The Bay Reps Varsity Hockey program is a shining example of northern Michigan communities coming together to support high school hockey. As a cooperative team, Bay Reps brings together athletes from eight schools: host school Traverse City St. Francis, along with Charlevoix High School, Elk Rapids High School, Kalkaska High School, Frankfort High School, Lake City High School, Traverse City Christian School, and Suttons Bay High School.

That coalition lets talented players from smaller or rural schools combine resources, experience competitive Michigan High School hockey, and compete at a high level.

The program is sustained by a combination of family support and sponsorships. This funding model enables Bay Reps to provide the logistics, gear, and travel required for high-level competition, while preserving an emphasis on essentials like good sportsmanship, teamwork, and mutual respect.

On the ice, Bay Reps has built a track record of competitiveness and success.

Earlier this season, the team clinched the Northern Michigan Hockey League (NMHL) championship thanks to a dramatic win sparked by Jake Stevenson, who scored a hat trick — including two consecutive third-period goals — sending the game into overtime and securing the title.

That performance is part of a broader pattern: recent roster and statistics show a program capable of scoring over 100 goals in a season while maintaining defensive discipline. Hard-fought games against statewide competition, including nail-biting playoff losses and powerful regular-season wins, reflect a team both hungry and committed.

Off the rink, Bay Reps also stands at the forefront of evolving hockey culture in northern Michigan. As recently as 2024, community efforts led to the creation of a girls’ varsity program under the same “Bay Reps” identity — providing new opportunities for female players from local high schools to compete at a high school level, expand access, and grow the sport in the area.

This expansion underscores a broader mission: not simply to win games, but to nurture a long-term, inclusive hockey tradition that brings together different towns, builds community, and gives all young athletes a chance to skate.