for all youth ages.

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Jessica Binder noted that the Extreme — which formed in 2021 in Carbondale — took the pressure off Craig Youth Hockey Association, of which she was president before the merger earlier this year.

“Everybody was kind of burned out. They just didn’t have enough people,” she said of CYHA. “These families all put their heart and soul into this, but they’re tired.”

Since bringing in the Extreme, the Loudy-Simpson rink has seen numerous renovations to the building’s lighting, roof and insulation, as well as bringing locker room showers and more amenities for the Zamboni equipment.

Likewise, upgrades to the rink’s refrigeration technology means it will be available much more throughout the calendar year.

The youth program has also seen nearly twice as many participants as last year.

“Our numbers are up, people are excited,” Binder said. “We’re able to pay our coaches now; we love dad coaches, but they have their own jobs. These guys are willing to come on the ice with the youth and get a lot done, and that means a lot.”

As the youth teams move into their winter schedules, the Fighting Elk are nearly two months into their season, which lasts until the end of March. Now 3-9-1, the group has been traveling extensively as part of the Northwest Premier division, which includes teams from Washington, Oregon and Utah. The Elk are the only Colorado program at the Premier level, although the Pueblo Bulls are part of the National Collegiate Development Conference.

Most recently, the Elk split a series Nov. 9 and 10 in Enoch, Utah against the Iron County Yeti. After a 5-2 loss, the Elk won 5-4 in overtime in the following game, with the winning goal put in by Jake Verwest, while Silas Larsen earned a hat trick.

The USPHL brings young players from across the country to new regions, and the Elk’s roster is full of athletes from other parts of the nation.

Mason Ray comes to Craig from Grand Forks, North Dakota, a product of the Red River Roughriders.

He noted that the community and his fellow players have been very welcoming.

“It’s hard being 15 hours away, but when you have a group like this, it almost feels like home,” he said. “The coaches are amazing, easy to work with, always there to help. It’s been easy with them, and these guys, we hang out every single day. It’s great to make new friends like this.”

During an Oct. 11 weekend series with the Vernal Oilers, Ray was the star of the night amid a 9-4 loss for the Elk as he emerged victorious during a third period brawl.

“I knew it was bound to happen. I’m always a part of that stuff, somehow,” Ray grinned.

The USPHL allows fighting — under the proper protocol — to prepare young athletes for the physicality of higher levels.

Binder noted that while some Craig spectators found this shocking at first, hockey fights have by no means hurt their attendance.

“The opening weekend, we had over 250 people here. More people are coming here and hearing about it,” she said. “This rink hasn’t had so many people in a long time, and that feels good to see the turnout.”

Head coach Donovan Gault said that while there have been some growing pains as some players get used to the intensity expected of them, the team has improved greatly.

“As a first-year team, there’s ups and downs and trials and tribulations, but we’ll figure it out,” he said. “We have some guys who think junior hockey is the high school level, so there’s some figuring out to do with that. We’ve got a solid core of guys.”

The Fighting Elk has numerous players who are miles away from home but also several local talents.

Among the Craig players who has suited up is Ryan Booker, a senior at Moffat County High School. While he’s also planning to play for the Extreme’s older team, Booker said the shift in how teams are handled has been more than welcome.

“They’ve treated us all really well and come in here and changed everything. They’re helping the way that we play, and I love that,” he said.

He added that the benefit of competing in something like the USPHL makes it much easier to chart a future in hockey.

“You don’t go just try to go to a college and hope they have a hockey program, it’s a lot different now. The fact they’ve brought this to Craig is huge,” Booker said.

The Colorado Fighting Elk next play at home this weekend with a 7 p.m. Friday faceoff followed by a 1 p.m. Sunday game, both a rematch against Iron County.

For a full Fighting Elk schedule, visit usphlpremier.com/stats/schedule.

For more information on the youth program, visit ColoradoExtreme.org.