From the City of Fredericksburg:
On Saturday, January 20th, Fredericksburg hosted the first Washington Capitals League Inline Hockey Tournament held in Dixon Park, drawing 13 teams of youth roller hockey players from 5 different programs spread across 3 divisions. Competition began at 8:00 a.m. and lasted throughout the day, with family members and roller hockey fans braving the cold temperatures to cheer on their teams. Fredericksburg’s teams performed outstanding in Saturday’s competition, with the undefeated Elementary team placing first, the undefeated Middle School team placing first, and the 2-2 High School team placing second behind Fauquier.
This is the inaugural year for this hockey league and it was made possible by a partnership between the Fredericksburg Hockey League, the Washington Capitals and the City of Fredericksburg. The January 20th tournament brought teams from Ashburn, Warrenton, Madison, Richmond and Ashland to engage in competitive inline hockey games, with plans for this to become a yearly tournament as youth competitive roller hockey continues to gain momentum in our region and throughout Virginia.
The Fredericksburg Youth Roller Hockey League was founded in 2015 by Brandon McVade and other dedicated FYRHL board members. The Fredericksburg Phantoms (the travel team arm of the league) have been around since 2017. Fredericksburg’s Inline Roller Hockey Rink opened to the public in December 2019 thanks to a partnership between the Washington Capitals, the City of Fredericksburg, and the Fredericksburg Youth Roller Hockey organization, with generous support from local contributors.
Since that time, the sport of youth roller hockey continues to grow in Fredericksburg. In addition to team practices and games, a variety of programs are offered on the roller hockey rink through the Fredericksburg Hockey League. Programs are offered for children and adults, and all skill levels are welcome. Those interested in participating are encouraged to visit www.fyrhl.org/home for more information on programs being offered.
Fredericksburg City Council continues to advance on sports tourism pursuits, in collaboration with the Economic Development Authority. This growing industry produces $2.7 billion a year in economic impact in Virginia — and the City of Fredericksburg is working diligently to bring more of this business closer to home. Recent collaboration with the FredNats, the Fredericksburg Convention Center, and the University of Mary Washington is strengthening the City’s position as a sports tournament draw for the greater Mid-Atlantic Region.
The rink, located in Dixon Park, 1300 Dixon Street, is open dawn to dusk. For more information, please contact Fredericksburg Parks, Recreation and Events at 540-372-1086 or visit fxbgparks.com.
Photo courtesy City of Fredericksburg
