Melissa Yubeta has been involved behind the scenes with Arizona hockey since 2010 and has been enamored with the game even longer.

Needless to say, Yubeta is a familiar face in the desert when it comes to hockey in the Valley.

And a valuable and important person when it comes to the continued hockey boom happening in Arizona for the last 20-plus years. Ask Yubeta, though, and she’ll say what she does is all for the love of the game.

“I joined Arizona Hockey Clubs in 2010 when my son Luke played for the Arizona Heat out of the Gibert rink as a Mite,” said Yubeta. “The following season is when AHC merged the Chandler Polar Bears and Gilbert Arizona Heat, forming the Arizona Hockey Union and becoming the Knights. I love to get involved and help and when Luke’s AZ Heat team asked if anyone was interested in being the team manager, I volunteered. I am now entering my 15th season as a team manager for AHU.”

After Luke aged out of youth hockey, he played two seasons of junior hockey in the Eastern Hockey League and is entering his sophomore season of NCAA Division III hockey this fall at Framingham State University.

Hockey is a family affair in the Yubeta household, too. Melissa’s husband Jeremy was an assistant coach with Luke’s AHU teams from 2012-20 and has been coaching with Desert Vista High School ever since.

Many individuals may leave an organization once their children are finished playing, but not Melissa Yubeta.

“I have always loved hockey,” she said. “I grew up watching my uncle play for the University of Arizona. My nephew started playing hockey out of Tucson from the age of five until he was 14. They played in the youth league in Phoenix and I would go to all of his games and even travel with him and my sister to all his tournaments. I loved youth hockey and once I had Luke, I couldn’t wait for him to be old enough to play. He was eight weeks old when I took him to his first youth hockey game at the Chandler rink. Luke grew up running around the rinks watching his cousin play and fell in love with hockey just like his mom.

“Honestly, hockey is my favorite way to spend my free time. Being as involved with AHU as I have been over the years, I just couldn’t see myself not being a part of the AHU family even after Luke aged out. I have worked hard for AHU over the years and have loved every minute of it. It is fun still being a team manager even though I don’t have a kid on the team. Volunteering and helping in all the roles I have makes me happy and keeps me busy not leaving me much time to miss Luke too much while he has been out in Massachusetts these past three years playing junior and now college. Luke even helps out during the offseason and summers with AHU skills and coaching AHU teams.”

Yubeta said that she has formed bonds with many families over the years and those ties will last a lifetime.

“I have worked closely with so many managers and volunteers from AHU, and AHU is like a second family for me,” Yubeta said. “I would like to think that I am friends with just about everyone who has ever managed an AHU team or volunteered to help with AHC tournaments. My very best friends are my ‘Fab 5’ mom group from when Luke played for AHU (pictured at top). One of the reasons I love managing teams is getting to know the players and watching them grow from kids into young adults. I have so many fond memories from team parties, team building activities, and tournament travel. Any time I enter any rink in the Valley, there is always someone I know and am friends with or a player I have had on one of my teams or in our club.

“I am pretty sure the boys on all of my teams over the years know that I would do just about anything for them and being a part of their lives has been an honor and truly is why I do all the things I do.”

Currently the treasurer and director of operations, Yubeta has been a member of the AHU and AHC Advisory and Executive Boards since 2013. During her tenure with AHU, she has served as a team manager (14 seasons, 8U though 18U Tier II), equipment manager, secretary, AZYHL league representative, and AAHA voting director. Along with her board positions, Yubeta has served on multiple committees that include disciplinary, scholarship, bylaws, awards, coach evaluation, tryouts, and tournament committees, as well as the Spring Skills training program. She also served as team manager and travel coordinator for the WSHL Jr. Knights from 2015-19 while under the AHU umbrella.

During her time as the AAHA voting director for AHU, Yubeta served on the policy committee and also assisted AAHA with the tier scheduling process through the 2022-23 season. Along with her volunteer service with AHU, Yubeta also volunteered as a team manager for the CAHA Jr. Coyotes 18U Tier I team for two seasons and assisted with running the Tier I Elite Hockey League Showcase during those seasons. She was also an assistant team manager for the Basha/Perry AHSHA team for two seasons and continue to volunteer for AHSHA during the high school program’s events and playoffs.

If that isn’t enough, Yubeta is also responsible for managing multiple accounts amounting to at least $500,000 of revenue per year.

For the 2024-25 season, Yubeta is entering her second season as the AZ associate registrar position appointed by USA Hockey.

“I have learned so much and met so many incredible people this past year,” Yubeta said. “Becoming the state registrar has been very rewarding for me personally.”

Going forward, Yubeta said she has simple advice for other females looking to get involved with youth hockey.

“Volunteering in youth hockey offers the chance to build a supportive community,” said Yubeta. “By getting involved, you’re not just helping young athletes, you’re contributing to a larger network of families, coaches, and volunteers. Don’t wait for someone else to ask you to get involved. If you’re passionate about youth hockey, take the initiative to volunteer. Reach out to your local programs, offer your skills, and be proactive in finding ways to contribute.”

Truly, Melissa Yubeta is a pillar of the Arizona hockey community. And she is showing no signs of slowing down any time soon.

Photos provided by Melissa Yubeta

— Matt Mackinder

(August 12, 2024)