With the puck dropping for area high school hockey teams this week, there’s a good chance fans might see Kevin Smith out at a local rink.

Smith has been active with youth hockey in the area for about 20 years. And, even though his two children – Kristopher and Laura – have long since graduated from high school, he still gets a thrill helping introduce the sport to the youth of the Ohio Valley.

”I do it because I like the game and it was good to my kids,” Smith said. ”I want to continue in the organization for the younger kids coming up because it really gave both of my kids a good outlet athletically to perform.”

When Smith’s children first started participating in hockey, it was his first real exposure to the sport. Little did he know that two decades later he’d be involved in a plethora of aspects – from coaching, to officiating, to administrating.

”I really didn’t know much about it,” Smith said. ”The guy that was running the program at the time said any parents that want to help out at that time can.

That was the start of Smith’s ice journey.

”I really started to like it,” he said. ”The kids really liked playing, especially at a young age. I started understanding the game the more I got involved in it. Then, I started coaching. And, a few years later, I started officiating, as well.”

Eventually, Smith became heavily involved in the workings of WAHA (Wheeling Amateur Hockey Association), where he helped on and off the ice.

”Now, I’m on their Board of Trustees, where I serve as treasurer,” Smith said. ”That’s really the big role I play for WAHA.”

But Smith plays plenty of smaller roles, too. Such as helping with WAHA’s ‘Tim Bits’ programs for younger skaters.

”I help with them as much as I can,” Smith said, adding he also officiates there.

WAHA, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, has become instrumental in the Ohio Valley in teaching area youngsters the ins and outs of hockey. And Smith is more than happy to help bring young skaters along.

”It provides a base for about 300-400 kids to play hockey that otherwise wouldn’t,” Smith said.

Smith said the connection between WAHA and the Wheeling Nailers has helped revive youth hockey in the area.

”It’s really been a circular effect,” he said, noting one helps the other and vice versa.

High school hockey has helped, too. While only a handful of schools have it – all on the West Virginia side of the river – it’s provided opportunities for youngsters to hone their skills.

Smith is active there, too, serving as a team representative for the PIHL (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League).

”I started doing that at Linsly when my son played,” Smith explained, noting the job includes administrative duties such as game management and score reporting.

Smith will continue to be a game coordinator this season.

All told, Smith said he spends about four days a week in a rink during hockey season, which goes from October until about early March.

For Smith, it’s all time well spent, especially when he sees new generations of players start to enter the WAHA program.

”It’s fun to see some of those kids that have come through (the various programs) and have gone on and played some college hockey and have ended up coming back,” he said. ”Some of the kids I coached are coaching now. That’s neat to see.”

If you know of someone in sports in the Ohio Valley whom I could feature as an Ohio Valley Unsung Hero, drop me a line at rthorp@timesleaderonline.com or via Twitter at RickThorp1