For the love of the game: Su Valley athlete commutes up to 200 miles per day to play hockey

HOUSTON — The Houston Hawks hockey squad made the long trek north to Fairbanks for the small-schools state hockey tournament over the weekend. It’s about six hours, covering more than 300 miles. For some, that’s a dreaded trip. But for one Houston hockey family, it’s just another day on the road.

Junior Kai Kingery is used to the long road trips. It’s an everyday thing for the Susitna Valley Jr./Sr. High School student. With no high school hockey at Su Valley, Kingery opted to take advantage of the Alaska School Activities Association’s co-op rule, which allows athletes to participate in an extracurricular activity at the closest neighboring school. For Kingery, who lives in the Talkeetna area, that means Houston High. So each day since the season began in October, Kingery’s dad, Todd, has picked up Kai after school and the father and son make the drive from Talkeetna to the Big Lake Recreation Center. Todd said the Kingerys put on about 170 miles each day on their full-size truck. The commute also adds six hours to their day.

But for the Kingery family, it’s worth it.

Todd, a native of Arizona, said sports were a huge part of his upbringing, and he wants the same for his sons, regardless of where they live.

“I just like what sports did for me,” Todd said.

A life in Talkeetna

Kai’s story starts with Todd, who settled in the Talkeetna area after falling in love with the area about two decades ago. While in college at Arizona State, Todd took a summer job in Alaska.

“The summers down there are unbearably hot,” Todd said.

While working in Denali National Park, Todd visited Talkeetna. He was hooked. He returned to Arizona, graduated, came back to Alaska and bought five acres of land in Talkeetna.

He hasn’t looked back. And that’s where Todd and his wife Kristy wanted to raise their two sons Kai and Caymen, 10.

With the impact that sports made on his own life, as he raised his sons in Alaska, Todd said he wanted to pass that love of sports on to his children. Todd said his own background is in baseball. But with no baseball programs in the area, Todd turned to another sport — an unfamiliar one to him — and became involved with the Arctic Terns youth hockey program. The program needed a coach, and Todd wanted his sons to participate and compete in sports. So Todd taught himself the game of hockey.

“I had the two boys. I’d been coached so well with baseball in college and all through high school,” Todd said.

Todd coached the Arctic Terns for nine years, and at one point had 34 players in the program. But eventually, Todd said he needed a break from coaching.

The commute

Todd may have taken a break from coaching, but hockey continues to be a big part of everyday life for the Kingery family. Kai is in his first season with the Houston High program, but he has also played youth and comp hockey in the Wasilla area. Todd and Kai have made the commute for the last four years. Todd said he estimates he’s put more than 30,000 miles on his truck, just on account of hockey.

“My family, my wife Kristy, my younger son, we’ve all had to suffer,” Todd said. “It’s a huge commitment, no matter who you look at it.”

Todd said the only reason he’s able to commit that much time on the road is because he runs a fishing guide service during the summer.

“It’s seasonal,” Todd said. “That’s how I was able to devote being a hockey coach for nine years.”

But Todd said the family sacrifices for the opportunity for his sons to participate.

“I, myself, know how much sports had done for me when I was younger,” Todd said. “I just like what sports did for me. The camaraderie with the teammates.”

Todd said he also appreciates the extra time he gets to spend with his son during all of those miles on the road.

“You can’t get those hours,” Todd said. “You can’t get as many hours as we’ve had in the last four years. All of the time in the car is huge for me.”

The commute has included father-son milestones.

“We talked about the birds and the bees in the car,” Todd said with a laugh.

Kai said the extra time and miles can be difficult.

“It’s a struggle,” Kai said.

But for Kai, who has emerged as a top player for the Hawks, it’s been worth it.

“I’ve been playing hockey for a long time; I really enjoy it,” Kai said.

Kai also plays basketball and soccer at Su Valley, but said he feels better suited for hockey. It’s the sport he’s put the most time into, and he said he likes that he can be more physical on the ice.

Kai, also a member of the Junior Avalanche U16 team, had the chance to travel to Arizona for a tournament with the Avs. As a member of the Hawks, Kai earned All-Greatland Conference honors, and helped Houston earn a spot in the 3A state title game.

Houston head coach Mike Styers said Kai has been a great addition to the team.

“He’s super hard working, great work ethic. Practices, games, you can count on him to give everything,” Styers said. “Just a solid player. You can count on him to see something happen. You need a big hit, he’s there for you. He’s scored a lot of key goals. He’s a top player.”

Styers lauded the effort Kai makes to be a part of the program.

“It’s a huge commitment. Not just him, but his parents,” Styers said. “Just as a whole family, it’s a huge commitment.”

ASAA co-op rule

ASAA established its co-op rule to give opportunities for students to have the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities even if their own school does not have that activity. But the process is not as easy as simply signing up for a team with the closest neighboring school with that sport.

Houston High activities director Dave Porter said the Houston administration had to battle to add Kai to the hockey team.

Porter said the catch is when schools join in a co-op program, the total enrollment for both schools are combined. For example, for a Su Valley student to participate in a sport at Houston, ASAA combines the enrollment at both schools. Schools are classified according to their total enrollment.

Porter said the problem with this case is Houston had already added a Redington Jr./Sr. High School student to its hockey team. When the Hawks initially wanted to add Kai to the roster, ASAA wanted to combine the school enrollment totals of Houston, Redington and Su Valley. That total would have pushed Houston to a higher classification, and forced the Hawks to play at the 4A level.

“We’re of course not going to play at a higher division for one or two kids,” Porter said.

But Porter also said this should not keep Kai and the Redington student the chance to play hockey.

“There should always be an opportunity for kids to participate in sports,” Porter said.

Houston High was initially denied the request to add Kai without adding Su Valley’s enrollment. But Porter said Houston High pushed forward and challenged the ruling. The case was brought in front of the ASAA Board of Directors a second time, and Porter said there was finally a ruling in Houston’s favor. Porter said all of this happened right as the season was starting.

Porter said ASAA is expected to address the co-op rule soon.

“I’m hoping the make some adjustments,” Porter said. “Our whole goal with this thing was to give kids the opportunity who otherwise would not have a chance.”

The future

Kai hopes to return to the Houston program for his senior season, and intends to try out for the Junior Avalanche U18 team. As for Caymon and his potential for time on the ice, and time on the road with Todd, “that’s the golden question,” Todd said.

Todd said he would love to see hockey thrive in Talkeetna. The rink the town currently uses, Todd said, is in desperate need of an upgrade. A $22 million bond package for recreation was approved by voters in October of 2016. The package was slated to include $1.5 for improvements to the outdoor rinks in Willow and Talkeetna.

As for the Kingery family, they’re enjoying their final miles on the road for this hockey season. And then it’s time to start basketball for Kai, a standout on the Rams varsity boys squad.

And that means a much shorter commute for Todd to watch his son play.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.