Rink Blogs

The Santa Barbara Royals (SB Royals or Royals) is the high school ice hockey team, composed of players from local high schools within Santa Barbara County, with skaters ranging from grades 9-12. The Royals are a part of the LA Kings High School Hockey League (LAKHSHL), which is comprised of other teams from southern California. Following the completion of Ice in Paradise in 2015, the Royals started their inaugural season in the newly launched LA Kings High School Hockey Leag

Last Saturday, March 28, was packed with energy, excitement, and a whole lot of firsts at Ice in Paradise, as we hosted a series of successful events that brought new faces onto the ice and created memorable experiences for everyone involved. Curling Event: A Sold-Out Success Our Learn to Curl sessions were a major highlight, with all three 30-minute sessions completely sold out. Each session welcomed between 15–20 participants, many of whom were stepping onto the curling she

Dads and kids are encouraged to skate together at our Dad Meetup on April 19th! Ice in Paradise is excited to welcome local families for a special Dad Meetup on the ice this April. Hosted in partnership with the Santa Barbara Dads Group, this relaxed community event is designed for dads and kids to spend quality time together while trying something fun and active. Whether you’re brand new to skating or already comfortable on the ice, this meetup is a great opportunity to lear

The Santa Barbara Ice Hawks (SBIH or the Ice Hawks) is a co-ed travel hockey club, governed by the non-profit association, Santa Barbara Minor Hockey Association. The Ice Hawks is composed of different divisions with players aged 6-18 that travel and compete in amateur competitions throughout Southern California.   Since 2016, the Ice Hawks have called Ice in Paradise home, with the rink hosting tryouts, all practices, and league games for divisions from 8U to 18U. The Ice Ha

On Saturday, February 28, the rink at Ice in Paradise was buzzing with excitement as families from across the community joined us for our Try Hockey for Free – World Stage Edition event. The special day introduced dozens of new players to the sport of hockey while celebrating the global stage that makes the game so inspiring. From the moment participants stepped onto the ice, the energy was contagious. Young skaters—many trying hockey for the very first time—laced up their sk

Our 2026 Presidents’ Day Adult Hockey Tournament delivered a fantastic weekend of competition, camaraderie, and standout performances on the ice. What began years ago as a way to bring players together at Ice in Paradise has grown into a favorite annual tradition, and this year’s event once again showed why. Teams traveled in from across the region to compete, including the SoCal Hat Tricks out of Orange County, who entered two teams and made an impressive run to both champio

As we prepare to watch athletes from across the globe gather and compete on the world stage, we fondly reminisce to when we hosted the US Men's Sled Hockey Team in March of 2017 and more recently, the US Women's Sled Hockey Team in March of 2023.   Ice in Paradise was built with ADA accessibility in mind, offering sled and wheel-chair accessible ice in the Snider Rink (an NHL-sized rink), with a special bench area where disabled athletes can get on and off the ice with ease.

Over the last 10 years, Ice in Paradise has hosted numerous Presidents' Day Tournaments over Presidents' Day weekends. Originally, after Ice in Paradise opened its doors in 2015, we were excited to showcase our new facilities and so we started by inviting our friends from all over the country, even players from as far as Canada, to come play in an ice hockey tournament. The big draw for our new tournament was that many players hadn't visited Santa Barbara, much less for ice h

Ice in Paradise proudly hosted its first-ever Winter in Paradise 8U Jamboree Tournament this MLK Weekend, and the inaugural event was nothing short of a success. The full-day celebration of youth hockey brought together four young teams from across Southern California: the Goal Diggers from Santa Clarita, the Bears from Burbank, the Lady Ducks from El Segundo, and our very own Santa Barbara Ice Hawks. From the moment the puck dropped, the rink was filled with excitement, spor

As we continue sharing the ways Ice in Paradise connects with our local community, we’re excited to highlight our partnership with MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation on their seasonal Seaside Sock Skating exhibit — a playful, hands-on way for families to glide, explore, and learn together. A Great Opening Morning The exhibit opened on November 22 with a lively morning full of sock-skating fun. Our team joined the festivities and led a physics of friction and pu

At Ice in Paradise, we’ve always believed that the magic of our rink extends far beyond the ice. From the laughter of kids taking their first strides to the teamwork of local hockey leagues and the joy of family skating nights, we see every day how our rink brings people together. Now, we’re excited to bring that same sense of connection online—with our brand-new Community Connections Blog! This new corner of our website will highlight all the ways Ice in Paradise is involved

Did you catch a glimpse of our new WHO WE ARE display case? As you walk through the front doors of Ice in Paradise, a new display case might have caught your eye. Affixed to the top of this case reads a small plaque, WHO WE ARE and if you walk closer to examine the contents displayed, you’ll see a helmet and shovel from the Groundbreaking, a photo of the Ribbon Cutting, and descriptions of these captured memories in time among others. Each one of these artifacts and snapshots

The Yetis are back on top! On October 6th, they captured the Summer 2025 D4B title with a 5-2 win over Goodland, successfully defending their Spring championship. It was a thrilling contest and a well-deserved victory for the Yetis, but Goodland certainly made them work for it. Nate Quinn, the Yetis' standout defenseman, was named Playoff MVP for his exceptional play throughout the postseason, leading both on the back end and in key moments. Meanwhile, the team’s scoring was

Last week, Ice in Paradise celebrated an incredible milestone — 10 years of serving the Goleta and Santa Barbara communities with ice sports, recreation, and connection.  The anniversary was marked by two unforgettable events: a special ribbon cutting ceremony and a fun-filled community celebration, both of which captured the spirit and strength of our skating family. Thursday, October 9: Ribbon Cutting Ceremony We kicked off the celebration on Thursday, October 9th from 3–4

Big congrats to the Hooligans, who skated away with the Summer 2025 D3 Championship after a spirited 3–1 win over the Southies on October 5! In a game that had just the right mix of competition and chaos, Keith Bailey turned up the heat in the third period — breaking a 1–1 tie with two clutch goals, including the Cup-clincher. That performance earned him Playoff MVP honors, and probably a few well-deserved post-game beverages. Ryan Morrison, Adam Eng, and Matt O'Day also got

On Saturday, September 27, the Geri Hat Tricks  — one of the original teams from the Adult Hockey League’s Over-40 Division — returned to the rink for an alumni scrimmage nearly a decade in the making. 27 of the original Geri Hat Tricks reunited on September 27th for an alumni scrimmage The Hat Tricks were formed in 2015, the same year our rink opened its doors. As one of the first teams to hit the ice in the Over-40 Division, they helped shape what would become a thriving ad

This past weekend marked an exciting milestone for five Ice in Paradise skaters who earned the honor of competing at the 14th Annual Southern California Interclub Invitational Series Final. Held September 27–28 at LA Kings Iceland at Paramount, the event brought together the region’s top performers for a season-ending championship that celebrates consistency, growth, and excellence in figure skating. Earlier this month, Ice in Paradise proudly announced that Sophia Berar, Win

On September 2, Gentlemen's Club capped off a dominant season with a 5–2 victory over the Vandals to claim the Summer 2025 D1 Championship title. The win marked a strong finish to their season, as they held the lead throughout the game and never looked back. Playoff MVP honors went to Philip Becerra, who set the tone early with assists on the team’s first two goals. His playmaking helped spark the offense and put Gentlemen's Club in control from the outset. Oliver Circosta, A

Southern California figure skater Sadie Heinze has capped off a remarkable season with standout performances at two of the sport’s biggest events — the Excel National Festival in Colorado Springs and the National Showcase in Rochester, Michigan — solidifying her place as one of the region’s most exciting young talents. At the Excel Nationals, hosted at the world-class Broadmoor World Arena, Sadie entered as the 2nd place finisher in the Pacific Division after an undefeated re

By Wendy Altman Photos by David Kafer Last year, The Cube in Santa Clarita hosted a 3-on-3 women’s tournament—many of us from Ice in Paradise joined in and had a blast. The format was fun, the energy was high, but we saw room to grow—especially in supporting the development of players at all skill levels. That’s how the 3-on-3 Santa Barbara Hockey-a-Trois Women’s Tournament at Ice in Paradise was forged from glitter, grit, and damn good intentions. We launched our own 3-on-3