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Louie Aboundader is passionate about hockey. Originally from Montreal, Quebec, he became familiar with the sport at a young age. As his skills advanced, he developed into a top-notch player and valuable member of his high school and college teams. Now as director of hockey and player development for the Kentucky Amateur Ice Hockey Association (KAIHA) and an assistant coach for the University of Louisville Cardinals men’s hockey team, he is dedicated to sharing his excitement for hockey as well as nurturing a love for the sport.
Aboundader explains how he got involved in hockey: “I started playing at about age 4. I grew up through the ranks and by age 17, I was playing at a high level. At that point, I had to decide about what route to take. I ended up going to a prep school, Gilmore Academy in Cleveland, Ohio, where family on my dad’s side lived. From there I went to Nichols College in Massachusetts and Davenport University in Grand Rapids, Michigan.”
All three schools are known for their strong hockey traditions. Gilmore Academy is considered one of the best prep schools to prepare players for competitive college teams and has accumulated many championships. While at Nichols College, Aboundader competed at the NCAA Division III level. After transferring to Davenport University, he earned his bachelor’s degree in sports management and played on its American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Division I hockey team.
Aboundader then enrolled at the University of Louisville to pursue a master’s degree in sports administration. During this period, he played for the University of Louisville Cardinals from 2017 to 2019. At the time, the team was ACHA Division II. A couple of years later, head coach Brian Graham reached out to Aboundader and convinced him to take on the role of assistant coach.
Men’s hockey at U of L is a club sport and falls under the recreational sports department. Since it isn’t a varsity NCAA team, the Cardinals do not receive funding from the university’s athletic department. The entire staff, from team managers to social media and public relations, work on a volunteer basis.
Enthusiastic Cardinal fans are eagerly anticipating the 2025-26 schedule when the team is not only moving up to Division I but also changing leagues. As members of the Atlantic Coast Collegiate Hockey League (ACCHL), the Cardinals will be competing on a national level. Games begin early in September, and much to the delight of supporters, they will face off against their rivals, the University of Kentucky (UK), five times.
“Fans go completely bananas when we play UK. There’s always a line wrapped around the Iceland Sports Complex waiting to get in. UK moved up to DI with us. We want to win the Battle of the Barrel Tournament this year and get the trophy back from UK,” says Aboundader.
“Even though we are a self-sustaining operation with an all-volunteer staff, we treat it like a varsity team. Things started to turn around when Brian Graham began coaching in 2011–2012. He ran strict practices and began recruiting. The caliber of our players has increased, and we were nationally ranked last year,” says Aboundader.
In 2021, Aboundader was hired as the first director of hockey and player development for the Kentucky Amateur Ice Hockey Association. Founded in 2013, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit promotes and advances ice hockey in Louisville. The association’s home rink is the Iceland Sports Complex, and the organization sponsors several tiered teams and programs for varying ages.
All the youth teams of KAIHA focus on developing hockey players with an emphasis on work ethic, sportsmanship, discipline and teamwork. Included in its programs are two divisions of house leagues that develop the skills of beginning to intermediate players ages 9 to 14. Among other offerings are travel hockey, teams for girls and high school hockey.
One program, Little Ice Cards, introduces new players ages 4 to 9 to the game. The fee of $325 includes a full set of gear and an hour of on-ice instruction for seven weeks. Upon completion, participants can move into either the Ice Cardinals Six and Under Mini-Mites or Eight and Under Mites programs.
Chyna Taylor’s experience shows how organizations like KAIHA can benefit young hockey players. A Louisville native, Taylor grew up in the Ice Cardinal system. Now 15 years old, she is the youngest player on Team USA Under-18. In January, she proudly represented the United States at the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Championships in Finland. The U.S. team made it to the finals, losing only to Canada.
“Chyna first tried figure skating. Her grandfather would take her. She saw a hockey practice going on in the other rink and asked her grandfather if she could do that. At age 6 and 7, she played on the coed team. At age 11, she began going to a prep school in Massachusetts as their number one recruit. I still talk with her grandfather from time to time. As an African American in a white-dominated sport, she defied the odds,” says Aboundader.
During the summer, Aboundader is just as busy as he is during the hockey season and cold-weather months. He runs some summer camps of his own but also travels to work at Christensen Hockey Camps, which are held across the U.S. in places such as Greensboro, North Carolina, and Casper, Wyoming. Aboundader also heads up Team Kentucky, a coed spring and summer travel tournament program for young hockey players from the state and surrounding areas. Four teams from age 10 and under to age 18 and under can participate in up to five tournaments in locations such as Nashville, Tennessee; South Bend, Indiana; St. Louis, Missouri; and North Charleston, South Carolina.
Offseason is also a time for Aboundader to reflect on the future of U of L Cardinals ice hockey. He shares that since the team is now in Division I, a second Division II team could perhaps be added in the future, opening the opportunity for more players who would like to participate. The end goal for the Cardinals would be to become a varsity team.
“Hockey is a great sport. From an early age, kids are cooped up in a classroom. With hockey they can skate around and exert energy. It teaches life lessons. It’s a true team sport. Ultimately, all the players on a team are needed. You can’t put the blame on any one player if you lose or win,” says Aboundader.
To view the U of L Cardinals ice hockey schedule, visit cardsicehockey.com/schedule.
For more information, visit the KAIHA website louisvilleicecardinals.com or email info@louisvilleicecardinals.com.
The Iceland Sports Complex is located at 1701 Ups Drive, Louisville, Kentucky 40223.
