About Us

In the summer of 1967, a group of Deerfield fathers, inspired by their sons’ growing passion for ice hockey, formed a Peewee hockey team that practiced on natural outdoor ice in Deerfield’s Jewett Park. That original team of twelve boys played one game a week in the Metro League in Elmhurst.

By the following winter, enthusiasm for the sport had grown rapidly. Eighty skaters formed five teams that competed from the Squirt through “Juvenile” levels. Recognizing the need for a more structured organization, the Deerfield-Highland Park Hockey Association was officially incorporated as a not-for-profit organization in April 1969. The mission expanded to include both house league and travel programs, and the search began for a permanent home ice surface.

In early 1969, the association purchased a portable ice rink from a motion picture production company in California. With approval from the Deerfield Park District, the rink was installed in Mitchell Park, with a public skating agreement of 12 hours per week. After extensive volunteer work by parents—laying pipes, constructing boards, wiring lights, and building a garage for the ice resurfacer—the rink opened in December 1969. That season, the association enrolled 423 boys from surrounding communities including Deerfield, Highland Park, Highwood, Bannockburn, Lincolnshire, and Riverwoods.

In the spring of 1970, the Park District requested the removal of the rink from Mitchell Park. Undeterred, Falcons parents reached an agreement with Trinity College to relocate the rink to its land east of the Tollway. Groundbreaking occurred in September 1970, and once again, parent volunteers made the new facility a reality. Players and families initially used construction trailers for shelter. When construction was halted due to permit issues, over 200 mothers called county supervisors—within two hours, the necessary approvals were granted.

Membership continued to grow, reaching 553 boys and two girls in the 1970–71 season.

In 1972, an air-supported dome (a former tennis structure) was purchased and erected over the rink. Nicknamed “The Bubble,” it provided much-needed protection from winter weather, despite limited heating. Although prone to snow collapse and requiring emergency repairs, The Bubble was beloved and considered the finest ice surface in the area until 1987.

During this era, local programs like the Highland Park Leafs and Lake Forest Vikings merged into the Falcons program, further strengthening the association.

The first Turkey Time Tournament was held in 1981, quickly becoming one of the Midwest’s premier youth hockey tournaments. For years, Thanksgiving wasn’t complete without the Falcons Alumni Game, often featuring a spirited match against the Alaskan All-Stars.

After Bannockburn annexed the Trinity land, the Bubble received a 10-year zoning exemption as a non-conforming structure. The exemption lasted 12 years, but legal pressures forced its removal. In 1987, the Bubble and rink were sold to the Marshall Hockey Club in Minnesota. Over four days, it was dismantled and loaded onto flatbed trucks—the Bubble never returned, but the rink reportedly remains in use today.

Since 1987, the Falcons have made their homes at several area rinks:

• Centennial Ice Arena (Highland Park) – built in 1973 and remains the anchor facility.
• Lake Forest College Ice Arena – a primary venue alongside Centennial.
• Lake Forest Academy and The Glacier in Vernon Hills – added due to growth.
• HotShots Arena – more recently used for additional programming

For more than 50 years, the Falcons Hockey Association has been a beacon of excellence and development in youth hockey, with travel teams competing across the U.S. and Canada.

The Falcons have captured over 150 Illinois State Championships and have won two national titles:

• USA Hockey Tier II National Championship – 2017
• GLASA Falcons Sled Hockey National Championship – 2025

The Falcons were also national runners-up on two occasions, demonstrating a long-standing tradition of elite competition and success.

In partnership with the Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association (GLASA), the Falcons proudly support a sled hockey team that provides athletes with physical disabilities the opportunity to play competitive hockey. The GLASA Falcons Sled Hockey Team exemplifies the organization’s commitment to inclusion, sportsmanship, and community impact—culminating in a Sled Hockey National Championship in 2025.

Falcons alumni have gone on to compete in:

• NHL, AHL, ECHL
• NCAA Division I and III
• ACHA, USHL, NAHL
• Team USA in international play

Today, Falcons travel teams compete in the Chicago United Hockey League (CUHL) and the Central States Developmental Hockey League (CSDHL). The House League continues to offer one of the Midwest’s premier recreational hockey experiences.

Rooted in tradition and driven by a commitment to youth development and accessibility, the Falcons Hockey Association proudly enters a new era of excellence under the guidance of our dedicated Directors of Hockey.