From Spokane to Sin City: Michael Apitz's Remarkable Journey Through Hockey

Michael Apitz has seized every hockey opportunity that he has been given. He has risen from youth hockey in Spokane to the Junior A levels and now has found a home playing semi-professionally in Las Vegas, Nevada.

A Start in Spokane, Washington

His passion and love for the game began as a kid playing hockey in the driveway with his siblings and watching Spokane Chiefs (Western Hockey League) games. Apitz would get a chance to first play organized hockey with the Spokane Junior Chiefs on their 16 and Under (16U) A2 team before going up to play U18 A2 with Spokane.

Apitz wih the Spokane Jr Chiefs (Submitted Photo)

Getting the Call to Play Junior A Hockey

After high school, he got a shot at playing Junior A Hockey with the Butte (Montana) Cobras in the NA3HL before playing with the Bellingham Blazers, another Junior Hockey team in Apitz's home state of Washington. However, Covid had canceled the season and returned home to Spokane to work and reconnect with his childhood skating coach, where he continued developing his skills.

Apitz with the Butte Cobras in the NA3HL (Submitted Photo)

Junior A Hockey would again come calling as the Blazers asked him to return as a captain.

"I got to help lead a team of many younger guys, and it was a challenge. But my last year of Jr. Hockey was unforgettable; I've never been on a team with guys as close to one another as that one," said Apitz.  

A Shot with the Sin City Kings

The opportunity with Bellingham led to Apitz continuing his hockey career at the "semi-professional" level with the Sin City Kings, a Senior A team. The club was founded in 2023 and played games against other Senior A-level squads in the Mountain West and Midwest Region out of the Mountain West Hockey League, Black Diamond Hockey League (the same league as the Bozeman Stingers), and Great Lakes Hockey League.

"I was able to come down through a connection with the team in Bellingham to the one in Las Vegas. My name was shared from coach to coach. After seeing how I played and being told about my play style and the kind of player and person I am on and off the ice, they invited me out to play," Apitz said. 

Apitz with the Sin City Kings in Las Vegas (Submitted Photo)

After talking with the team and a few other teams in different leagues (most even further from home), I decided to head out to Las Vegas.

Apitz hopes to continue playing for the Kings in Las Vegas, who wrapped up their season earlier this spring.  

In his journey he wanted to recognize a few people who have supported him in his hockey journey. 

Thankful to Those Who Supported Him in Hockey

"A special thanks to my parents for the countless sacrifices both with hockey and with everything else outside of hockey, and just everything. I really can't and haven't thanked them enough," Said Apitz. 

He continued to thank his brothers, who showed him the sport, both the good and bad and his family and friends for being there and supporting him along the way.

"Last but not least, thank you to my Coaches and teammates for making me the hockey player I am today. I couldn't have done it without you all, and I'm forever grateful more than you will probably ever know." 

Hockey as a Passion

To Apitz, hockey has been a passion and dream for as long as he can remember. He plans to play as long as he can and one day give back to the sport that has given him so much.