Before we had the idea of bringing professional sports to Texas the Central Texas Stampede was a real team with that played games at the Bell County Expo Center (now the Cadence Bank Arena).

The Stampede were part of the Western Professional Hockey League, a Texas-heavy minor pro league that began play in 1996. Central Texas was one of the first franchises in the league, skating in Belton against teams from Waco, Austin, El Paso, Fort Worth, New Mexico, Louisiana, Arkansas, and beyond.

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The team made noise early. In its first season, Central Texas reached the WPHL Finals before losing to the El Paso Buzzards. A few years later, the 1999–2000 Stampede put together the best regular season in team history, finishing 50–17–3.

That season also produced one of the standout individual years in franchise history. Ron Newhook was named WPHL Most Valuable Player after scoring 35 goals and adding 76 assists. Gerald Tallaire became the club’s all-time leader in goals and assists. Former NHL players Daniel Berthiaume and Herb Raglan also suited up for the Stampede during the team’s first season.

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The Stampede’s identity was hard to miss: red, gold, black, and white. Cowbells, jerseys, local sponsors, radio calls, and cold nights inside an arena better known for rodeos and graduations. It was Central Texas hockey, and it had its own shape.

The run ended in January 2001. Ownership issues caught up with the franchise, and the Stampede folded during the 2000–01 season after playing 38 games.