As a four-year player recording 29 career goals and 26 assists, Allen Zhang has certainly left his mark on Jesuit’s hockey program.
The senior, however, is more concerned with leaving his mark on hockey as a whole.
In addition to his time competing with the Rangers, Zhangcan be found on the ice introducing the game to kids through his Minority Youth Hockey Association (MYHA).
“It’s something I started back in December of 2023, and I spend a lot of my time in the summer doing,” Zhang said. “It started out that I was just teaching friends back in Plano when I was in middle school. And before you know it, I was handing out flyers at community centers trying to get people involved and give them the chance to play. So many other sports you just need a ball to go play, but hockey is expensive. Even just skating in general is expensive.”
What began as individual 45-minute sessions and skating lessons, free of charge, has morphed into group sessions on full sheets of ice. MYHA also holds equipment drives to make sure its players, typically between the ages of 4 and 14, have what they need to play the game Zhang loves.
MYHA now consists of a five-member team of current or recent high school graduates of not only Jesuit, but Cornell University (Derek Zhang), Plano East (Richard Kong), Plano West (Caleb Wu), and St. Mark’s (Nolan Chu).
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With MYHA continuing to grow, Zhang said new challenges have come about.
“I would say the biggest thing is trying to balance things out with the Dallas Stars and use their facilities and market the foundation, but also not take away from what the Stars have going on and are trying to do themselves,” he said. “The Stars have been great to work with, though.”
With support from the Stars organization, and MYHA gaining footing in an increased number of communities, the fruits of Zhang’s labor are beginning to pay off.
“It brings me so much joy to see my passion in others and to see them enjoying it as much as I do,” he said. “It’s just an amazing feeling and something I am going to continue doing.”
But MYHA will have to wait a bit longer for Zhang’s services this spring as he is still wrapping up his senior campaign and quest for a third state title with the Rangers. Jesuit won the Division I championship in 2023 and 2024.
“I got injured in the playoffs last year, so I’ve really been looking forward to this and am just enjoying it and taking it all in,” Zhang said.
