Puck drop, or more appropriately ball drop, for the inaugural season of Warren Youth Street Hockey was set to take place this week at the Jamiel Park outdoor rink. The actual official opening day, weather permitting, was scheduled for Tuesday night, April 15, after the intended first games slated for Saturday, April 12, were washed out due to rain.

Some 32 players, both male and female from grades 2-5, spread over four teams are expected to play nine games during the regular season then hold playoffs from now until June, according to town resident and league organizer Frank Furtado.

Games take place Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays. Each contest is 4-on-4, including the goalie, contested over three, 12-minute periods on half of the rink. Players are fully outfitted in hockey gear and can opt to compete in sneakers or rollerblades.

The teams are named after National Hockey League sides: Kings, sponsored by Furtado Fine Home Building; Penguins sponsored by Crossroads Pub and Restaurant; Stars sponsored by East Bay Quality Hardwood; and Maple Leafs sponsored by Taylor True Value Rental. The league is also supported by the following local companies: East Bay Printing & Copying, Artie's Auto Parts, Bank Newport and Better Days Technology.

For Furtado, who is overseeing the operation along with Warren Parks and Recreation Department Director Tara Thibaudeau, Warren Youth Street Hockey is an extension of his passion for the game, both on the ice and on the blacktop.

He said he's been considering starting the program for some five years, though his initial thought was to have it take place in the fall because his son, Francis, was still playing baseball in the spring. However, the younger Furtado decided he'd rather play football in the autumn and not play baseball altogether earlier in the year, so the elder decided to "revisit the idea."

"I've been a life-long hockey freak and I've spent 95 percent of it off ice," Furtado, a native of Aquidneck Island explained. "The sport is undeniably fun and needs better, cheaper exposure. When the rink is already there, it's just a no-brainer. And I must add that I was only able to do this because Tara was completely accepting to the pitch and so helpful. And it's working. The kids are obsessed."

So, too, is Furtado, who said like most other youngsters he played several sports as a child, but didn't really enjoy them. But in the late 1980s, when the Boston Bruins were making a couple of trips to the Stanley Cup Final where they lost both times to the dynastic Edmonton Oilers of Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Paul Coffee, etc., a fire was lit.

"When I was 12 a friend of my dad's gave me some old hockey sticks and the Bruins were in the finals back then. I started watching and playing by myself in the driveway. My grandfather made me a net out of 2x4s. Then my dad took me to the Boston Garden and I was hooked for life," Furtado said.

(As an example of how obsessed Furtado is about hockey, he counts his team sweater collection well over 100.)

Shortly thereafter, he took up the game on the ice for a few years, but high school hockey options were limited back then, so he continued playing the street version.

"We had a small core of kids who would gather at the busted town rink with whatever equipment we could gather for the goalie," Furtado said. "Hockey is a great sport and so overlooked because of the accessibility. The Jamiel Park rink has been just sitting there unused by the children in the community since I moved here 18 years ago and I just figured it was worth sparking it up."

That spark included pitching his plan to Thibaudeau, who had an eager ear.

"Frank came to me with an idea and the Parks and Recreation Department made it possible," Thibaudeau said. "He offered to head the program. The department set up the registration and supports Frank with the operational pieces."

Of why she was readily on-board with the concept, Thibaudeau continued, "The Parks and Recreation Department relies heavily on volunteers. We have a limited budget and the director position is part-time with the exception of the summer months. Being creative and using resources to benefit the whole community is a major tactic in running a successful department."

The director included the sponsors among those willing to "volunteer" their support of the effort, adding, "We (Parks and Rec) do not have extra funds in the budget and sponsorships are an important component to program success. We are able to purchase new nets, jerseys and equipment as the program grows."

Furtado is also appreciative of the sponsors and adults who have already contributed to the league. And he, too, would like to see Warren Youth Street Hockey grow as well, not only to introduce kids, in general to the game, but also aid in the continued redevelopment of the Mt. Hope High School program, which has seen its numbers lessen in recent years.

"I aspire to expand this into multiple age groups in the future," Furtado added. "Spring is actually a great time for hockey. I've been talking to the kids about the NHL. Our season runs right through the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They're going to learn all about how great this sport is."