With his last year of junior hockey eligibility staring him in the face, Connor Beaudet could read the writing on the wall. His options seemed to be drying up when he received a distant call from a coach with a Western States Hockey League team from El Paso, Texas.
Fully ingrained in the rich hockey heritage in western New York state, the Buffalo, N.Y., native wasn't sold on lacing up the skates in the Lone Star State. But Rhinos head coach Cory Herman convinced him to fly down for one weekend and take a look around. That was all it took as Beaudet ended up cancelling his return flight home.
That might have something to do with the culture. When it comes to fitting into the Rhinos mold, it has as much to do with the person you are off the ice as the player you are on it.
"I played for three different junior teams and this is the only one that I was deeply involved in the community with," said Beaudet, who served as the Rhinos' captain during the 2015-16 season.
"There's a reason they get so many fans out to games and why people want to go down to El Paso and play there."
The Rhinos may be back-to-back Thorne Cup Champions in 2018 and 2019 - with a strong chance to do it again this year before the remainder of the season was cancelled - but hockey in El Paso is bigger than any piece of championship hardware.
When a player arrives in this west Texas border town, there's an expectation that hockey is only a part of the experience. A bigger part is fitting into the community. Players are expected to do a variety of things, ranging from elementary school visits to "training" at the local military base. Those who don't buy into the team-first mentality typically don't last long.
"There's a very common knowledge - here and in the hockey world - that if you're not willing to
work, you won't make it," said Tyler Deloach, director of operations for the Rhinos.
"It takes a lot of hard work and a very specific work ethic, and if you don't have that, you tend not to stay."
Deloach says the daily schedule looks something like this: wake up early to be on the ice by 7 for a two-hour practice at 7, followed by off-ice training or physical therapy and then make the rounds at various community appearances.
Rhinos players are out in the community almost daily, mentoring youngsters through a local school program called Skate Mates. When they're not in classrooms or gymnasiums, Rhinos players are volunteering at the local Boys and Girls Club and the YMCA, coaching youth hockey and participating in learn-to-skate initiatives.
These community outreach efforts extend to game days, where players stick around after every home game for a post-game skates with fans. Some games have even been dedicated to fostering community and honoring the local heritage, like hosting Mexico's national under-20 team for a two-game exhibition series in September.
The series, which took place shortly after last August's mass shooting at a local Walmart that left 22 dead and 24 injured, saw nearly 4,000 fans come together at the El Paso Coliseum Event Center in the spirit of international friendship and brotherhood.
"We wanted to do something to show how we are bringing our communities together," Deloach said. "We're intertwined regardless but to have that reflected on the ice in the world of hockey was very important."
All their Rhinos to interact with the community and grow hockey in El Paso have paid off. The junior team sells out about 95 percent of its home games, and according to Deloach, the Rhinos youth program has seen 2,900 percent growth since 2008. They've also added a Lady Rhinos program, a high school program and numerous learn-to-play events.
"This program makes you realize that it's a privilege to play the sport, especially in such a hospitable community," Beaudet said. "El Paso is a really impoverished community but they still come out and support us. It really makes you take a step back and realize what you're doing."
The community support has evolved into a booster club that feeds players after games and a web of billet families willing to support out-of-town players.
One of those billets is Carmen Mata, an El Pasoan who has seen the effect of having the Rhinos in the community since the beginning. For Mata, supporting the Rhinos has become a family affair. The seven players that she's billeted, including four Europeans, have developed into lasting relationships. In addition, Mata's daughter does lighting during home games, and her son serves as the team's trainer and equipment manager.
"I have this sense of pride in the team and also what the organization does in El Paso," Mata said. "What they do for the community is above and beyond, and that makes a lot of kids want to be engaged in the sport. It's really amazing. So for us, we'll help in whatever way we can."
Despite being a nontraditional market, El Paso is a community that's proud of its hockey team. From the Mata's involvement as superfans to players like Beaudet crediting their time with the Rhinos in aiding their personal development, the organization has blossomed in west Texas, bringing all of El Paso's various communities together as one team.
"Hockey is different in El Paso, and that's OK," Deloach said. "In sports there's an understanding that people look up to you, especially kids. Knowing that, our players understand that they're role models, that they have a platform to make a difference. With the Rhinos, that goes beyond just being hockey players."