Vol 3_No 5 Guts.indd - Rubber Hockey Magazine

arizonarubber
Scottsdale’s Lind gives
ASU offensive spark
Casey’s Crushers dominate
youth inline circuit
Local teams prep for
Silver Stick nationals
AIHA season kicks off at
Tucson’s Bladeworld
VOLUME 3
ISSUE 5
January 2008
com
Riding
The Wave
What’s old is new again
for Oceanside, DYHA
From Kids to Coyotes, the Desert’s Authoritative Voice of Ice and Inline Hockey
The Lineup
Editor’s Column
Feature: Silver Stick
Cover Story
Inline Hockey
Coyotes
Sundogs/RoadRunners
Feature: ASU’s Pat Lind
AAHA Directory
P.F. Chang’s Report
Inline Hockey
Association Reports
BTM/Arizona Rubber
Test Team
4
5
6
8
10
11
12
13
16
18
21
23
A few young
players from
DYHA take a
break from the
skates outside Tempe’s
Oceanside
Arena.
arizonarubbe
r
Scottsdale’s
ASU offensivLind gives
e spark
Casey’s Crus
youth inlin hers dominate
e circuit
Local team
Silver Stick s prep for
nationals
AIHA sea
son kicks
off
Tucson’s
Bladeworld at
VOLUME 3
ISSUE 5
January 2008
From Kids to
com
g
The Wave
What’s old
is new again
for Oceans
ide, DYHA
Coyotes, the
Desert’s Autho
ritative Voice
of Ice and Inline
Hockey
Photo/Brant Clinard
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editor: Brett Fera
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3
Editor’s Column:
I want back on the ice
A
Where can you take
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Good
Luck!
t the risk of losing whatever
sessions over at Oceanside Ice
credibility I may have with our
Arena in Tempe.
readers, I must make a confession.
The program is essentially exIt’s been six years since I last
actly what it sounds like (see Page
laced up my hockey skates and
7 for more). Like clockwork, late
eight since I’ve picked up a stick (at every Tuesday night for the past
least with the intention of actually
15 years or so, dozens of wannabe
using it).
– or used-to-be – puckheads hit the
Translation: I’m one of those
ice under the direction of, among
hockey guys, the kind that played
others, legendary local coach Kurt
incessantly growing up but was
Goar and Scott Ferris, Mims’
forced to shelve my goalie
partners at Summit.
pads and put my skates
I had always been
– as they say – on ice,
afraid to join an adult
thanks to some life-alterleague or start checking
ing situation (for me, it
into stick time again, for
was going off to college).
fear of looking like the
I’ve been somewhat
idiot who forgot how to
lucky, though. At least
skate (come on, as if I
I’ve stayed close to the
ever really knew how).
game, having this opBut Mims got in my
Fera
portunity here at Arizona
dome.
Rubber follow my time covering the
Will I undoubtedly look like I
sport in newsprint.
have no clue what I’m doing out
But still more than a quarter of
there? Sure, but so will everyone
my relatively young life has gone
else.
by without – for better or worse
“Here’s your chance to see what
– that regular smell of the rink, the you’ve missed,” he said to me.
lace-burns on my hands from pullHe’s right. Here’s my chance. I
ing too tight, or the sweat in my
just have one question: Is it Tueseyes after a three-hour skate.
day yet? ❂
That was before Summit Hockey
Company’s Adam Mims told me
Reach Brett Fera at
about their Adult Hockey Skills
[email protected]
❂
Advertise in Arizona Rubber Magazine
Call 612-929-2171 or email
[email protected]
for details.
From Kids to Coyotes, The Desert’s
Authoritative Voice of Ice and
Inline Hockey
4
Travis
❂Referee
Smith, of
Glendale, was selected
as one of 20 USA
Hockey officials to
work International
Ice Hockey Federation events this
season. Smith spent a week last
month in Bad Tolz, Germany,
officiating the World Junior
Championship (Division I, Group
A).
Silver Stick nationals await 5
Arizona teams
Rianon O’Reilly earned
❂
Top Goalie honors in Midget
division for Tour Outcasts ‘91 at a
Western Inline Hockey Association
tournament in California then took
home another Top Goalie award the
next weekend for Team Excalibur
in the Arizona Inline Hockey
Association women’s division.
native Danny
❂Glendale
Heath, a Minnesota State-
Mankato recruit, joined the United
States Hockey League’s Tri-City
(Neb.) Storm last month. The
Storm made Heath, who began the
year with the P.F. Chang’s U18
team, the ninth pick in the sixth
round of the 2006 USHL Futures
Draft.
MacDonald of the
❂Alex
Casey’s Crushers 10U team
had 12 goals and four assists in
four games as the Crushers cruised
to a 7-2 victory in the championship
game of the Arizona Inline Hockey
Association’s season-opening
tournament in Tucson.
Sundogs forward
❂Arizona
Olivier Latendresse was
named the CHL Player of the Week
for the week ending Dec. 23 after
scoring 11 points in three victories.
He was also a plus-6.
Valley’s Bryan
❂Paradise
Esner was traded from the
ECHL’s Carolina Stingrays to the
Pensacola Ice Pilots last month.
Since arriving in Pensacola, Esner
scored four goals and tallied five
assists in 12 outings.
CAHA’s PeeWee ‘95 team, which won its qualifier in San Jose, will play Port Huron, Mich., for the national championship.
By Brett Fera
W
ith five Phoenix-area teams
now set to take to the ice later
this month in Port Huron, Mich.,
and Sarnia, Ontario, Arizona has
its best chance in years to bring
home at least one Silver Stick national championship.
After the DYHA Bantam ’94’s,
Phoenix Polar Bears Pee Wee ’95s
and CAHA Bantam ’93’s and Squirt
97’s all won Silver Stick regional
titles of their own in either Texas
or Colorado, CAHA earned its third
– and the state’s fifth overall – Silver Stick championship qualifier
this year when the PeeWee ’95’s
won their regional qualifier over
Thanksgiving weekend in San Jose.
Trailing only once for just eight
minutes during the entire tournament, the Jr. Coyotes outscored
their opponents 31-7 to earn the
title.
This decade, two Arizona teams
– the 2003-04 and 2004-05 PeeWee
AA Jr. Coyotes – have come close to
winning national titles, but finished as runners-up instead.
But this year, there’s an air
among coaches and association
officials, like Polar Bear ’95 coach
Gary Lederer and CAHA ’97
coach Pat Mahan, that something
might be clicking a little differently.
Mahan and Lederer, carrying
virtually the same groups of kids on
their rosters a year ago, saw very
little success in the win-loss column
with their teams. Lederer’s squad
won just 13 of 60 outings, while
Mahan’s even lost a game 16-0 last
year.
“But this year has been very
different. Same kids, but they’re a
different team,” Mahan said.
Mahan’s squad entered the final
weekend of December with an overall record of 26-6-3 while only giving up 47 goals in 35 games. At the
Silver Stick regional tournament,
Mahan’s team was led by Keenan
Spillum’s 12 points and Jonas
Edwards’ two shootout goals.
But those Coyotes have to get
their passports in order as the only
team of the five Arizona qualifiers
required to travel out of the country
for their championship tournament,
held Jan. 18-20 in Sarnia, Ontario.
The rest of the Arizona quali
fiers play in Port Huron, Mich.,
over a pair of January weekends.
The CAHA Bantam ’93’s, which
entered the final weekend of 2007
Silver Stick continued / Page 17
5
A Winning Combination
DYHA, Oceanside partnership kicks back into high gear
By Brett Fera
Photo s / Brant Clinard
I
t was the first.
And to those who still frequent its
barn-like atmosphere – with low
ceilings, confined seating
areas, crammed
locker-room
space and a pro
shop bursting at
the seams – it’s
still the best.
“Those aren’t
all bad things,”
said Doug Fry,
board member
and communications director
for the Desert
Youth Hockey
Association, but
most importantly,
he says, just a
volunteer. “This
building has a lot
of character. It smells
like hockey.”
Plenty about the
sport has changed
since Oceanside Ice
Arena, a relativelynon-descript building
housing not much
more than a single
sheet of ice – located
on McClintock Drive
in Northeast Tempe
– first opened its doors
30-some-odd years ago.
Nearly a dozen other rinks have opened
over that span, inline
hockey has taken foot in the Valley,
and - oh yeah - the National Hockey League came to town to boot.
But very little – other than a
few jersey tweaks and the hanging of a couple more banners on
the walls each year – has changed
6
about Oceanside and DYHA, which
began operating and managing the
rink again midway through last
year, just like old times.
“Oceanside was originally created as a for-profit company
rink and the association so special
to so many of the families that have
frequented both over the decades.
Kristine Laws remembers
when she used to figure skate at
Oceanside decades ago.
Now she drops off and picks
up her son, Alec, at the
rink for his DYHA commitments. “We’re pretty
loyal to Oceanside,” she
said, adding that the lack
of changes over the years
actually makes the facility
more enjoyable. “I have a
picture, it was in the newspaper. I was Raggedy Ann
in a (skating) performance
here. And I’ll look at the
background and really,
nothing has changed since
then.
“We would never think
of skating
any place
else,” she
added.
Simplicity
at its
Finest
under DYHA. So DYHA owns
Oceanside,” Fry said. “But not all
things that occur here are nonprofit, so all profits from OIA go to
DYHA.”
That side-by-side partnership,
in a sense, is what makes both the
“We
don’t have
the fancy
snack bars
or restaurants or
anything
like that,”
Fry said of
the rink.
“We don’t
have the
rooms to hold big birthday parties.”
That doesn’t mean Oceanside
hasn’t seen some upgrades or
improvements, at least subtly, over
the years.
DYHA continued on Page 7
DYHA continued from Page 6
“The crew at Oceanside has done
a wonderful job of bringing the interior of the arena up to par – and
beyond – with today’s newer arenas,” said Adam Mims, president
of Summit Hockey Company that
operates the rink’s pro shop and organizes the adult hockey program.
“The ice is the best in the town and
everything in general is perfect for
our hockey players.
“As a former employee of
Oceanside Ice Arena, I know how
much hard work and just plain,
dirty, manual labor goes into this
building and this sheet of ice to
keep it operating at a high level,”
said Mims, who now works within
the rink as a tenant. “As far as
month-to-month goes, the arena
requires a lot of maintenance to its
power plant, ice, Zamboni, locker
rooms.
“An ice arena, especially one
that’s over 30 years old, is a maintenance hog.”
What’s In a Name?
“Early on, it was the Junior
Roadrunners, then it was the Coyotes,” Fry said of the evolution of
names for the DYHA travel teams.
“There was then a move at some
point to make them the Arizona
Phoenix, with the Phoenix being
the Firebird. The Phoenix Firebirds
evolved from that.”
No matter what the teams are
called, success hasn’t been lost on
DYHA or Oceanside.
Fry said that it’s possible some
of the better players around might
be attracted to glitz and glamour of
the larger, multi-sheet rinks.
“But chances are, the true
hockey players want a true hockey
facility, and that’s what OIA is,”
Fry said, adding that figure skaters
likely see it the same way. “Just
look at all the (championship) banners on the walls. DYHA hasn’t suffered much in that department.”
Fry said DYHA’s success
wouldn’t be what it is without the
Summit’s adult
classes an
Oceanside staple
By Brett Fera
W
Fry said that while the charm of
a single sheet is attractive to some
DYHA or Oceanside regulars, it
might be in the best interest of both
to try and grow to two sheets at
some point.
ith control of the rink’s
small but surprisingly
substantial pro shop, as well as
managing the adult program at
Oceanside Ice Arena, Summit
Hockey Company has become as
much of a staple at the Tempe
facility as perhaps DYHA itself.
But, according to Summit
president Adam Mims, the
company’s beginnings can be
traced, more or less, to Tuesday
nights at 10 p.m.
“The whole thing started with
the Tuesday night class,” Mims
said of Summit’s beginnings late
last decade.
That Tuesday night class
– Adult Hockey Skills – is still
around, and, according to Mims,
is still a major part of Summit’s
repertoire of services and offerings to local hockey players.
“Everyone has the leagues,
but for whatever reason, nobody
has been able to put together a
consistent adult hockey skills
program,” Mims said, adding
that the class has been around
for nearly 15 years, and was officially taken over by Mims and
his Summit business partners,
Kurt Goar and Scott Ferris, in
1999.
Mims said that the program
fees ($20 for drop-ins or a 10session punch-card for $150)
may not be a major cash cow
for Summit, but added that the
program’s stability has made it
an Oceanside favorite for as long
as he can remember.
“It’s been Tuesdays at 10
p.m. (until 11:30) for the last 15
years. Adults really need that
consistency and predictability.
“It’s kind of been the core of
adult hockey at Oceanside,” he
DYHA continued on Page 17
Summit continued / Page 24
guidance of those like association
president John Hojnacki or Firebirds coach Kurt Goar, considered
one of the top skills coaches in the
state.
“That’s a big part of why players
come here,” he said. “For coaches
like Kurt, to get that kind of instruction, DYHA does stand out.”
Growing Up, Growing
Out
7
Photo s/ Rick Wacha
Inline Hockey
Local roller clubs take to California
By Alex Dodt
T
he Western Inline Hockey Association kicked off its inaugural
season in November as the successor to the Tour Pacific Cup, which
was the California tournament
series for many years.
WIHA is modeled similarly after
our Arizona’s own local Arizona
Inline Hockey Association with
Southern California rinks banding
together to run their own tournament series.
The inaugural tournament was
held in November at the 949 Center
in Irvine, kicking off the travel season in style. At the league’s second
tournament, in December at Planet
Hockey, WIHA had its first two
Arizona teams enter a tournament
when both Tour Outcasts ‘91 and
‘92 Bantam teams made the trip.
“The tournament felt like a
good old-fashioned SoCal tournament,” said Outcasts head coach
Nick Boyarsky. “It’s good to see
the rinks bending together and still
running a good tournament.”
Outcasts ‘92, the 2007 PeeWee
Tommy Tuohy helped Tour Outcasts ‘92
to a runner-up finish in the Bantam AA
division in California.
AAA champions of Pacific Cup,
competed in Bantam AA at West
Covina. The 92’s went undefeated
in round robin, defeating the Irvine
Force, Mission Raiders and the
Young Guns. Mike Rivera led the
offensive attack for Outcasts as
they dominated most games with a
patient puck-control game.
“That was some of the best
puck possession hockey I have ever
seen,” Boyarsky said. “They proved
they are ready to compete against
older kids this year.”
The Bantam AA championship game saw a rematch between
Outcasts ‘92 and the older, more
experienced Young Guns squad.
The two teams went back and
forth all game long and Cameron
Caruso scored back-to-back goals
to put Outcasts in the lead late in
the game. The Young Guns battled
back, though, tying the game in
the final minute and winning it in
overtime.
“It was a disappointing end to
Local clubs continued / Page 25
GET INLINE:
Here’s to a successful stay for PIHA
By Alex Dodt
I
t has been a long time
coming, but it can finally
be said: the Professional
Inline Hockey Association
has come to Arizona.
When Arizona Rubber
reported on PIHA in these
pages almost a year ago,
the tentative hopes were
to have the pro league established here by the 2009
season. Fast forward to the
present day and we’re all
set to go in 2008.
This local version of
the league could have very
well fallen apart and been
a black eye on the sport in
Arizona and the Southwest
in general. It would have
8
the word about the league,
been a tough sell to make
deserves credit.
it happen in the future if it
I’m confident, as are
failed the first time around.
many others, that
But the
years from now
Arizona roller
we’ll be looking
hockey commuback on this as a
nity as a whole
huge step forward
deserves a
for the sport.
collective pat on
PIHA is obviously
the back for this
a great thing for
one. There were
the adults and the
many doubters
pro players, but,
and skeptics
Dodt
more importantly,
early on, but
it’s a great thing for upmost, if not all, have been
and-coming young players.
converted and so many
It’s only been a few
people have contributed to
months and the first puck
making this possible.
has yet to drop, but already
Everyone, from the
there’s a buzz going around
rink owners down to the
about the league. Most
players and everyone in
between who helped spread importantly, plenty of local
13-, 14- and 15-year-old
skaters have voiced how
excited they are about it
and are talking about trying out for a Minor team
when they turn 16.
The 16- and 17-yearold kids who have already
made the Minor teams are
excited about the opportunity and dreaming of the
day when they get to step
up to a Pro squad.
This league will go a
long ways in providing
something for kids to look
up to and strive for, something the sport desperately
needs. ❂
Reach Alex Dodt at
[email protected]
Inline Hockey
AIHA season opens with a bang
matched it was.”
Casey’s Crushers continued
their dominance of the younger age
groups as Crushers’ teams brought
home the gold in the 8U and 10U
divisions (see Page 18 for more
on the Crushers’ young guns). On
the other side of the spectrum, the
Crushers also won the 35 & Over B
division.
each other in three championship
games, including one of the most
he opening tournament of the
exciting finals of the tournament: a
2007-08 Arizona Inline Hockey
3-2 Mission Arizona victory in the
Association season was marked
14U division. Mission Arizona also
by parity across the board as nine
won the 12U division, but Excalidifferent programs brought home
bur came out on top against Misa division championship in Decemsion in 16U. David Marmorstein
ber.
earned MVP honors for Excalibur
Mission Arizona, the Rollerplex
‘91 while scoring seven goals and
Panthers and Casey’s
three assists for the
Crushers jumped out
tournament.
to a hot start as each
“I wasn’t surprised
program tied for the
by the ‘91 team’s permost division titles
formance because they
with three. Just behind
have been together a
those teams was Excallong time and have
ibur, last year’s AIHA
won many state titles,”
Program of the Year.
Excalibur’s Dave MarFar from struggling,
morstein said. “Our
Excalibur did not win
expectations are to be
as many divisions as
a top team again this
those other programs,
year.”
but had eight teams
Local teams made
bring home a medal,
sure to leave a mark on
the most of the tournatheir own tournament
ment.
as six Tucson teams
“All the divisions
finished in the top two
seemed very equal,”
of their divisions. The
said AIHA tournament Camden Taylor of Casey’s Crushers skates the puck up the floor at the
Bladeworld Bombers
director Dean Kores- AIHA’s season-opening tournament at Bladeworld in Tucson.
were all over the 35 &
sel. “Last year, ExcaliOver division, finishing
bur dominated, but this season has
“Our 8U and 10U teams were
second in both the A and B brackstarted with more even competition very good in Tucson,” said Jim
ets and the Crazy 8’s had teams
across the board.”
Curley, coach of the Crushers’ 12U finishing second in 12 & Under B2
The high school division was
team. “Our 12’s were playing their
and 14 & Under B1.
some of the most highly anticipated first tournament together and a
The Sunstreet Diablos were the
action of the tournament and it
had a good showing, too.”
only Tucson team to take home a
came down to Yuma and Ironwood
The Mission Arizona Stars had a gold medal, thanks in large part
in the championship game. After
strong showing in their first season to the offensive tandem of Jerald
Yuma cruised through round-robin
as an AIHA hosting program. MisZivic and Mike Pelletier and the
play, Ironwood game them quite
sion Arizona made it to the chamgoaltending duo of Alex Buglea fight in the championship game
pionship game in the A division of
wicz and Justin Davis.
behind the goal scoring of Khelil
10U, 12U, 14U and 16U divisions,
“The tournament was pretty
Beidoun. But the game went into
winning two of those divisions and
successful for both Bladeworld and
sudden death overtime and it was
taking second in the others.
the AIHA,” said Bladeworld sports
Yuma pulling it out just minutes
“We had a solid tournament all
director Scott Patterson. “With
into the extra period.
around,” said Mission Arizona’s
this the second year of our tourna“The whole high school division
Dan Maxwell. “The young teams
ment director (Koressel), people
was very exciting,” Koressel said.
are starting to develop and get betare getting used to the procedures.
“We saw an interesting mix of expe- ter already.”
Everything ran smoothly and we
rienced players with new players.
Mission Arizona and Team
finished both weekends on time,
Many people noticed how closely
Excalibur were matched up against down to the minute.” ❂
By Alex Dodt
T
9
Phoenix Coyotes
Morris quietly goes about his business
By Adam Green
“A lot of it is the personnel you are playing with,”
Morris said of the statistic.
erek Morris isn’t going to wow the
Through the first few months of the season, the
Jobing.com Arena faithful by scorCoyotes has done more winning than losing, and the
ing goals, racking up assists or fighting
campaign – to many pundit’s surprise - is shaping up to
his way into the penalty box, yet the Phoenix be one of the most successful in recent history.
Coyotes defenseman’s impact this season has
“We have a lot of energy, we play hard every night
been immeasurable.
and we win or lose on how we want to play,” said MorBut the 29-year-old from Edmonton certainly wasn’t ris, now in his third full year with the Coyotes. “If we’re
an afterthought going into this season. The veteran
not doing our system right, then we’re going to lose
was named one of the Coyotes’ alternate captains,
that game, and if we are doing our system right, then
recognizing him as
we’re winning. It’s
one of the team’s
a good sign.”
leaders.
With things
“There are
looking up for his
different ways of
on-ice family, Morleading,” he said.
ris said one of the
“We’re here to
most important
hopefully lead by
things for him is to
example on how
focus on the family
hard to work and
at home. Being a
then hopefully
father of three,
these kids’ skills
Morris, a firstwill take over from
round pick of the
there.”
Calgary Flames
Dependable as
back in 1996, said
they come in his
balance is the key.
own end, Mor“I think the
ris and his fellow
biggest thing is
defensemen have
you try to spend as
also been steady
much time as you
at starting the
can with your famoffensive rush for
ily,” he said. “This
Phoenix’ promising
(the Coyotes) is our
young forwards.
second family right
“We try to take
here, but the famDerek Morris brings a dependable, veteran presence to the Coyotes’ blue line.
pride in making a
ily at home comes
good first pass to our forwards so they have speed and
first.”
they’re not going to get hit, and we create offense off of
And for those rare times when he’s not spending
that,” said Morris.
time with either family, you will find Morris outdoors,
So even when a player like Morris does his job, it’s
preferably fishing or hunting.
others that get the points. It’s a selfless role on a hock“There is a little bit of both here, but it’s different
ey team, but that’s not to say Morris would not like to
than it was back home,” said Morris, who was acquired
show up in the game’s scoring summary more often.
by Phoenix in 2004 from the Colorado Avalanche along
“You always wish you had more points,” said Morris, with fellow defenseman Keith Ballard for Chris
who touted three goals for eight points after 35 games. Gratton, Ossi Vaananen and the Coyotes’ second“[But] the reality is what we look for as a team is win- round choice in the 2005 draft.
ning and losing. Stats are for losers… unless you have
But Morris is happiest on the ice enjoying the game
good ones.”
he grew up playing – the one he began when he first
And for Morris, that would be his plus-minus rating. laced up a pair of skates at around age 4.
He held a respectable plus-8 entering the last week of
“I just love the game,” he said. “It’s not about the
December, second on the team only to Shane Doan
money or the rewards. We grew up wanting to play
(plus-9).
this game as kids, and that’s what we do now.” ❂
Photo / Norm Hall / Phoenix Coyotes
D
10
Arizona Sundogs
Gallant proving worth in pro ranks
By Todd Etshman
A
ndrew Gallant
went a long way
from home in Canada’s Prince Edward Island to get an education
and play hockey for Manhattanville
College in New York.
He went even further to begin
his pro career for the Arizona Sundogs of the Central Hockey League,
where his 12-3 record in goal and
2.70 goals-against average entering
the final weekend of December was
one of the reasons the ‘Dogs led the
league’s Southwest Division at the
same point in the season.
The 25-year-old rookie said
he knew he wanted to try the pro
game even before his 1.86 goalsagainst average and .929 save percentage won him the Sid Watson
Award as the best player in Division III college hockey in 2007.
With an offense in front of him
that has scored more goals by far
than any other team in the league,
Gallant’s playmaking ability helps
keep Sundogs forwards streaking
harder here than it was in college.”
Gallant’s former coach at Manhattanville, Keith Levinthal,
agrees that Gallant’s puckhandling
ability is a coup for any team he
plays on.
“In my 10 years of coaching
college hockey, I have never seen
a goalie handle the puck better
than Andrew. He is the equivalent of having very good third
defensemen on the ice,” Levinthal
said last year following Gallant’s
Watson Award victory.
“His ability to play the puck
changes how our opponents apFormer Division III college standout Andrew Gal- proach the game. Much of our
success as a team can be attributed
lant is off to a great start with the Sundogs.
to the fact that you cannot dump
the puck in against our team with
up the ice and back into the offensuccess.”
sive zone.
Added Gallant: “If the defensive
“I like to play the puck a lot,”
guys are pressured and you know
he said. “If I see a play and get a
what to do with it (the puck), it
chance to make something happen
I’ll do it, but I’m learning it’s a little helps.” ❂
Phoenix RoadRunners
Skinner, Yandle named all-stars
By Brett Fera
T
he Phoenix RoadRunners’ 200708 season might not
be going totally to
plan so far, with the ’Runners entering January at 10-14-2 overall, good
for the fifth and final place in the
ECHL’s West Division.
But to some consolation, a pair
of RoadRunners has wowed league
coaches and officials enough to earn
bids to this month’s ECHL All-Star
Game in Stockton, Calif.
Second-year defenseman Brian
Yandle, who led all RoadRunners
defensemen with five goals and 16
points in 26 games – good for 10th
among all ECHL defensemen – and
rookie center Peder Skinner, who
scored seven goals and tallied 17
points, each earned the respect of
coaches, officials and media members who select participants for the
Jan. 23 contest.
Another familiar Phoenix face
– or in this case voice – will also
be on hand in Stockton. RoadRun-
Brian Yandle, above, and Peder Skinner
will take to all-star ice later this month
in Stockton, Calif.
ners play-by-play man Dan Weiss,
named the ECHL Broadcaster of the
Year during the ’Runners’ inaugural
season two years ago, will join veteran broadcasters Jack Michaels,
play-by-play voice of the Alaska
Aces, and Neil Smith, an analyst
for Versus and the NHL Network,
on the all-star game’s broadcast
team.
Weiss will serve as the rink-side
reporter for the telecast, to be broadcast live on NHL Network. The
game is also available for free online
through the ECHL’s Web site.
And they’ll have local fan support
with them, as season-ticket holder
Diane Husband won the “Win A
Trip To The ECHL All-Star Game”
contest.
The ECHL will provide Diane and her husband, Tom, with
roundtrip transportation to Stockton. The couple will receive complimentary tickets to all events,
including the ECHL Hall of Fame
luncheon, the Board of Governors
reception and the All-Star Fan
Fest. ❂
11
College Hockey
ASU freshman Lind
off to fast start
By James ASU
Kelley
Ice
off, finish UA
up high
school and rest
Ice Cats
up my body since I had been hurt
three years in a row now,” Lind
said.
Averaging nearly two points per
game through the first half of the
2007-08 season, Lind credits his
stellar start to his college career
to working hard and coaching.
get off to this
start, but did
NAUkind
IceofJacks
expect to be part of their offense
fter a year away from the game
based on what the coaches told him
last season, Pat Lind, a freshbefore the season.
man forward with Arizona State
“The linemates I’ve had defiUniversity, is making up for lost
nitely help putting points on the
time.
board; a couple
And them some.
of Arizona
Lind, hailing from Scottsdale,
guys. Matt
entered winter break leadMackey
ing the Ice Devils in scorhas defiing, despite taking a year
nitely been a
off from the game his senior
big contribuyear of high school.
tor, always
“This year’s been a
getting
rollercoaster, on the note
assists on my
that it started out pretty
goals,” Lind said of his
slow,” Lind said. “Myself,
sophomore teammate, also
I started out all right. It
a Scottsdale native.
was different coming from
“I don’t know if I exMidgets to college hockey.
pected to lead (the team
The game got faster and
in scoring), but I expected
I hadn’t played a game in
to be somewhere up top. I
over a year.”
definitely came in thinking
At the holiday break,
that I was going to be part
Lind paced ASU in a triof the offensive attack.”
fecta of scoring categories:
After playing Midget
goals (10), assists (12) and
AAA hockey for the Clevetotal points (22).
land Barons in 2004-05
Lind said the speed
and the Dallas Stars in
of the college game and
2005-06, Lind moved back
playing alongside new
to Arizona, where he first
teammates took some time
picked up the sport
getting used at first.
“I started playing, I
It’s safe to say, however,
think, right about the
that it didn’t take him
time the [Alltel Ice Den]
that long. Lind scored in
was built here,” Lind said
his second game, forcing
of his new and old home
a shootout at Long Beach
rink.
State which ultimately led
It’s possible that Lind
to the Ice Devils’ first win of
is sort of the one that
the season.
got away from ASU rival
Pat Lind led ASU in scoring heading into 2008 despite taking last
“I got used to it and I
Arizona. Lind picked ASU
season off from hockey.
finally started putting the
because he was familiar
puck in the net and putting some
“I had trained pretty hard durwith the team, living in the Valley
points on the board,” Lind said.
ing the summer. I had watched the
and because of the relationship he
A series of injuries led Lind
team in the past and seen the type
developed with De Angelis.
away from the ice last season. He
of players they had,” Lind said.
“Both my brothers go to U of A,
broke his ankle in consecutive
“I trained hard to come out and I
so I was kind of drawn almost to
seasons (2004 and 2005) and then
talked to coach (Mike) De Angelis
go down there, but I just felt more
broke his hand in three places in
(ASU’s assistant coach and general
comfortable going to ASU. I kind of
the summer of 2006, an injury that
manager) and kind of built up a
made the decision that I was going
required reconstructive surgery.
good relationship, just doing what
to come here to play hockey and it
“I was back home for my senior
they told me.”
turned out to be a good decision for
year. I just thought I’d take a year
Lind didn’t necessarily expect to me.” ❂
A
12
Devils
13
30
%F
OF
T
&YQJSF
,OCATEDINSIDE
14
15
P.F. Chang’s Tier 1 Hockey Program
Road trips more than just hockey
By Brett Fera
E
at, play,
study,
sleep - and
maybe check
out a local
college or two
in the process.
That’s all in
a weekend’s work when the P.F.
Chang’s U18 team, already considered among the best Tier 1 programs in the country, hits the road
for periodic tournaments.
Head coach Jim Johnson said
that when his team does go on the
road, it’s his goal to expose his players to everything they might see
– from hitting the books to hitting
the practice sheet to experiencing
life on a university campus, even if
only for a few hours – once they do
finally reach the college game.
“They’re not just hitting the road
to play hockey - anybody can do
that,” he said. “It’s a goal of mine to
give them that environment, see a
college game, a college locker room.”
On recent tournament trips back
east, Johnson’s team toured the
University of New Hampshire campus and took in a Boston UniversityBoston College matchup on top of
playing up to four or five games in a
three-day period.
And then there’s studying.
“Sure, hockey is why they’re
out there,” Johnson said. “But we
make sure they have time to study.
To play at a high level takes a very
committed athlete, academically,
too.”
U16’s continue to
impress
Johnson is also high on the prospects of the program’s U16 squad.
“Our 16 team is also as good as
anybody in the country,” Johnson
said.
During a recent Colorado road
stretch, injuries earned U16 goaltender Ryan Garber a call-up to
the U18 squad. Garber responded
with a 6-3 win over the Colorado
Rampage.
“Ryan is a ’91 (-born) goaltender
who could be getting more time with
us here,” Johnson said.
Fellow ’91 John Murray, one
of the U16 team’s co-captains this
year, also spent time with the U18
team recently.
“I was really happy with his
progress when he came up and
played with us,” Johnson said, noting that the U16 team was anything
but depleted as co-captain Mike
Colantone managed 11 points despite not having Murray alongside
him. ❂
AWAY FROM THE RUBBER:
They’re nutritional supplements, not substitutes
A
lthough I am frequently asked about
training programs for
hockey players of various ages and abilities, I
am also confronted with
many questions regarding
nutritional habits, including pre-, during- and
post-game routines.
The conversation usually leads to the use of
supplements in players’
nutritional programs.
Before you consider
how and if you need to
include a nutritional
supplement in your daily
meals, there are some important facts to consider.
Realize first that by
name, the product should
be a supplement, not a
substitute. Too often I
have seen athletes con16
food you buy
sider a protein
off the shelf at
powder shake
your local groor a jar full of
cery store.
vitamins a wellFrom 2000rounded meal.
02, a study perWhen it comes
formed by the
down to it, natuInternational
ral foods are,
Olympic Comby far, superior
mittee showed
in nutritional
Bahn
that 19 percent
content than any
of supplements purchased
manufactured supplecontained substances that
ment.
can lead an athlete to a
There is also a good
positive drug test.
chance that the suppleIn the Coyotes’ locker
ments you buy off the
room, we have a kitchen
shelf contain substances
that includes Gatorade
not listed on the label.
drinks, Gatorade Shakes
The Food and Drug Adand energy bars. Right
ministration (FDA) does
next to those are boxes
not regulate the suppleof cereal, fruits, fresh
ment industry like they
juices and milk, as well as
do foods, therefore the
breads with jelly, butter
products are not held to
the same standards as
and other toppings.
The supplements
make great “quick fixes”
for guys who need to replenish energy expended
during a game, but when
at all possible, real food is
encouraged and the best
choice.
Although there may
be select cases or times
where a supplement is
helpful, most young players have access to great
food choices at home
– and hopefully at school
– and making proper food
choices at the right times
and in the right quantities should provide the
player with an excellent,
well-rounded nutritional
intake. ❂
Mike Bahn is the Coyotes’
strength and conditioning
coordinator.
Silver Stick from Page 5
DYHA continued from Page 7
at 28-8-1 and five tournament championships already under their belt, play Jan. 10-13, while the
CAHA PeeWee ’95’s take to the ice Jan. 24-27. The
Jr. Coyotes were led at regionals by the goaltending
duo of Justin Pavia and Shakeel McKinley, who
paired to allow only three goals in six games.
The DYHA Bantam ’94’s, and the Polar Bear PeeWee ’95’s, led by a quartet of super scorers, are also
set to play in Port Huron Jan 24-27.
Not to overlook either team’s defense, offensive
firepower will be the name of the game for both the
Polar Bears and the Firebirds.
The Polar Bears are led offensively by Kevin
Vogl, Taylor Moorman, Preston Johnson and
Tanner Branch. Vogl, Moorman and Johnson,
through just 11 Sonoran Youth League games closing out 2007, have 10 goals apiece, while Branch has
eight.
During their Silver Stick qualifying tournament
in October, DYHA’s Zac Manteiga and Alex Stewart paced the Firebirds. Manteiga led the team with
eight points on the weekend, while Stewart scored
four goals in the team’s game-three victory.
“It will be interesting to see how we all do up
there,” Lederer added. ❂
“It’s pretty early, but there’s the possibility that
we might add two sheets out back,” he said, adding
that razing the current building for a parking lot if a
new facility is built on the current
property,
or even
finding a
new site
altogether
elsewhere
in the Valley, could
be possible.
“Oceanside has a
heritage
and authenticity that can’t be bought,” Mims said.
“We have that here because so many players through
the years have made lifelong memories and relationships here.”
Fry agreed, adding that sacrificing comfort in the
name of expansion is not an option.
“We won’t lose what we have here. We won’t sacrifice that feeling,” he said. ❂
17
Inline Hockey
Casey’s younger teams strong again
“It’s great to see kids who have
ice hockey backgrounds coming to
roller hockey,” Curley said. “Many
of the kids from ice hockey now love
to play roller hockey even more and
some of them are already talking
about next season.”
The new players joining Crushers’ teams each year are coming
into a program with a history of
winning big on the local level.
Last year, the Crushers won the A
division of 8U, 10U and 12U at the
AIHA state championships. This
One of the Crushers’ bright
young stars is Joey Strada. He
here are few things guaranteed
was the second-leading scorer for
in hockey each season, but it’s
the 8U team and also contributed
possible there is one lock within the
in 10U as both teams cruised to
Arizona Inline Hockey Association:
first-place finishes. Off the rink,
Casey’s Crushers will have some of
Joey and his family were also a big
the top teams in the younger age
help to the program.
groups of the AIHA.
“Joey and his family were an inBuilding up teams and programs
tegral part of bringing in new kids
from the grassroots level up may
to play 8U during the off-season,”
not be all that glorious, but for
Curley said. “They helped bring
many years the Crushers program
in the Savage family to play this
has excelled at it.
year.”
“We put a lot
Already this
of our focus on deseason, the
veloping our new
Crushers are
and beginning
leaving their
players,” said Jim
mark on the
Curley, hockey
AIHA. The 8U
director for the
Crushers were so
Crushers’ home
dominant at the
rink, Casey’s at
first tournament
the Bat, located
of the season at
in Phoenix. “The
BladeWorld in
nature of our proTucson that they
gram is to bring in
will be moving
new players and
up to play 10U
work with them.”
the rest of the
One unique
year. The 10U
way the Crushers
Crushers were
keep bringing in
also dominant,
new players is a
winning all of
dedicated group
their games and
of parents of kids The Casey’s Crushers 8U team celebrated a state championship in 2007.
taking first-place
already in the
in Tucson.
program.
was the first time any program
“Both our 10’s and 12’s have
“We have a great group of parhad won all three of the youngest
high expectations for this season,”
ents,” Curley said. “They do a great age groups in the same year. Going
Curley said. “They are both top
job of going out and finding kids
back a year further, at the 2006
teams that can be dominant at
who have not played roller hockey
AIHA Finals, the Crushers won the times.”
before and bringing them in to try
8U division and lost in overtime for
The Crushers’ 12U team did not
it out.”
the 10U division.
win a game at the BladeWorld tourThis season, three former NHL
“Casey’s always has very comnament, but will undoubtedly get
players have sons on the Crusher’s
petitive teams in the youngest age
better as the year progresses. This
8U team: Brian Savage was a
groups in AIHA,” said Dean Korteam exemplifies what the program
14-year NHL veteran, including
essel, AIHA tournament director.
is all about: grooming new players.
three seasons with the Coyotes;
“They show these kids the sport as
“Our 12U team is truly a develMax Middendorf played with the
it should, as something fun. They
opmental team this year,” Curley
Quebec Nordiques and Edmonton
maintain a good atmosphere and
said. “We are bringing in what is
Oilers; and Derek King was a pro- a good approach to the kids and it
basically a house league all-star
lific goal-scorer for the New York
helps them with the youngest age
team to develop them in tournaIslanders in the 1990s.
groups.”
ment play.” ❂
By Alex Dodt
T
18
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Advertise in Arizona Rubber Magazine
Call (612) 929-2171 or e-mail [email protected] for details.
19
THE HOCKEY MOM:
Let’s face it: They’ll always need us
W
hen young, our
kids need us for the
basics: love, nourishment
and protection. As they
grow, the time comes to
cut the cord and let them
venture out free of our
constant sheltering.
But are they truly on
their own? Maybe not,
especially if they are boys.
No offense meant to you
“independent” males, but
for me, there is something
about that special bond
between mother and son.
Recently, I observed
several endearing examples of male hockey
players who still need
a little help from Mom.
In the supermarket just
before Thanksgiving, I
recognized a Phoenix Coyote with whom appeared
stretch. I noticed
to be Mom and
the light pink
Aunt in tow.
shirt one was
They were all
wearing with his
shopping for
brick red shorts.
that perfect
Were the two
meal - to be
washed togethcooked by Mom,
er, which perof course.
haps led to the
The player,
Wilson
faded results?
like many CoyThis young man may
otes this season, was quite
need some laundry assisyoung, and I saw the look
tance from Mom: “Never
of discomfort in his face
wash your colors with
when he noticed I was
your whites!”
wearing a Coyotes cap.
After chuckling to
“Oh great, a fan and
myself about this possible
I’m here with my mother.
scenario, I realized that
How embarrassing,” may
as mature and motivated
have run through his
as these guys are, they
mind.
still may need that special
On another recent ocmaternal touch. Never too
casion, I was in the gym
adjacent to the rink and in old for Mom to cook you
a great meal and do your
walked some Coyotes for
laundry.
their usual pre-practice
Being the mother of a
teenage daughter, as well,
I clearly have experienced
a difference in mothering
both genders. My daughter is very independent
and always has been.
She will have no problem
flying the coop come time
for college. Will it be the
same for my son?
I make a conscious
effort everyday to raise an
independent male, but if
he needs me, I know I will
easily buckle and go running, whether he be 12
or 25. That’s just what us
Moms do for our boys. ❂
Julie Wilson is a local
freelance designer and
writer whose son plays for
the PeeWee 96 Jr. Coyotes. She can be contacted
at [email protected].
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20
Pretournament Practice Calgary Stampede Challenge
June 22 - 26, 2008
June 27 - July 1, 2008
Canmore, Alberta
Calgary, Alberta
Join us at the heart of the Canadian Rockies,
60 miles west of Calgary, AB, and just 15 minutes from Banff. Members of Àve teams, Minor
Atoms to Minor Bantams, coming together for
intensive on ice player and team development
over Àve days of training. From Canmore, it is
an hour drive to Calgary where the teams will
participate in one of Canada’s most celebrated
AAA hockey tournaments. The Stampede Challenge
AAA Hockey Tournament is simply hockey at its best.
Please see our
website for more
information!
www.tnw-hockey.com
BTM/Arizona
Rubber Test
Team Mission
of the Month
Without practice, dedication and a
commitment to be your best, you’ll
always be skating on thin ice...
Team Northwest . Todd Collins
2325 E. Lakecrest Dr. . Gilbert, AZ 85234
480-926-2234 . [email protected]
PRODUCT – I’m learning pretty
fast that being part of the BTM/Arizona Rubber Test Team will have its
perks, like the opportunity to test
the new Easton Synergy S17 Stealth
stick. Until now, I’d only seen it being used by NHL players on television.
The model Easton gave us to test was
a 100-flex Sakic non-grip - the same
curve and flex I use in the current
Stealth.
Test Team
Member:
Jordan Clarke
Team: Polar Bears
Midget Major
Product: Easton
S17 Stealth
VISUAL – The new S17 graphics
really set it apart from other onepiece sticks, with logos that wrap
around the stick instead of just going
down the side. I also noticed Easton
changed the way the blade and shaft
come together at the bottom of the
stick; it’s more rounded instead of
having corners where it tapers. I’m
guessing that will help it flex more
and have a truer kick point.
USER FRIENDLINESS – I only
had a few days to test the S17, and
like any new stick, it took a little bit
of getting used to. When I started
stickhandling with it, I could tell
it had a better balance than other
sticks I’ve had.
It wasn’t blade-heavy like some
sticks can be. Shooting with it
seemed pretty similar to other sticks;
the puck pops off it consistently.
When I took a pile of 10 pucks and
fired them all from at the same spot,
the S17 gave a consistent pop and
snap, which will definitely bring
more consistency to my shot.
FEEL – Some one-piece sticks let
too much or not enough vibration
through, making it hard to get a feel
for the puck on your stick. The S17
had one of the best puck feels I’ve
had out of any Easton stick.
RESULTS – I haven’t been able to
game-test the stick, so I can’t really
say how well it’s going to hold up.
But if it’s anything like the current
Stealth sticks, it might be the best
combination of performance and
durability around. ❂
21
CHALK TALK:
Passing an overlooked fundamental
F
undamental skill
development” continues to be the most-used
phrase among educators
and coaches in ice hockey
today.
Typically, a coach will
refer to the ability to
skate as the top fundamental priority for our
young athletes. Secondly,
most will agree that passing the puck, shooting the
puck and ice awareness
separate top players from
the rest.
While I agree that
players will have a much
better chance of improving through working on
skating, it can’t be overlooked that the ability to
pass the puck is certainly
a close second.
Passing the
point that most
puck properly
coaches have
seen plenty of
– and quickly
poor periods
– will increase
that include
the speed of the
game more than
scrambles of
a player’s skatmass confusion while both
ing ability. Good
teams try to repassing occurs
gain possession
when the puck
De Angelis
of the puck.
is distributed to
teammates firmly, flatly,
A good passing techaccurately and – yes
nique includes proper
– creatively.
weight distribution on
the release, smooth wrist
I have seen too many
action and a focus on your
local games where players are gliding effortlessly moving target.
Only practice and
while showcasing their
experience will help with
skating ability, yet their
passing is horrific. The
the accuracy of your pass,
but the way it comes off
play is definitely hamyour stick will be the
pered by wobbly pucks
too far ahead of the target most determining factor
as to whether the puck
or too far behind, to the
makes it to your desired
target.
Also remember that
distributing it with
authority will also make
the receiver’s job much
easier as he or she takes
it in stride on the blade of
their stick.
While skating skills
will continue to be at the
forefront of most coaches’
instruction, the longstanding phrase, “I have
never seen someone skate
as fast than the puck
moves,” will continue to
stand the test of time, and
with obvious reason. ❂
Mike De Angelis is
CAHA’s director of youth
hockey and the assistant
coach and GM at Arizona
State University
Coyotes Amateur Hockey Association
Bantam A’s hard work rewarded
Arizona High School Hockey Association
New-look Tucson teams thriving
By Brett Fera
By Brett Fera
T
N
he first word that comes to Coyotes
Amateur Hockey Association director Mike DeAngelis’ mind when talking
about the Jr. Coyotes’ Bantam A program
is “organized.”
Head coach Barry Harcus takes pride in that description, explaining that his team, which has a core
group that’s played together for much of the past five
years, has caught on quick to what it needs to accomplish to win games.
“They know they have to work hard,” he said. “It’s
pretty simple.”
Harcus and his coaching staff, stealing a page
from the NHL’s Calgary Flames, have figured out a
way to reward that hard work as well.
“We award a hard hat every game. It’s a real
honor to wear the hat,” he said. “It’s doing the little
things. It may just be back-checking hard, and the
little things that help you win hockey games.”
Harcus said almost every player on his team has
worn the hat once to date.
“We certainly don’t do it in a mode of making sure
every kid has won it,” he said. ❂
22
ew uniforms, a new name, and a whole
new outlook on the game.
Now playing under the Tucson Monsoon
name (the same moniker used by the local
travel association), Tucson’s collective high school team,
made up of players from 15 different southern Arizona
schools, opened the 2007-08 season 8-1-1 overall.
Leading the charge is the Monsoon’s goaltending
duo, Wyatt Fournier and Joshua Doherty, who have
combined to allow just 13 goals in 10 games.
In four outings, Fournier posted a goals-against average of 2.25 with a .885 save percentage through December, while Doherty has been even better, allowing just
four goals in six games played, for a 0.71 GAA and .944
save percentage.
On offense, Eric DeWeese entered January in the
top 10 in scoring in the state with 20 total points (six
goals, 14 assists) while Nikita Sasunkevich finished
December with 12 goals.
Coached by Tom Powers and Brad Fribbs, who
contacted over 60 eligible players to fill out the program’s two teams, the Tucson junior varsity team is
also improving. ❂
Phoenix Scorpions
Scorpions pick up win at Arcadia
By Brian McDonough
T
he Phoenix Scorpions women’s travel
team evened its record to 1-1 during
regular-season men’s league play at Arcadia Ice with an 8-7 triumph over the Whalers last
month.
“It was a really, really great game,” said Scorpions
forward Amanda Bailey, 18, one of the Scorpions’
youngest players. “Unfortunately, we had to get our
first win without our captain (Sheri Jones) and three
of our other better players (Carrie Dykstra, Michelle Vivian and Mary Schlatter).”
Goaltender Chelsea Wilkinson was again solid
between the pipes and played a key role in the victory.
“The Whalers are a really good team, we just came
out to play and were lucky enough to put one more
puck in the net than they did,” said Scorpions forward
Kristin Heffern. “On any given day, it could have
gone either way.”
The Scorpions also took the silver medal in the Gold
Digger Tournament in Park City, Utah in December,
and hosted the St. Louis Surge at Jobing.com Arena in
a mini tournament in early January. ❂
Mission Arizona
16AA team making big strides
By Brian McDonough
E
ven though they didn’t reach the semifinals, Mission Arizona’s 16AA team
proved its mettle at the recent Silver Stick
regional tournament held in Las Vegas.
Mission finished with a 0-2-2 record, with losses
to the VOSHA Mustangs (7-5) and the West Valley
Wolves (7-1). The team earned its ties against the
Vacaville Jets and VOSHA, both by 2-2 counts.
“This was an experience for these guys and they
showed a great deal of maturity and composure,” said
Mission coach Jeremy Goltz.
Clayton Dickson had an outstanding tournament, as did Justin Rousch and Chace Jackson,
who scored in the last minute to force the tie with
Vacaville.
“There’s no substitute for hard work, and these
guys show plenty of it,” said Goltz. “They’re really a
great bunch to be around, on and off the ice.”
The team has also been getting great leadership
from Taylor Devnich and Tyler Demmings.
“They’ve really grown leaps and bounds and are
coming together as a team,” said Goltz. “They flatout compete in tough divisions against tough opponents.” ❂
ARIZONA ICE RINKS
Alltel Ice Den
9375 E. Bell Road
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
ph. (480) 585-7465
Arcadia Ice Arena
3853 E. Thomas Road
Phoenix, AZ 85018
ph. (602) 957-9966
Desert Schools Coyote Skating
Center Chandler
7225 W Harrison Street.
Chandler, AZ 85226
ph. (480) 598-9400
Desert Schools Coyote Skating
Center Peoria
15829 N. 83rd. Ave.
Peoria, AZ 85383
ph. (623) 334-1200
Jay Lively Recreation Center
1650 N Turquoise Dr # B
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
ph. (928) 774-1051
Jobing.com Arena
9400 W Maryland Ave
Glendale, AZ 85305
Oceanside Ice Arena
1520 N. McClintock Drive
Tempe, AZ 85282
ph. (480) 941-0944
Ozzie Ice
10443 N. 32nd Street
Phoenix, AZ 85028
ph. (480) 488-6122
Tim’s Toyota Center
3201 N. Main Street
Prescott Valley, AZ 86314
ph. (928) 772-1819
Tucson Convention Center
260 S Church Ave
Tucson, AZ 85701
ph. (520) 791-4101
US Airways Center
201 East Jefferson Street
Phoenix, AZ 85004
23
Applications being accepted for
Demchik Scholarship
T
he Arizona High School
Hockey Association,
through the support of Behind the Mask, is accepting
applications for the second
annual academic scholarship
award – this year $1,000 - in
memory of Stephen Daniel
Demchik, a player in the
Thunderbird High School
hockey program who died in
a hiking accident in 2006.
Players who are current high school seniors are
eligible to apply for this award. AHSHA’s nominating committee will determine the recipient based on
documentation of the applicant’s qualities of academic success, civic character, leadership and fair
play.
Visit www.thunderonice.com to complete the
scholarship application. The deadline for nominations is (postmarked) February 15.
Thunderbird High senior Adam Barrowclough
was last year’s award winner.
See more on Demchik at www.stephen-demchik.
com. ❂
Summit continued from Page 7
said of the program, which began with about eight participants and now regularly caps out at 40 skaters and
six goalies (goalies not only don’t have to pay, but are
paid a $10 incentive to show up).
Mims said the secret to the success of Adult Hockey
Skills isn’t much of a secret, really.
“As well as he relates to kids, the adults love him
even more than that,” Mims said of longtime DYHA
coach Goar. “I think it’s really due to the way Kurt and
Scott run it.” “They build a lot of camaraderie out there,
by being hard on the guys and not kissing anyone’s butt.
“You’ve got doctors and lawyers out there and Kurt’s
yelling at them and getting on them, and they love it,”
Mims added.
Mims said the diversity in the program’s clientele
also keeps things interesting.
“We’ve got people from 18 years old, to Art Horowitz, who’s like 74,” he said. “It’s a good mix of people
who have never skated before, people who played roller
hockey and want to transition to ice, or there’s a lot of
guys who played some high school or midget, and then
went to college and started a career and quit. They
want to play again, so here we are.
“And it’s the perfect intro into our adult leagues.
When someone wants to get into the C league, they
don’t have to go to the Adult Hockey Skills first, but
we recommend it.” ❂
SCOUT SPEAK:
Who are you running with?
W
e have to learn to
pick our friends,
but that doesn’t mean neglecting to help a person
who is out of line.
If you have enough
good people on a team,
there’s a better chance of
salvaging a talent that
has gone astray. A better
team concept creates
an environment where
others are more likely to
buy in.
Players have to assume the responsibility
of helping a young person
who needs direction.
You have an obligation
to help, and it’s another
vehicle to help you feel
good about yourself.
You also have to recognize when to walk away.
We all have to make
24
career.
judgments
I’ve seen
about whom our
“locker room”
friends are and
guys destroy
what relationmajor league
ships we should
careers and
maintain.
Athletes are
prevent minor
required to make
league players
those judgments
from making it
in front of the
to the majors.
Grillo
whole commuI’ve also seen
nity because they’re in
teams wrecked at lower
the limelight. It’s okay to levels because these guys
only care about themremember your friends,
but at the same time you
selves and their careers.
They come off like
have to develop an underthey’re a team guy and
standing that you can’t
then use their relationdo some things you used
ship with the coach and
to in the past.
other key players to
Your friends may
destroy the rest of the
not understand that
players on the club who
good athletes are held
have more potential than
to higher standards and
they do.
that what they’re doing
Locker room guys
might jeopardize your
are detrimental to more
teams than not. The only
locker room guys who
bring a positive influence
are the ones who empower every other player
on the team, regardless of
race, color, creed, ability
and longevity, to be what
they can be.
Every new player
has the right to become
the next phenom. It
all starts with gaining
respect with your attitude, conduct, example,
perseverance and work
ethic. ❂
Chuck Grillo is an
amateur scout for the
Pittsburgh Penguins and
the owner of Minnesota
Hockey Camps (mnhockeycamps.com).
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Local clubs continued from Page 8
did adapt to playing up an age
division, but it was too late to pull
out those first few games.”
Led by the scoring of Nick
Spinasanta and Levi Wallace,
the tournament,” Boyarsky said.
they rebounded in their final two
“But I was very proud of the
games, defeating Bishop High
way the ‘92s played and what
School, 8-1, and Revision Devil
they showed they are capable of
Dogs, 5-1, to finish in third
this season.”
place with a 2-2 record.
Despite the championship
“The team really got in sync
game loss, Outcasts goaltender
in those last two games,” said
Jordan Priebe added another
Boyarsky. “The teamwork was
Top Goalie award to his resume,
there and we controlled most of
posting an impressive .923 save
those games.”
percentage.
The 91’s swept the individual
“Jordan had a very good first
awards in the Midget division
tournament,” Boyarsky said.
as Wallace earned Top Scorer
“He made big saves when we
honors with five goals and four
needed him to and gave us a
assists and Rianon O’Reilly won
chance to win games.”
the Top Goalie award with an
Tour Outcasts ‘91 played up
.811 save percentage.
in the Midget division for the
“Rianon quietly goes about
tournament, losing their first
doing her job all the time,” said
two games against the RBK
Boyarsky. “She’s just always
Bulldogs and Mission Raidsolid in net and saves the team
ers as they struggled to adapt
every game with a few great
against older and stronger playsaves.”
ers.
The next Western Inline
“The bigger, faster teams
tournament takes place Feb. 2
we played early on gave us a few Cameron Caruso scored two goals for Tour Out- at Coast 2 Coast in Huntington
casts ‘92 in the WIHA’s Bantam AA championship
problems,” Boyarsky said. “We
Beach. ❂
game.
25
480-473-5835
[email protected]
coyotesice.com
VOSHA Mustangs
602-957-9966
[email protected]
vosha.com
480-598-9400
[email protected]
phoenixpolarbearshockey.com
623-334-1200
peoriaroadrunnershockey.com
Jay Lively Ice Arena
928-774-1051, ext. 102
[email protected]
fyha.org
480-994-9119
[email protected]
dyha.org
www.azamateurhockey.org
602-493-4667
[email protected]
ozzieice.com
www.usahockey.com
www.usahockeyregistration.com
Arizona High School Hockey Asso.
602-799-7447
[email protected]
thunderonice.com
agyha.org
missionarizonaice.org
pfchangshockey.com
26
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