Southern Alberta Mustangs skate into inaugural season with purpose on, off ice

By David Gale
A brand new chapter in junior hockey has begun in southern Alberta as the Southern Alberta Mustangs, who play their home games at the Stavely Arena, embark on their inaugural season in the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL). The Mustangs, owned by Lisa May, are part of a brand new Alberta Division created this year, joining fellow expansion teams from Calgary, Three Hills, Diamond Valley, Onion Lake Cree Nation, and Hanna.
It is a bold step for a rural Alberta club, and one that May says came about quickly.
“I was planning on taking the Mustangs back to the CAJHL (Canadian-American Junior Hockey League),” May explained. “But once someone from the USPHL caught wind of that, they approached me about starting a division in Alberta.”
By April, she found herself coordinating with various communities to build enough teams for the expansion. By August, the new division was official, and May had also been named the division’s communications director.
With the Mustangs now playing in a league headquartered outside the country, many locals have wondered why a Canadian team would align with an American organization. May says the answer is simple, opportunity.
“The USPHL is the largest junior hockey league in the world,” she said. “They have had players go on to the NHL and, more importantly, it is a real pathway to college hockey.”
The league’s strict standards, mandatory play by play, video coverage, and professional livestreaming, also ensure players are consistently visible to scouts.
“We have kids from all over Alberta, from Calgary to Grand Prairie, and even players from Alabama and Germany,” May said. “Being in the USPHL means they have a chance to actually be seen.”
Games are streamed on Black Bear Sports Group’s platform, where friends, family, and scouts can watch from anywhere.
To help clarify the often confusing topic of sanctioned and unsanctioned hockey in Alberta, Mustangs staff member Ethan Fraser stepped in.
“Think of sanctioned leagues as operating under Hockey Canada’s rules,” Fraser explained. “Unsanctioned, or privately owned, leagues like the USPHL operate under their own rules and structure.”
Players can move from sanctioned to unsanctioned leagues during a season, but not the other way around.
Fraser emphasizes that “privately owned” is the more accurate term.
“Yes, it is unsanctioned, but these leagues still have their own rules, policies, and standards. It is not a free for all.”
While fans watch the scoreboard, May’s vision for the Mustangs extends far beyond wins and losses.
“For me, it is not about winning,” she said. “It is about respect, responsibility, and developing good people.”
Many players, May says, arrive with strong individual skills but have to learn what it means to function within a team culture, showing up on time, respecting the rink and the community, and building each other up.
“If they grow as individuals, the winning will come,” she added. “You have to break down to the core before you grow as a team.”
At the time of publication, the Mustangs sit third in the Alberta Division, only a month and a half into the season. Staff believe the team’s early recognition of the importance of teamwork will pay off as the schedule progresses.
From the beginning, the Mustangs have made community involvement a priority. Players regularly assist residents, join local school activities, and volunteer wherever they are needed.
On one of their first days in town, several Mustangs helped a local couple cut apart a massive fallen tree. This has lead to many other opportunities such as attending Terry Fox runs, reading for students, assisting at community markets and supporting local events and fundraisers. Their presence has not gone unnoticed. What began as a handful of children at public skate has now grown into “flocks” of kids eager to spend time on the ice with the Mustangs.
“They are good kids,” May said. “Polite, helpful, and they are learning what it means to be great players and great people.”
That message is literally stitched into their jerseys, each one bears the phrase “Great Players, Great People.”
As the Mustangs continue to settle into their new home, May wants Stavely and the broader region to feel welcome reaching out.
“If people need sturdy, polite kids to help with something, these are the guys to call,” she said with a laugh.
Residents can contact the team through their official email, southernalbertamustangs@gmail.com