San Diego Angels: Paving the Way from the Beach to the Rink

For many, the love of hockey is born on a frozen local lake, a makeshift rink where families gather under the biting cold. Many kids create a community connection where they learn to skate not long after learning to walk. 

Of course, ice skating is a foreign concept for those of us living in sunny San Diego. San Diego is a place of surf and sun, where ice hockey isn’t as available as in other places like Minnesota or Michigan. Instead, kids growing up in San Diego are more likely to spend their winters catching waves at Pacific Beach, skateboarding at local parks, or playing beach volleyball year-round with their friends. 

For girls from San Diego interested in playing ice hockey, they can't start playing on local lakes. Fortunately, there is another option. Young women can turn to the San Diego Angels Girls Ice Hockey Club to find their passion for the sport, in a city where it isn’t the typical wintertime activity. 

Founded in 2020, the Angels are one of the top-ranked girls' ice hockey programs on the West Coast. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the organization provides an opportunity for California girls to pursue their dreams on the ice. Their leagues include ages 12U-19U, where they compete nationally against other top teams.

The Angels teams have won the Pacific Girls Hockey League (PGHL) championships, invitationals such as the Ponytail Tournament, and hung banners from the San Jose MLK West Coast regional open-invitation tournament for girls’ and women’s hockey. Additionally, the club has sent multiple teams to Pacific District Championships and USA Hockey Nationals. The rigorous training and competition have helped develop Angels players into star performers. Many of the former Angels have gone on to play for Division I schools such as Harvard and Cornell. 

Paris Heiserman, a former San Diego Angel, sacrificed to make her dream of playing hockey in college come true. Heiserman is originally from Menifee, California, and made the commute to San Diego every weekend to play the sport she adored. With limited options, Heiserman played four years on the boys' hockey team in high school before eventually trying out for the Angels. “It was every weekend. I used to wake up at 4 or 5 a.m. because practices were early. I would drive the 80 miles there and then the 80 miles back,” Heiserman said. “It was anything to play hockey at that point.” 

“My grandpa is from Montreal, so he moved down to LA when he was really young, and he was always a Kings fan, and he ran a bunch of in-line hockey leagues,” Heiserman said. “My mom played, my dad played, and I started when I was 10 years old. We became a big ice family, and it was the Canadian roots that kind of got everyone into hockey.”

Though Heiserman only dedicated one year to the Angels, the goaltender emphasized the welcoming support that came with the team, entering as an outsider. She highlighted the director of the club, Alex Morrison, and how Morrison conversed with the coach at the University of Michigan to help with her recruitment. “There was never a moment when I felt like I had to prove myself to him. I showed up on my end, and he showed up on his end, and he made the calls for me." 

In the all-girls environment of the Angels, players share the same aspirations and willingness to put in the work. These commitments uplift the players so that they can lean on each other. 

The majority of the Angels' coaches have competed at high levels in Women’s Hockey and can offer their own experiences. The competitive structure of the Angels allows young women to dream of playing in college and even compete with the younger leagues for Team USA. “Through those experiences, you learn how to adjust to the pace and how to carry yourself. We weren't ever here purely for fun. We had goals, and our coaches also showed us, "Here are your goals.” 

Heiserman’s journey isn’t solely a college recruitment story, but is a testament to the evolution of women's ice hockey in Southern California. Heiserman did more than play at the college level. She also showed that players from Southern California can play hockey beyond high school. Heiserman is a prime example of players who had to prove themselves and gain recognition while competing with girls from colder climates who receive more attention due to not only their talent, but also their location. 

What the Angels provide for these young women is a structured foundation built to support their success. The Angels' staff consists mostly of women who have all pursued impressive hockey careers of their own and, having gone through the process themselves, are better able to assist the players. These women also know what it’s like to face the struggles of gaining recognition and visibility in a male-dominated space. 

The Angels provide an atmosphere that nurtures the passions of young women, coming from a location that doesn’t otherwise encourage the sport they enjoy. All members of the organization share a mission to advocate for women’s hockey, where the love for the game is evident. With this, the dedication from all parties is channeled into making them the best players they can be, no matter where they are on the map. 

🗓️The 2026–2027 San Diego Angels AA tryouts are here! Sessions for 16U/19U will run June 6 and 7 from 7:30 AM to 8:45 AM, followed by 12U/14U from 9:00 AM to 10:15 AM.

🏒Following the club sessions, the San Diego High School Girls Team will hold tryouts on June 14, 2026.

🏟️Both events will take place at the Kroc Ice Center. Check their official Instagram page to register.