The varsity boys’ hockey team opened with its first regular-season game on Oct. 31. Following their 3-1 victory over Rockwood Summit High School in the Wickenheiser Cup Championship on Feb. 28th, the first in 50 years, the Longhorns are preparing for a new chapter. The Longhorns lost 11 players who graduated with the class of 2025 and are adapting with a fresh roster. With expectations set high for another strong season, West aims to continue building its legacy. 

“The Wickenheiser Cup last year was the first time in over 50 years that West won. Their identity [of champions] comes down to not necessarily resting on the fact that they won last year; they have to re-earn [the title],” head coach Brian Waddell said. “It’s a hard accomplishment [to win the Wickenheiser Championship], so they need to find their way as a leadership core [to repeat the feat again].” 

This season, nine current seniors are not only sharpening their on-ice skills, but also learning what it means to lead. They’re focused on setting the tone, building relationships and supporting a roster that includes many young players.

“I think it’s going to be important to be a leader out there. Especially because we have a younger team that doesn’t have a lot of experience, they’re going to need help out there,” goalie and senior Miles Lappin said. 

As defending champions, the Longhorns know they have a lot of work ahead to prove they are not a one-season wonder. Like the hockey players, fans are preparing for another great season: social media pages @pwestsuperfan and @parkwaywesthockey are doing their part by promoting gamedays through Instagram posts and pregame interviews with the team and their fans. Brian Waddell, Lappin and junior Chase Waddell share high expectations of the team and are determined to make their fans proud again.

“I expect us to be a good team, and I expect everyone to be contributing to that, especially myself,” Chase Waddell said. 

A major focus this season extends beyond their game, but to the personal development they each experience during their time on the team. Lappin’s growth through his time with the program has shown through his performance on the ice. Only five games into the 2025-2026 season, Lappins’ save average increased from 0.904% to 0.941%. 

“When I was an underclassman, I didn’t really lead the team much, but as I have gotten older and with experience with hokcey, I have found that I [can] help out the underclassmen with learning the game. [I’ve also] become friends with them,” Lappin said.

Along with helping players understand the game, Brian Waddell ensures they can apply lessons in hockey to their everyday lives. He emphasizes that the skills learned on the ice – communication, teamwork, perseverance and responsibility – translate to players’ everyday lives. Through team bonding activities, the players are able to get to know each other better translating to on-ice performance. 

“The sport is training for you to become a better person and an adult, not so much the athletics, but the relationships that you build, the camaraderie that you build with each other, and players that can be 3-4 years older or younger, can be a challenge for your learning curve on how to deal with others,” Brian Waddell said. 

Coming off the Whickenheiser Championship, this group has a lot to prove, and with the help of coaches, fans and each other, the Longhorns intend on doing just that. Chase Waddell has proven himself time and time again on the ice. After not only scoring five goals with 11 assists last season, he was also named the most valuable player during the Wickenheiser Cup championship game last year. However, this is just the beginning for him. 

“One of our biggest strengths is the bond we have. We can all go on the ice and be able to play with anyone from the team, so it’s really nice and brings us success as a team,” Chase Waddell said.