Valley hockey star returns to helm PAHA girls U14, U16 teams

PALMER — A captain of the Wasilla High School hockey team who went on to play Division I hockey in Connecticut will be the new head coach of Pioneer Amateur Hockey Association’s girls U14 and U16 teams.

“Life has come full circle,” said Jordan Elkins, who begins coaching the teams in the 2017-2018 season. “Just as the girls are excited to play together and continue to develop, it’s just as exciting for me to come back to the place where I first fell in love with hockey and share everything I can with them.”

Elkins grew up playing hockey in Mat-Su and graduated from Wasilla High School. She captained the Warriors hockey team her senior season and earned a Division I scholarship at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. She skated for four years for the Bobcats and served as team captain for two of those years.

“We are so excited to have Jordan leading the girls’ program,” PAHA Coaching Director Regg Simon said. “She has previous coaching experience at a high level, and her playing résumé speaks for itself. Mat-Su and these young women are fortunate to have her in our community.”

Jordan recently moved back to Alaska from Dallas, Texas, where she coached for the Dallas Stars Tier I Elite Hockey Club. She has also returned to the Brett Memorial Ice Arena the past four summers to run her all-girls “GRIT” hockey camp, which familiarized her with girls playing hockey in the Valley.

“I’m looking forward to next season already,” Elkins said. “I’ve either been on the ice with or have watched nearly all of the girls play. We are going to help these young ladies develop and continue to grow girls hockey in Mat-Su.”

Tryouts for girls hockey typically take place in early May; check palmerhockey.org for information regarding dates, times and locations.