Glenn Cunningham has been sharing his love of hockey with LaGrange for nearly 20 years.
Published on Friday, April 5, 2024 at 8:19 p.m.
LaGrange isn't Glenn Cunnigham's hometown, but it's come to feel like one. Cunningham, who moved to Boston by way of Minnesota, arrived in Groupe County in 2006. The hockey-obsessed Yankee experienced some initial culture shock, but quickly settled into his newfound hometown.
“When I first came here, it was a big culture shock,” Cunningham said with a laugh. “It wasn't what I was told or thought it would be. And now I'm a really strong defender of the South.”
People who are passionate about hockey may take this lightly. Cunningham eats, breathes and plays hockey almost 24/7. Without Cunningham, hockey might be nothing more than a whisper in the group county. Through his energy, hard work, and wisdom, he grew street hockey from a dead sport to a truly thriving sport.
“When I first got here, they had a program that lasted about six years, and I joined and played for about two years until it died down,” Cunningham said. “In 2010, I was working out at the gym with a guy and we started talking about how boring training on the treadmill was and how he wanted to play hockey again since he’s also from Boston. I bought a couple of packs and started inviting everyone.”
Word of mouth spread and eventually we had some regular customers.
It's been a long road since Cunningham first arrived. Early on, there were many nights when Cunningham was alone on the Mike Daniel Center rink hitting balls into open nets.
His personal and professional life were going well, but deep down he yearned for some way to continue playing competitive hockey. Every time Cunningham entered the rink alone here in LaGrange, he thought back to when he would jump on the pond as a kid and play hockey with his friends in Boston.
“I grew up playing pond hockey with my friends, so we played street hockey in gym class,” Cunningham said. “I grew up loving the game, and I still love it.”
Life finds a way, but Cunningham's relationship with hockey is far from over.
The program has grown and changed significantly over the past decade. Where once Cunningham was alone and weary of hockey in the area, he now leads a program that would be about 50 strong if they all came together on a given night.
It's not just the numbers that have grown under Cunningham's stewardship. He helped create the Tier 3 Georgia Division of the National Ball Hockey League, of which the LaGrange Hooligans are founding members.
“We are very excited to bring the NBHL to Georgia,” Cunningham said. “Once a month in May, June and July, we go to Peachtree City and play a three-game series every Saturday, and then whoever wins the district championship goes to New Jersey and goes to the 3 national championships.''
In the fall, Cunningham will partner with NHL Street Hockey to introduce new branding and uniforms to the group's county youth teams. This is another way to legitimize and showcase what the LaGrange hockey program is all about.
“NHL Street Hockey is a program created to bring hockey to communities across the country,” Cunningham said. “They actually found my website and reached out to me and said they wanted to partner with us.
“They're offering kids reversible NHL jerseys with home and away sides, they're selling gear at a discount, and they'll be co-branding with us so they'll have NHL jerseys next to the LaGrange Hockey logo. You can use your logo,” Cunningham said. . “This is a way to really legitimize us.”
NHL Street Hockey is operated by the same parent company as NFL Kids, NBA Kids, and other professional sports sponsorship programs.
There are other rotating gears as well. Cunningham proposed a plan to the Troup County Parks and Rec Department to build two multi-use rinks on the site of the former Whitesville Elementary School. He hopes to bring this issue to other organizations to get started on the issue soon.
“It's going to be two rinks side by side, with bleachers in between, a roof over it, and giant fans,” Cunningham said.
“This will allow us to have national tournaments and encourage people to come and spend money at restaurants, hotels, etc.”
Key to Cunningham's pitch is the multipurpose aspect of links.
“It can also be used for indoor soccer, basketball and pickleball. You can also host small, intimate concerts for a few hundred people there.”
Throughout his hockey journey with Gruppe County, the Parks and Recreation Department supported nearly every idea Cunningham ever had.
“They're always working hard, which is great,” he said. “They’ve all been very supportive of what we’re doing.”
Hockey, especially street hockey, is certainly a niche sport in the South. But over the past 18 years at Georgia, Cunningham has seen the sport grow and feels it's ripe for further expansion.
“Unlike baseball or basketball, we can’t introduce that to kids growing up here.”
Cunningham is not a hard guy to find. Want to give street hockey a try or introduce your kids to street hockey? Visit the Mike Daniel Center almost every Tuesday or Thursday night throughout the year to watch Cunningham coaching in the back rink. You can see them playing. There is no cost, and if your child participates and enjoys it, they will provide free gear after the third or so practice.
“I founded Dynamic, where we raise money to buy equipment for kids, because my parents couldn't afford to let me play hockey when I was a kid. And I don't want my kids to miss out on the same opportunities that I had because of my parents, who can't afford it,'' Cunningham said. “
The Mike Daniel Center rink became Cunningham's second home. No one has spent more time at the rink than him.
This became Cunningham's found home, much like his beloved Lagrange. Cunningham met his wife here, was saved, found Christ here, and expanded hockey in the area in ways previously unimaginable.
Although he is an adopted Southerner, he proudly indoctrinates his wife into being a Boston Bruins fan.
“When we first met, she didn’t know anything about hockey, but now she’s a die-hard Bruins fan,” Cunningham said with a laugh. “If I get home late and the Bruins game starts, she'll already have started.”
Passionate people elevate the LaGrange community. Cunningham is one of its most passionate members and has helped mentor multiple generations of youth while providing adults with the means to realize their commitment to athletics.
“There was a kid who kept asking me to be his goalkeeper for three months.One day he came up to me and asked me if I had made up my mind, and I said yes, and I told him to open the box. He said, “It was completely new inside.''As soon as he put on his goalie gear, he started crying,'' Cunningham said. “I didn't give it to him right away because I wanted to know how much he wanted it.
“There are so many ways to teach people how to use hockey to build community.”
