If you didn’t know Tyler and Alexandra Pappas, and saw them walking up the steps to the Helena Ice Arena with a pair of skates slung over their shoulders, you might guess they were a figure skating pair heading to practice.

Tyler, 19, stands 6-feet and weighs a rock-hard 175-pounds. Alex, 14, is barely over 5-1 and doesn’t weigh 100 pounds. But, take a closer look at those skates and you’ll notice they’re hockey skates.

The duo both play one of the roughest games around. Tyler is a right wing for the Helena Bighorns Junior A squad, while Alex plays goalie for the Bantam Bighorns.

In fact, the entire Pappas family is involved in the sport.

Their mother, Debbie, takes photos at almost every home contest, with father Larry attending as many games as possible. Brother Josh, 18, played all the way up through the bantam league before quitting competition.

For the past decade, the family has hosted a player every year from the local junior teams. This season, the Bighorns’ Robbie Knott is staying with the Pappas family.

“We went to our first hockey game with Josh’s T-ball coach,” Larry explained. “The next year, we billeted a player from Minnesota, and he introduced us to the Ice Pirates. We signed the kids up for some lessons, and a couple of local families donated equipment to get them started.”

Tyler’s initial camp was directed by future Bighorns coach Scott Cunningham.

His first team was in the 9-to-11-year-old Squirt Division, with the Helena Wolves. While playing for the Queen City Cutthroats in the High School League, he was traded to Billings for the 2006-07 season. This meant a transfer from Helena High to Billings West, where he graduated last spring.

He played the last two seasons in the Magic City, before returning to the friendly confines of the Helena Ice Arena this year.

“The Bulls didn’t have a very good team my first year there, we only beat Helena once,” he said. “But I got the winning goal.”

The Bulls improved somewhat last season, and one of Tyler’s highlights came when he scored a hat trick against the NorPac champion Bighorns.

“That was kind of cool n even though we lost the game,” he laughed.

Tyler felt that although the two years away from home were difficult at times, it matured him as a person and helped develop his hockey skills.

“Overall, it was a good experience and I had a lot of fun,” he said. “It taught me how to be away from my parents, and I got a lot of ice-time in Billings.”

“It was a little trying on Tyler being gone like that, and it was hard on us as parents,” Larry Pappas said. “It was especially difficult when we’d watch the games against Billings here, but any parent will tell you they root for their child’s team. I know we’re just glad he’s home.

“I think his heart was always (wanting) to play for coach Cunningham. Tyler has a lot of respect for Scott, he has a phenomenal program here.”

Pappas has scored three goals and posted five assists so far this year.

Little sister Alex was just four years old when she began playing.

“I started out as a goalie for the Helena Wolves in the Termite League,” said Alex, who is a freshman at Helena High.

There were two or three other girls on those first teams, but Alex is the lone female on the Bantam Bighorns.

She splits time in the net with the Bantams other goalie, Ryan Beck. She also plays for the Montana Wildcats in the statewide U-19 girl’s league.

Alex said that growing up with hockey players has been inspirational and helped her compete against the boys.

“They (Tyler and Josh) taught me how to not be scared of the puck, to always be positive, and helped get me to practice,” she said. “They’ve motivated me to be competitive.”

Although Alex’s diminutive appearance may resemble that of a figure skater, she is just as scrappy as any hockey player.

Last year, she was in goal for an entire game with a broken hand. Then, after missing only two contests, Alex played the rest of the season in a cast.

“I stopped a puck during warm-ups and didn’t even know it was broke,” she said. “The doctor just wrapped it up and I played the rest of the game. Afterwards we found out my hand was broken. We didn’t have another goalie, so they formed the cast to fit inside my glove and I kept playing.”

“Alex has always been tough,” Tyler said. “People will comment on how good she is for a girl, but she’s just as good as the boys. A couple years ago she was the goalie for the Montana boys’ team, and those guys were the best players in the state.”

Reporter Curt Synness: 449-2150 or curt52s@bresnan.net