Ask the average Gold Coaster about ice hockey in the region and all you’ll see are blank faces and bewilderment. Little do they know of a booming subculture packed with high speed, hard hits and most importantly family values.

Travel to an industrial area of Bundall and you’ll find Iceland, a small warehouse-like building housing the cities best kept secret. The arena opened 16 years ago, and in 2008 became home to an ice hockey team and its devoted followers.

The Bartercard Blue Tongues play in the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL). Much like the NHL, the AIHL is the country’s highest level of play only a little less glamorous and significantly less lucrative. The entire organisation rests on the dedication of a handful of volunteers.

Gold Coast Blue Tongues GM, Dave Emblem

Dave Emblem is the General Manager of the Blue Tongues. Unlike GM’s in the NHL, Dave devotes his time free of charge. He says without volunteers little would be possible.

“The team relies 100% on volunteers, and without them [like sponsors] we would not be competing in the AIHL,” Dave explained.

He dedicates countless hours to running the club and says rewards extend far beyond just winning games.

“We are the underdog, the lesser lights in Australian ice hockey, and my goal is to see Queensland hockey dominate for years to come,”

“Talking to people who have never seen a live game of ice hockey, and hearing their enthusiasm about the game is extremely rewarding.”

These aren’t just words, they are an attitude. After attending just one game you begin to feel as though you are a part of something great. It’s regular people coming together to make something extraordinary happen.

Sam Hansen and his wife Wendy have been volunteering with the club since 2006. They are responsible for website content and journalism duties.

Sam says their passion for hockey makes volunteering for the Blue Tongues a second nature.

“I can't imagine ever not helping the Blue Tongues,” Sam emphasises.

“We want to help build the sport of hockey in Australia and in South East Queensland, so getting involved with the team was the natural thing to do to best help the club.”

Sometimes mandatory participation can turn into habit as it did with Griffith University student Sharyn Cooke.

“As part of my uni degree at the time I had to do work experience. Since I love hockey and I'd love to help make the game bigger in Australia I decided to do it with the Blue Tongues,” Sharyn says.

Two years later, Sharyn continues to volunteer for the Blue Tongues and has no intentions of stopping anytime soon.

“Providing it works in with my future employment and as long as I'm living on the Coast I will continue to volunteer with the team.”

With the hours required by volunteers to run the organisation you start to wonder how they manage to find the time. Emblem owns a real estate agency, Queensland Coast Reality at Nobby Beach, while Hansen runs a Web Design business. The additional hours are acts from the heart to be a part of something meaningful.

Corinne Connor is a full-time booking agent and weekend Blue Tongues scorekeeper. Her involvement with the club strings back to her son’s commitment to the game but she's managed to find her own contributions rather gratifying.

“It is really rewarding when the boys have a win, even though my contribution to the team is very small it is very satisfying,” Corinne says.

“The camaraderie amongst everyone who is involved with the team is great.”

Sue Bale, one of the many Blue Tongues hard working volunteers

A family routine is what brings volunteer Sue Bale to Iceland every other weekend with son Jon playing for the Blue Tongues. Her son’s actions don’t limit her involvement as Sue was volunteering before he even made the team.

“I’ve been involved with ice hockey since the Gold Coast rink opened about 16 years ago and helped with various clubs throughout that time,” Sue says.

Sue greets you with a smile every time she passes by. Enthusiasm towards what’s happening both on and off the ice resonates from her light hearted personality.

“I’ve learnt how rewarding volunteer work can be,” Sue says.

Whether it’s passion for hockey, personal fulfilment, student assignments or family ties the Bartercard Blue Tongues have created a home for friendship, solidarity and camaraderie. Its volunteers are dedicated to the team, it’s members and supporting each other in the pursuit of a selfless goal.

The Blue Tongues and their volunteers are not just a team they are a family.