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 The Austin boys hockey program has taken a massive turn in the right direction, and it didn’t happen overnight.

The positive change in the youth program has been brewing for quite some time and I received a first-hand look at it during the COVID-19 pandemic when I wrote a story on all the backyard hockey rinks that were springing up in town. The story included a visit to the home of Paul Overocker, where he had teams of youth hockey players practicing under the lights on a cold Minnesota night.

At the time, I saw the enthusiasm of those young players and I concluded that the future of Austin hockey was in good hands. That turned out to be true as current sophomore standout Kade Overocker was one of the kids playing that night and he and his peers have helped kickstart the Packers this season. The youth movement is strong on the Austin hockey scene, and don’t be surprised if the team continues to improve in the years to come. 

The surface changes in the program started becoming visible in the summer of 2023, when Austin defenseman Wyatt Hamlin was seriously injured in an auto wreck. The tragedy brought out the best in the community as the hockey parents organized a fundraiser and series of alumni games to help Hamlin in his road to recovery. 

Again, I found myself thinking that the program had a good future.

That night came full circle this year when Hamlin returned to the team as a full-time manager and it’s fitting that he’s played a small part in the hockey resurgence that saw the Packers win their first playoff game since 2019. Besides Hamlin, the entire Packer hockey senior group has been outstanding this year. Not only have they been influential leaders and respectful players, but they also sacrificed some of their playing time to their younger counterparts without a single complaint or hint of jealousy.

Every senior I’ve interviewed this season has been highly complementary of the younger players on the team and it has shown on game nights. The Packers have played together with an unselfish brand of hockey that helped produce one of the team’s winningest seasons in 20 years.

Hockey nights have felt more like an event this season than in years past as crowds have grown and excitement has increased. 

The Packers will put their season on the line in Waseca at 7 p.m. Thursday and no matter the result, they should be proud of what they’ve done this year. They have turned things around, while representing Austin in the best way possible.