Our Playmaker Journey

Katie and Bryan grew up in the Northeast, in Buffalo and Pittsburgh, where ice rinks are plentiful and hockey is part of everyday life. Access was never a question. If you wanted to play, there was always a rink nearby.

When we moved to South Carolina, hockey became different. Ice time was limited, fewer kids skated, and the nearest non-local rink was often an hour and a half away. The sport we loved existed here, but it wasn’t easy to access.

Hunter was born in South Carolina. When he was four years old, he took his first steps into hockey with the Columbia Cyclones. Like many families, we started as hockey parents on the sidelines. Before long, we were all in.

Over the years, we volunteered in nearly every role. Coach. Assistant coach. Team manager. House Program Director. We didn’t do it for titles. We did it because we love the sport and believe in what it can give kids. We’ve seen firsthand how hockey builds confidence, friendships, and resilience, especially for kids who are just starting out.

As Hunter grew, we watched him fall in love with the game. But we also saw the challenges unique to playing hockey in South Carolina. Many of his friends didn’t skate. Access to ice was limited. Long drives and high costs made it harder for kids to try the sport and even harder to stick with it.

While traveling to Nashville for an ice hockey clinic, we stumbled upon the opening of a DEK hockey rink. What we saw was eye-opening. Kids of all ages and experience levels were playing together. Some had ice backgrounds. Many had never skated. Once the skating barrier was removed, kids could focus on playing, learning, and having fun.

That moment changed how we thought about growing the game here.

Playmaker Sports was born from a simple belief. Hockey should meet kids where they are. It should be accessible, welcoming, and built around fun and development, not barriers.

We didn’t want to recreate a northern hockey model in South Carolina. We wanted to build something that fits here. A place where kids can show up in sneakers, learn together, and grow into confident players and teammates.

Playmaker exists because we love this sport. And because we believe more kids deserve the chance to love it too.