Quickly skating their way across the cold hard ice, sophomores Jake and Joel Katzer are racing towards the one goal that dominates their minds. Somewhere in that icy ring is a small black puck that will dictate the rest of the game. To many, this may sound like an uncommon experience. To the Katzers, it’s just a part of their life.

Ever since they knew how to walk, the Katzer brothers were skating.

“I started playing hockey because we lived in Montana and you could start soccer when you were four years old, but you could play hockey when you were only three,”

Jake explained.

For thirteen years the boys have been competing on hockey rinks wherever they go. Lately, they have been competing with a team called the Kansas City Stars.

“I play hockey in Kansas City at the KCIC, I practice every Wednesday and Sunday afternoon with games most weekends,” Jake said.

There are drawbacks to playing hockey in a state which does not accept it as a school sport.

“One difficulty is that I play other school sports during hockey season, which means that I always have to practice after other sports and after school,” Joel said.

Jake had similar feelings.

“The hardest part is that I’m always gone on weekends and I always get back late on school nights,” he said.

Both of the boys had their own respective stories to tell about the sport. One of which was Jake’s fondest memory on the ice.

“About three years ago I was in a game where we were competing for third place in the league. It was a close game, throughout the first part of it I scored one goal and I had a penalty at the beginning at the game, and then two back to back in the middle. After my third penalty, the ref came and talked to me and told me that I had three penalties and that I had to leave the game. I undressed, and went to sit with my parents,” He said.

After a demoralising leave from the big game, one of the team’s parents found that Jake was unjustly kicked from the game

“Another parent looked at the rule book and said that you needed more than three penalties to get ejected from a game. So I quickly got back on the ice, and while I was gone they tied the game up, and with only the third period left to play I scored the winning goal,” Jake said.

Off of the ice, the Katzers are known for their intelligence and outstanding performances in other sports.

“Very few kids can handle as busy and tough of a workout schedule as them while keeping straight A’s,” said Kit Harris, who coaches the Katzers on the BHS wrestling team . “For them its all just part of the routine.”

Both of the Katzer brothers agreed that they wished to continue their hockey careers into both college and professional play, leaving more room for unforgettable games and moments.