TULSA, Okla. — You might know about the Tulsa Oilers, the professional hockey team in town. The guys you might not know about with a similar name? The Tulsa Oilers Junior Hockey Club.
"The junior program is comprised of 16- to 20-year-olds," Jordan Norris, who works with the club said. "A lot of them are doing a gap year preparing them for the next level. Whether that's college, or maybe a minor league team."
The club plays in the NA3HL, meant to develop young hockey talent. Norris says players from around the country come to Green Country with the hopes of continuing their hockey career.
"We have a couple kids that are here locally representing our Tulsa youth program, and then we have kids from California, Texas, Canada, all over," Norris said.
One of those local kids? Broken Arrow grad Chase Boswell, who got started at a young age thanks to our local pros.
"That's how I got into hockey. I got tickets to an Oilers game when I was 2," Boswell said. "And I've just been obsessed with it since."
Now he's part of the Oilers Junior Hockey Club, playing a sport growing in popularity here.
"Traditionally, they've had to move out of state to go play at a high level," Norris said. "So having an NA3 team here allows our kids to stay home."
"I just like the community you're with, the team," Boswell added. "Just everything you do together. I've been doing it my whole life. Can't imagine doing it without it."
And it's even more popular now. In Italy at the Winter Olympics, both the United States men's and women's hockey teams playing at a high level.
"Getting to represent your country on the biggest stage is exciting, and it gets eyeballs on the sport," Norris said. "And maybe they're not hockey fans, but they're invested."
That investment in the sport is something Boswell hopes to do here.
"It's very big to have that big hockey program here in Tulsa for me, growing up here and everything," Boswell said.
If you'd like to watch the Oilers Junior Hockey Club play, their schedule can be found HERE.
The team is separate from the Tulsa Junior Oilers, made up of younger players.
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