Our story · Since 1995
The HIHA story,
so far.
Hendersonville kids have played organized inline hockey since 1995: at a rink by the Indian Lake movie theater, at Sanders Ferry, at Veterans Park, and now under the roof at Volunteer Park at Arrowhead. Here is the story as far as we know it. Some of it is still missing, and you might be the one who can fill it in.
1990s to early 2000s
The early years
Sponsor names on the jerseys, results in the local paper, and games on bare asphalt before there were boards.
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1995
A plan made at Shoney's
HIHA began with a few meetings at the Shoney's in Hendersonville. Belinda and Dave Kelly were at the first one and became part of the group that set up the league, and they coached and refereed for years at Indian Lake and Sanders Ferry. Corporate donations and the first entry fees paid for a set of portable boards. Teams practiced in parking lots around town, and in The Community Church gym when it rained, and the first games were played with a ball instead of a puck.
A member's memory, shared by Belinda Kelly.
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Fall 1995
Opening day at Indian Lake
Norm Gaida started HIHA, and its first season opened on Saturday, September 9, 1995, for players ages 6 to 17. Games were played in the parking lot of the Indian Lake Cinemas. Teams played under their sponsors' names, including Little Caesar's, Superior Motors, Sofa Connection and Play It Again Sports, a name still on our sponsor list today.
That first fall, 65 kids played on five teams, against each other and against the more established programs in Williamson County, Jackson and Wilson County. The league won its first road game, 16 to 2 at Jackson, Tennessee. Taylor Redden, who later coached in the league and sent us these pages, played on the 12-to-14 Trojans.
Sources: The Tennessean, January 17, 1996, "In-line hockey takes off in Hendersonville," shared by Taylor Redden, and early clippings saved by a league family.
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January 1996
Room to grow
HIHA president Norm Gaida hoped the league could double to about 125 players. Spring sign-ups were held at First United Methodist Church in Hendersonville, at $125 for new players and $65 for returning ones, with insurance and a jersey included. The youngest divisions were merged into one for ages 6 to 11, with teams for 12 to 14 and 15 to 17 and a new 18-and-over division. Gaida also wanted to move the games indoors.
Source: The Tennessean, January 17, 1996.
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July 1996
At a crossroads
The spring season grew to 85 players, ages 5 to 17. The league bought portable boards to set up a rink in the Indian Lake Cinema parking lot, but the lot only fit about half a full-size rink, and playing outside ruled out summer and winter seasons. HIHA was sanctioned by the National In-Line Hockey Association and USA Roller Hockey, and Gaida was looking for a site for a concrete slab with a roof, or even an empty building.
About eight people ran the whole league, and Gaida asked for more parents to help as referees, scorekeepers and statisticians. Fall registration dropped to $65 to help pay for the boards.
Source: The Tennessean, July 3, 1996, "Hendersonville at crossroads," shared by Taylor Redden.
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By 1996-97
A league with a president
A June 2000 page of The Star News names Tony Gibson (1996–97), Mike Saccoccia (1997–98) and Craig Kendall (1999–2000) as HIHA presidents. Before them, founder Norm Gaida led the league as president in 1995–96. The caption does not name a president for 1998–99.
Source: The Star News, June 2, 2000, page B10, from a clipping shared by a league family.
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November 1999
Fall results in print
The Star News published results for HIHA's under-8 and 9-to-11 divisions on November 24. The dated page gives us a firm snapshot of the league playing a fall season before the turn of the century.
Source: The Star News, November 24, 1999, page B14, from a clipping shared by a league family.
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Before 2000
A slab of asphalt at Sanders Ferry
One former player and coach remembers the rink at Sanders Ferry when it was just a slab of asphalt, before the boards went up. Belinda Kelly remembers the city pouring that asphalt near the lake, and the league setting up its portable boards there for about a season before permanent boards went in.
A member's memory. When did HIHA play at Sanders Ferry?
The Sanders Ferry slab, before the boards. Photo shared by Taylor Redden -
About 1999
Top finishes at the NHL Breakout
At the NHL Breakout tournament at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Hendersonville teams took one first place and two second places. The city's Board of Mayor and Aldermen recognized the teams afterward.
The year comes from the calendar dates in an undated clipping.
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June 2000
Four champions in the paper
The Star News ran photos of all four HIHA champions, one cup each for the 8 and under, 11 and under, 14 and under and 17 and under divisions. One of the four finals was decided in a shootout.
The 17-and-under trophy was the Kelly Cup, named for Belinda and Dave Kelly. FaceOff Hockey won it that June.
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About 2000
A 14U team by the lake
A team picture from the rink at Sanders Ferry, with the lake behind them.
A member's memory. Know this team's name? Tell us.
14U team at Sanders Ferry, about 2000. Photo shared by Taylor Redden -
The early years · a late fall day
"Only in America"
Mike Branch remembers a friend and his wife coming to watch a game at Sanders Ferry one late fall. Next door, the Hendersonville model plane club was flying planes. Just off shore, boats were fishing, and every few minutes duck hunters fired from their blinds. And on the rink, the kids were playing hockey. His friend looked over and said, "Only in America!"
A member's memory, shared by Mike Branch.
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The early years · year unknown
Clinics from a former NHL player
Ian Duncan, who played in the NHL for the Winnipeg Jets, refereed HIHA games and ran clinics for the league's players.
A member's memory, shared by Belinda Kelly. Do you know when?
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July 2001
Officially a nonprofit
The IRS recognized HIHA as a tax-exempt nonprofit. HIHA is still a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) today.
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2001
From a parking lot to 200 players
A 2001 newspaper story about Mike Branch, who served on the board in HIHA's first year and whose sons Jeremy and Payton played, looked at how far the league had come. Branch credited founder Norm Gaida with getting HIHA going through a grass roots effort, and Tony Gibson with helping the league get its own place to play after the Indian Lake Cinemas parking lot. He said the Parks Department had been supportive from the beginning, naming former Mayor Hank Thompson and Parks Director Dave LeMarbre.
The story put the league at 150 to 200 kids, up from 40, with players coming from White House, Gallatin, Portland and Westmoreland and teams that had gone to national tournaments and won. Sunday afternoon pick-up had become a ritual, with kids as young as six on the floor with adults as old as 55. The paper's photo shows Jeremy Branch playing at the league's rink at Sanders Ferry Park.
Source: "Recreational sports change to meet youth's needs," by Aaron Ames, 2001, from a clipping shared by Mike Branch.
2000s
Veterans Park
For years, HIHA's home was a set of outdoor rinks at the city's Veterans Park on Scotch Street.
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2003
Permanent boards
Two $5,000 grants from The Memorial Foundation helped HIHA buy and install permanent dasher boards, player boxes and fencing on a new playing surface, and then pay off the boards.
Still checking: were these the first boards at Veterans Park? A league parent remembers spring 2004 as the first season there.
Read The Memorial Foundation's 2003 grant record (PDF, page 30)
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Fall 2004
Second season at Veterans Park
A team photo from fall 2004 shows coach John Shae, a local oral surgeon who may have been on the board at the time, with his son Jack and their team. Tim McMains, whose sons started playing that spring, remembers spring 2004 as the league's first season at the Veterans Park rinks, which made this its second. That fits the 2003 grants for new boards on a new playing surface.
A member's memory, shared by Tim McMains.
Gearing up along the boards at Veterans Park, September 2004. Photo shared by Dylan Grizzell -
Fall 2005
Coach Steve Angus and his 10U champions
Steve Angus coached his 10U team to the fall 2005 championship. Steve passed away a few years ago, and the families who played for him remember a great coach. His son, Cam Angus, grew up to referee in the league.
Coach Steve Angus with his 10U team, fall 2005. Photo shared by Tim McMains -
2008
Blackhawks win the 12U title
A local newspaper reported that HIHA crowned the Blackhawks its 12U division champions for 2008. Their coach, Scott Kovach, has been part of HIHA longer than almost anyone: as a coach, a board member and a referee. He also coached the Termites for several seasons, and he still referees in the league today.
Source: a 2008 Hendersonville newspaper clipping shared by Tim McMains.
Scott Kovach with the Termites, 2013. Photo by Tim McMains 
Scott Kovach refereeing at Veterans Park, April 2013. Photo shared by Dylan Grizzell
2010 to 2019
Two floods and a move
Veterans Park sat low, and twice the water won. Both times, volunteers helped bring the rinks back.
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May 2010
The 2010 flood
The historic May 2010 flood swamped Hendersonville's parks, including Veterans Park, and flooded out the hockey rinks. League families joined other volunteers to clean up and repair, and most park activities were running again that same year.
Read the Parks Department's account of the floods and cleanup
The rinks under water, May 2, 2010. Photo shared by Dylan Grizzell 
Both rinks from the air the next morning. Photo shared by Dylan Grizzell 
Boards torn loose and debris caught in a goal. Photo shared by Dylan Grizzell 
A section of boards knocked flat by the water. Photo shared by Dylan Grizzell -
Spring 2015
Adult hockey joins the league
HIHA's ad in the Hendersonville Star on February 4, 2015 announced "the addition of adult in-line hockey," with an adult league new that spring. The youth league was open to ages 5 to 18 for $125, and kids 6 and under played free. Player evaluations were in late February, and the season ran March 21 to May 16 at Veterans Park.
Source: the Hendersonville Star, February 4, 2015, page 5A, found by the City of Hendersonville Parks Department.
HIHA's spring 2015 ad in the Hendersonville Star. Clipping shared by Makenzie Campbell, City of Hendersonville -
2016 to 2018
Help from the Predators
Grants from the Nashville Predators Foundation helped keep the old rinks going, including money toward replacing the rink surface.
Still checking what these grants paid for, and when.
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Fall 2017
A broken arm and a title
Coach Adrian Adams's youth team won the fall 2017 championship at Veterans Park on October 29, 2017. Max Dohanos broke his arm during the season and finished it in goal. One of his teammates, Merritt Freeman, referees in the league today.
A family's memory, shared by Larry Dohanos.
The champions, October 29, 2017. Photo shared by Larry Dohanos 
Max Dohanos in his goalie gear on championship day. Photo shared by Larry Dohanos -
February 2019
The 2019 flood
Another flood did more than $1 million in damage to the Veterans Park rinks and the Mary's Magical Place playground. Volunteers pieced together one playable rink in time to save the season, and HIHA spent its savings on repairs insurance would not cover and on replacing lost equipment.
Read the 2019 flood and volunteer recovery story · Read State Wars Hockey's contemporary appeal for HIHA
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September 2019
Time to move
After the second flood, the city's insurer would not pay for another repair if the site flooded again. Hendersonville decided to move the rinks to Volunteer Park at Arrowhead.
2021 to today
Volunteer Park at Arrowhead
A new home with two covered rinks, and a stop for tournaments from across the region.
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2021
Building the new rinks
Hendersonville broke ground on a $2.8 million complex with two rinks, each 85 by 200 feet, open on the sides with a roof overhead. It was described at the time as the first covered inline hockey complex of its kind in Middle Tennessee.
Read the June 2021 groundbreaking report · See the Tennessee Municipal League newspaper's story and groundbreaking photo (PDF, page 2)
The roof columns go up, 2021. HIHA photo 
Boards up on fresh asphalt, before the tiles. HIHA photo 
Laying the tiles. Photo shared by Adam Tucker 
A stack of tiles waiting to go down. Photo shared by Adam Tucker -
December 2021
First event
The new rinks hosted their first reported event, the State Wars adult hockey tournament.
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March 2022
Teams from across North America
ECHO Hockey brought two tournaments to Hendersonville, with teams from across the United States and Canada.
Read the opening announcement · See ECHO's tournament archive
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April 16, 2022
Ribbon cutting
The city officially opened the rinks with HIHA, Mayor Jamie Clary, city leaders and the Hendersonville Area Chamber of Commerce. HIHA youth games followed the ceremony.
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June 2022
The Wish Cup comes to Volunteer Park
The charity roller hockey tournament moved to the new rinks for its third year. The organizer reports 62 teams from 6U through Pro and the event's first All-Star Game. The tournament supports Make-A-Wish Middle Tennessee.
Read the organizer's account of the move · See its year-by-year history
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June 2023
The Wish Cup returns
Make-A-Wish Middle Tennessee listed the Wish Cup Roller tournament at Volunteer Park for June 6–11. The organizer reports 94 teams in its fourth year.
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April 2024
A qualifier fills up
Before ECHO's April 5–7 regional qualifier at Arrowhead, the organizer reported that five divisions were full: 10U, 12U, 14U, 16U and Adult Senior A/B. Only one 8U team spot remained.
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September 2024
Room for another kind of hockey
The Hendersonville Parks Board approved a youth ball hockey program at the Volunteer Park rinks. Its minutes say the city planned to schedule the program around HIHA's games and practices.
Read the September 2024 Parks Board minutes (PDF, pages 1–2)
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March 2025
Two tournament weekends
ECHO's adult Music City Classic played 23 games at Arrowhead on March 8–9. Three weeks later, its youth qualifier listed 79 games across 8U through 16U divisions. The event records show how busy the new home had become.
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May–June 2025
The Wish Cup keeps growing
Hendersonville's calendar listed the Wish Cup at Volunteer Park from May 30 through June 8. The organizer says its 2025 tournament series reached 149 teams.
See the city's 2025 event calendar · Read the Wish Cup's history
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2025–26 season
Regional league play comes to Arrowhead
The Professional Inline Hockey Association scheduled its Southeast Minor and Semi-Pro opening weekend at Volunteer Park in October 2025. Its event coverage includes the Hendersonville Broadway Blades in later Piedmont Division games at the park.
Read PIHA's season announcement · Read its Volunteer Park recap
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March 2026
Another full tournament month
ECHO's results archive lists a 42-game adult Winter Cup and a 66-game youth regional qualifier at Volunteer Park on successive March weekends.
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Today
Home today
The covered rinks host HIHA's spring and fall youth seasons, adult hockey and regional tournaments. The city has also approved youth ball hockey there and uses the facility for programs such as bike camps and Nerf nights.
Under the lights at Volunteer Park at Arrowhead. HIHA photo 
The covered rinks from the side, July 2025. Photo shared by Adam Tucker
Where we've played
Every home rink
Games in the theater parking lot for a few years, on portable boards.
Asphalt the city poured by the lake; portable boards first, then permanent ones. From members' memories.
144 Scotch Street. Outdoor rinks, two floods.
1334 Drakes Creek Road. Two covered rinks.
Leadership archive
The board record, so far
We do not yet have a complete year-by-year list of HIHA board members. These are the dated names in newspaper clippings and federal filing summaries. Filing years are snapshots, not proof that someone held an office for the entire year.
- 1995–96: Norm Gaida, founder and president. The Tennessean, January 17, 1996.
- 1996–97: Tony Gibson, president. 1997–98: Mike Saccoccia, president. 1999–2000: Craig Kendall, president. The Star News, June 2, 2000, page B10.
- 2021 and 2022 filings: David Gilliam, president; Rhett Emerson, vice president; Michael Yarger, treasurer; Patrick Sylvester, secretary.
- 2023 filing: Jonathan Totty, president; David Gilliam, vice president; Michael Yarger, treasurer; Patrick Sylvester, secretary.
Review the IRS-derived filing summaries · See the current board. If you have old rosters or meeting minutes, help us fill the gaps.
Where these facts come from
- The Tennessean, January 17 and July 3, 1996, stories by Andrew Humbles, shared by Taylor Redden.
- Old newspaper clippings saved by a league family, including The Star News (Hendersonville) pages from November 1999 and June 2000. Most early clippings are undated, so approximate dates remain labeled.
- IRS-derived nonprofit records (tax-exempt status, July 2001).
- The Memorial Foundation's 2003 grant record and Nashville Predators Foundation grant records (2016 to 2021).
- City Lifestyle's account of the floods, the city's opening announcement, and Parks Board minutes.
- ECHO Hockey results and PIHA coverage.
- Tennessee Town & City's 2021 story and groundbreaking photo, Sumner County Source's 2024 registration story, and the Wish Cup's event history.
- Photos and memories sent in by members.
Were you there?
Help us fill this in.
If you played, coached, refereed or volunteered with HIHA at any point, you know parts of this story we don't. Here is what we are missing most:
- When the league played at Sanders Ferry, and when it moved to Veterans Park
- Norm Gaida's original newspaper ad, and who built the first rinks
- Photos of the 2019 flood
- Team photos, schedules and programs from any year
- Past board rosters and minutes to complete the leadership record
A phone picture is fine. Tell us who is in it, about when and where it was taken, and that we may post it. We give credit, and anything fragile gets scanned and handed right back.