KENNEWICK, Wash.- The Tri-City Americans play at the Toyota Center in Kennewick and have been on the ice since 1988.
Jake Sloan is the Team Captain for the Ams and has been playing with them for six years. Born in Scotland, Sloan says he started playing hockey when he was just 4-years-old after his family moved to Canada.
“At first I hated it,” said Sloan. “I kept falling.”
Sloan said it was his parents who encouraged him to keep playing, until he was eventually drafted by the Americans.
Austin Zemlak is a 19-year-old defenseman in his first season with the Ams. Zemlak said he started skating at just two-years-old and hockey has been engrained in him since he was little.
“My dad played Junior A in Fort McMurray and my Great uncle played in the NHL,” said Zemlak. “It was a dream of mine to play hockey from a young age.”
Both Sloan and Zemlak played for years before they were scouted by teams in the Western Hockey League. They said those years didn’t come without embarrassing moments on the ice.
Sloan laughed while sharing a story of when he had a breakaway and ended up toe-picking and falling. “Kind of embarrassing there. I definitely got some text messages after the game,” said Sloan.
Zemlak said the memory that came to mind was during a one-on-one when he heel-picked and ended up falling backwards. Both Zemlak and Sloan offered words of advice for newbies stepping out on the ice.
“Try to keep your knees bent,” said Sloan.
Zemlak agreed balance in key. “If you need to you can try to lean on your stick for balance but try not to because if you lean too much because you will fall on your face.”
When watching these guys on the ice, it is easy to believe they have been playing for over 15 years.
Zemlak has been in the WHL for four years, and said one of his favorite parts of hockey is getting to meet new people with each team.
“There are different characters on each team, different kinds of guys,” said Zemlak.”
Sloan agreed making new friendships and keeping in touch with past teammates is what he enjoys most about the sport adding, “Oh, and scoring goals all the time.”
You can find the Tri-City Americans 2024-25 regular season schedule here.
“You get shivers going down your spine when you roll into a building that has 7,000 people that are screaming,” said Zemlak. He said the more fans at the Toyota Center, the better.
“I encourage fans to bring us lots of energy and we hope to give them a good show,” said Sloan.
