Ice Times Magazine February 2012

Hockey is ExpensiveThis Magazine is FREE

FEBRUARY 2012

Houston Women

on Firepg. 9

“Keep your kids out of hot water, put them on ice”

TakeBack the Icepg. 17

End ofSeason Tips

pg. 16

Bring it Onpg. 19

For theGood ofthe Gamepg. 4

IceTimesMagazine

2 Keep your kids out of hot water – put them on ice! icetimesmagazine.com

IceTimesMagazine

888-878-8465 Keep your kids out of hot water – put them on ice! 3

IceTimesMagazine


Keith Andresen, Senior Director,

Hockey Programs

Dr. Pepper StarCentersDallas Stars Hockey Club

As the season winds down people start thinking about summer

programs and how best to stay on the ice without developing “hockey burnout”. There are a wide variety of camps, clinics and leagues available, many at very reasonable prices. Which one is right for you? If you have a better understanding of what’s out there you can make an educated decision. There are several factors that have to be considered when deciding what type of program you want for the summer. With a struggling economy everyone is looking for great value. However, finding a great deal should not mean that you have to compromise on quality. Look closely at your choices and determine the type or types of programs that are right for you. Here are the most common programs.Association Run Camps:These “pre-tryout” or training camps are run by the local travel associations using their “professional” staff coaches. These are normally very well organized and well run programs. The coaches are typically expert in running these camps and include a variety of drills, games and scrimmages to elevate the skill level of the participants. This type of camp is normally designed for the player already playing at a higher

level. These camps can be costly, normally ranging in price from $400-$1000 for a 6-8 week program. However they offer a quality product with top-notch coaching. Make sure you see a list of coaches who will be participating and ask questions about which coaches will be on the ice with the players. Also inquire about off-ice and goalie training if those are important to you. Independent Camps:Hockey Camps have been around for decades. These are typically 1-2 week camps where players are on the ice for 3-5 hours per day and normally include an off-ice program as well. Depending on the program, these camps offer a variety of skill levels and training methods. The ones that have been around for many years like Laura Stamm, Northern Edge, Turcotte, and Pro Ambitions are well organized and offer great instruction at a reasonable price, normally $300-$600 per week for 12-15 hours of on-ice instruction plus off-ice programs. This type of camp is great for all skill levels and can elevate a player’s skill level dramatically in a short time. I have found that, for some players, 3-4 hours of training per day over the course of a week can be superior to 6-8 weeks, on the ice

twice a week camp. Depending on the player these types of camps are a great choice if you’re looking for a great value.Leagues:Summer leagues offered by the various rinks are designed to be fun and keep kids skating at a minimum cost. There are a variety of programs around town and you can find some great deals if you compare pricing. The highest cost programs are normally the leagues that run one program for the entire summer. The cost usually ranges fro $600-$800. This type of league allows very little time for other sports and family vacations. Another choice is separate spring and summer programs. These tend to be a better value because you can play hockey over the summer but still enjoy some time away. Some programs even offer discounts for combining spring and summer leagues together for those folks wanting to play all summer. Also look at programs that offer smaller teams and more ice. 3 on 3 and 4 on 4 programs with modified rules that keep the kids on the ice and emphasize creativity and skating are all the rage up north. I was talking to a couple of Dallas Stars coaches recently and both believe that kids need time to be creative in a fun

and less structured environment. This type of program gives kids the chance to have fun while maximizing the time they are on the ice. Kids, especially those at the 12 and under age groups, should be encouraged to play multiple sports. However it’s important to keep up your skills. By selecting the right summer program you can elevate your skills and have time to enjoy other activities. ■

For the Good of the GameSummer HockeyBy Keith Andresen

Easy to see ads – delivered to prominent places.Call today and reserve your space in

If you are reading this, you’re probably not the only one!

Place your ad here and it will get read, too!

888.878.8465

IceTimesMagazine


On the CoverFebruary 2012Now In Our Sixth Season!

On The Cover:Alek Conanan, Allen Americans Midget Minor AA ‘95

Want to be our next cover shot? Send in your high resolution picture to [email protected]

Cover Shot Contest! PARENTS: Send in your picture and if it makes our Cover Shot of the Month you will win a gift certificate to

YOU SHOOT. YOU SCORE… THE KEG!

For the Good of the Game . . . . . . . 4Alliance News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Houston Womens On Fire . . . . . . . 9TX Tornado News . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Crull Fitness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Tack Back the Ice . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Rickard Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Behind the Bench . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Get Noticed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Ice Times Magazine is published monthly by Tink Ink Publications, LLC & distributed free of charge at ice rinks and pro-shops. Copy and Photographs are welcome and must be submitted by the 20th of the month prior to publication. ITM reserves the right to edit, reject or comment editorially on all material contributed. Reproduction in whole or part without express written consent of the Publisher is prohibited.

Scott Tinkham, [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tink Ink PublicationsGraphic Artist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sara Sparrowgrove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] Opportunities . . . . . [email protected]

888-878-8465To submit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.icetimesmagazine.com• Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . click on “send info”• Photographs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . click on “send pics”

WIN A PRIZE!!Find Doright somewhere in the magazine.

Kim Tinkham (1957 - 2010)

Ice Times Magazine is dedicated to the memory of Kim Tinkham.

Kim lost her brave battle with breast cancer Tuesday, December 7, 2010. Kim was a hockey mom, wife, youth hockey enthusiast, and editor and publisher of Ice Times. She will be greatly missed.

Monthly Columns


Advertise in theONLY

amateurHockey

magazine in Texas and Oklahoma!

Advertise inICE TIMESMAGAZINE!

888.878.8465

Ice Times Magazine is distributed within the first week

of each month and is entirely supported by

advertising revenue. Please spend your money with

the businesses that advertise with us.

It is their advertisements that make this

publication possible.

Thank you!

In stands 30+ days

and online for7 months!It’s not easy.

Email us his location to [email protected] and be entered in a drawing for a prize.

In the January

issue Doright

could be found on

page 22.

Did YOU find

Doright?

IceTimesMagazine

888-878-8465 7

It’s a bird...it’s a plane...it’s Aaron Driggs! Leaping hockey players in a single bound...Dallas Stars Selects 16UAA Euless.

Coach Brad Aho’s Jr. Brahmas Peewee Team vs parents/coaches. The team enjoyed playing parents instead of practicing!!

Texas Aces #16 Cameron Williams facing off against McKinney.

Danny Krivenko #12 (Team Houston-PW).

Alex Proctor (Oilers SQ B) - Whistle, please?!

IceTimesMagazine


Alliance Youth Hockey Association to Host USA Hockey Tier II Girls National ChampionshipsBy James Simpson

Each year in practically every sporting event on the planet, teams gather in centralized

venues to wage war against each other for the right to be crowned “Champions”. This highly coveted moniker embodies the pinnacle of achievement brought to fruition through intense training, sacrifice, strategy, and gamesmanship. Championships are coveted by athletes and their fans as a symbolic token of success and because of their often, battle-like nature, these events frequently develop a legendary mystique. Many sports create parameters of eligibility to participate in recognized championships geared toward the adult. These particular events tend to be revered in the highest esteem over your typical, run of the mill championship. For example, Football has the Super Bowl, Golf has the 4 Majors, and Baseball has the World Series. Hockey, on the other hand, is a little different. Sure, the Stanley Cup is the pinnacle of achievement for the sport in the professional realm, however in the amateur space, few sports can compare to the USA Hockey National Championships. USA Hockey, the governing body for amateur hockey in the United States, has developed a system over the years that can arguably rival the energy created by any other amateur sporting championship. Their success can be attributed to keeping the athletes and pure competition at the forefront of the event, and creating an adrenaline pumping atmosphere where athletes play with passion and intensity, not for accolades, but for a love and respect of the sport itself. USA Hockey’s system begins with a host site selection process. Each year, cities compete for the right to host Nationals. This year USA Hockey announced the official hosts and sites for the 2012 USA Hockey National Championships and the Alliance Youth Hockey Association (AYHA) of Irving, Texas has been selected to host the Girls Tier II Championships for the 19U, 16U, 14U and 12U age divisions. For each age group, 12 teams will play to determine a National Champion for their respective division. These 48 teams from across the United States will then descend upon North Texas to participate in the championships. Games will be played at DPSC Frisco and DPSC McKinney rinks on March 28th - April 1st, 2012. It will be the first time in history that a USA Hockey National Championship for Girls has been held in Texas. In addition, this year represents the 75th anniversary for USA Hockey, as well as the final year of eligibility

for the 12U Girl division’s participation in the National Championship process. In 2009 Alliance hosted the Boys 14U Tier I & II Championships in Plano, and being selected to Host the Girls’ Tier II Nationals in 2012 is a tribute to the organization’s commitment to promote amateur athletes in the DFW area as well as the entire state of Texas. While the girls program at Alliance is the only recognized travel hockey program in the state this hasn’t always been the case. Girls’ hockey in Texas has very humble roots. The Program began as a group of girls who played on boys teams, morphed into a single girl’s travel hockey team that bounced around from the Texas Attack to the Ice Jets, and finally found its home at the Alliance Youth Hockey Organization three years ago.

Today, you will find the only girl travel hockey teams throughout Texas and Oklahoma playing out of Alliance. When the President of the Alliance Youth Hockey Organization, Dr. Paul Freudigman, was asked what it means to have the only girls travel hockey program in TX and OK he said, “Alliance is proud to be the only travel hockey association in the TAHA affiliate to provide a full complement of girl’s hockey teams. Alliance has been and will continue to be the backbone of girls’ hockey training in Texas and Oklahoma. These girls and young women need a home to train and develop together. Alliance provides that home under the direction of Karen Rickard as well as David Horn and Stan Tugulukov.” With Karen, David, and Stan at the helm of this program, the girls who play at Alliance receive coaching – not just a coach who “runs a practice”. They also

develop into hockey players – not just girls who play hockey. Last season was a huge success – the 12U, 14U, and 19U teams all competed at Nationals in Anaheim, CA with the 19U Girls capturing their first ever Tier II Girls National Championship. This year, there are four teams – 12U, 14U, 16U, and 19U at Alliance and their sights are set on the National Championships. The girl’s program at Alliance is recognizable not just in the DFW metroplex, but across the state as well. Girls from San Antonio, College Station, Houston, Austin, and even Oklahoma are proud to call Alliance home. It’s actually a very unique situation for the girls. In places such as Minnesota, Canada, or New England, girls’ teams would normally play against other girls’ teams. Alliance, however, has the only girl program in two states so the North Texas Hockey League (a traditional boy’s hockey league) has been very accommodating in allowing the girls to compete in a regular season schedule in between girls’ tournaments around the country. And if you ask any of the girls who play they will tell you the best part of playing with other girls is actually the fun part of it – getting to play on the same team, sharing the same locker room, and “competing against boys” together without feeling like outsiders. Alliance has not been a st ranger to par ticipating in the Girls National Championships over the last few years. In 2010, The Alliance 19U and 14U Girls teams both earned their way to the National Championships, with the 19U Girls Bulldog team earning a spot in the Championship game and a Silver Medal. And in 2011, the 19U girls successfully made it back to the championship game where they beat a team from Alaska to win the Gold Medal in the Tier II National Championship. If you attended the 2009 Boys 14U Championships in Plano and thought that was fun, you are in for a treat in 2012, as the Girls National Championships are typically well known for their fun and exciting atmosphere, and high level of play unexpected by those not familiar with Girls hockey. Additional information will be posted in the future regarding the opportunities to be involved in the hosting of this prestigious event. For more information on the Alliance Youth Hockey Association, please visit us at: http://alliance.pucksystems.com/ ■

IceTimesMagazine


Yellow Team

Houston Women on fire for HockeyBy Mina Tomaro

The Houston Women’s Hockey League (HWHL) was established in 2006 and is Houston’s only all women’s hockey league. My initial

goal in forming an all-female league was for my, then high school, daughter to have a place to play that didn’t involve full check hockey and that would allow us to play together! We still play together today and that is the most rewarding for me. Our teams now include other mother-daughter duos. Once we got the word out for a scrimmage/try-out of sorts we had an overwhelming turn out of over 50 women. Since then my data base is well over 220 ladies that pop in and out of our league, maintaining a 4 team league depending on their careers, travel, pregnancy, and injuries.We follow USA Hockey Player Rules. The HWHL welcomes Women and Girls of all skill levels from beginners to the most advanced female players. Because of this all players are rated and drafted to keep teams. Our theme “Women on fire for Hockey” is about female camaraderie and sportsmanship for those with a passion for hockey. With our diverse

levels of skill we are all about supporting and mentoring our beginners. We are a “for fun league with a competitive edge”! We play every Tuesday night and games are earlier enough that the players tailgate in the parking lot – what happens on the ice, stays there, and ends in the parking lot with a cold beer or soda! We play at Sugarland Ice Center in Sugarland, Texas and have ladies traveling from Galveston, Tomball, Beaumont, Victoria, and Cypress areas to skate with us. If you are moving to Houston look us up on our Website or follow us on Facebook and contact us. ■Mina N. TomaroHouston Women’s Hockey League Commissioner281-773-7244 • [email protected] us on Facebook: Houston Women’s Hockey League Houston Women’s Hockey League at Sugar Land Ice Photos taken by Fiesty Flyer Photography

Blue TeamRed Team

Gray Team

IceTimesMagazine


TX Tornado NewsBy Corey Hersch

For most junior hockey players, the opportunity to advance their career athletically comes with it the added responsibility of living

away from home for the first time. Hunter Leisner, a goaltender out of Garland, was not one of those players, however. The 19-year-old Leisner played with both the Texas Aces and the Alliance Bulldogs before continuing his hockey career a long way from home in just his freshman year of high school. As of January, however, Leisner is back in the Dallas/Fort Worth Area after being acquired by the North American Hockey League’s Texas Tornado. “We’re very excited to get a guy in Leisner who’s from the Dallas/Fort Worth Area,” Texas Tornado head coach and general manager Tony Curtale said upon completion of the trade with the Aberdeen Wings. “More importantly, we feel that he is one of the top goaltenders in the league.” If he wanted to make a good first impression on his new coach, Leisner certainly took a step in the right direction in his first two Tornado games. His first test came on January 27th, with Leisner making 17 saves in a 6-2 Tornado victory over the Fresno Monsters. Then, on February 2nd, Leisner picked up his third shutout of the season—and first with the Tornado— in a 6-0 defeat of the Wichita Falls Wildcats. Leisner returns home after starting ice hockey with the Texas Aces before skating with the Alliance Bulldogs, though he moved north at just 15 years old to play with the Chicago Fury once he started Midgets. “I loved growing up and playing hockey in Texas,” Leisner said. “I played a lot of roller hockey when I was younger, but started on the ice when I was around eight. Everyone got real excited around here when the Stars won the Stanley Cup [in 1999], so I’m sure that had something to do with it, too.” After playing his Midget Minor, Midget Major, and AAA with the

Fury, last season was Leisner’s first in the North American Hockey League. He spent it nearly 1,000 miles from the Metroplex, as a member of the Aberdeen Wings in South Dakota. Leisner played in 49 games in his first junior hockey season last year, posting a 3.51 GAA and a .903 SV%. He began this year with Aberdeen, as well, and actually beat the Tornado early this season at the Combat Hockey/NAHL Showcase

Tournament in Blaine, Minn. But 29 games into his year, Leisner was told that he was on the move to Frisco. “I had some mixed emotions about being traded from Aberdeen,” Leisner said. “It’s tough to leave after you’ve been somewhere for a year and a half and developed relationships with people. But the facilities here are bar-none, it’s definitely a different atmosphere, and I’m excited to be playing here.” The trade sent forward CJ Reuschlein and goaltender Reid Mimmack to Aberdeen in exchange for Leisner, a move that wasn’t easy for Curtale to make.

“This was a very difficult decision, first and foremost because we’re giving up a couple of great kids,” Tornado head coach and general manager Tony Curtale said. “We think a ton of both Reid and C.J., but in order to put ourselves in a position to win a championship this season, we felt we needed to upgrade in goal.” Regardless of how the remaining 16 regular season games play out, the Tornado will be a part of the 2012 Robertson Cup National Championship as the host team. Along with each of the five NAHL division-winners, the Tornado will take part in a six-team round robin tournament to crown the 2011-2012 North American Hockey League champions. All Robertson Cup games will take place at Dr Pepper Arena in Frisco from May 3-May 8. ■

John McManaman’s Dallas Stars Selects, Squirt A team, Frisco. Evan Williams (#35) stretching to make the save.

IceTimesMagazine


TOURNAMENT TRAVEL TEAMS COACHING STAFF

Visit www.TxJrEagles.com For More Information

BOSTON COLLEGE | NOTRE DAME | BOSTON UNIVERSITY

— 2012 — SPRING – SUMMER

9U AAA

10U AAA

11U AAA

12U AAA

13U AAA

14U AAA

15U AAA

Led By NCAA Division 1 Alumni With 3 NCAANational Championship Appearances

IceTimesMagazine


FORSALE

Enjoy Your Real Estate ExperienceWith Kalena Cook as Your Guide.

• Pricing with Precision

• An Eye for Design & Staging

• Over 15 Years Experience

• Marketing with Creativity

• Certified Negotiation Expert

• Envision a Successful Sale!

Call today and receive a complimentary report—

7 Insider Secrets on Showcasing

Your Home for a Successful Sale.

Envision the Possibilites

Kalena CookHockey Mom & REALTOR®

EBBY HALLIDAY REALTORS SOUTHLAKE OFFICE 1100 E. SOUTHLAKE BLVD., SUITE 100 (AT CARROLL AVE.) SOUTHLAKE, TEXAS 76092

Scan QR to website!

BUYING A NEW HOME or SELLING YOUR HOUSE:

[email protected]

Envision the Possibilities

“Having had the pleasure of working with Kalena as both a seller and a buyer, we recommend her as a realtor to any prospective client. Her positive attitude and energy was above and beyond our expectations.”

—Brian & Susie Wood

214.478.8980

1622 Belltower Ct. Lewisville, TX 3Beds/2Baths/2-Car Garage & Pool $164,500.

FORSALE

FORSALE

404 W. Chapel Downs Southlake, TX 5Bed./ 5Bath/ 4-Car Garage By Schools! $949,000.

2130 Southmoor, Carrollton 3Beds/2Baths/2-Car , Wood Flrs & Pool $149,000.

10514 Cromwell Dallas 3Beds/2.1Baths/2-Car Granite/SS & Wood Flrs $199,900.

FORSALE

Helping hockey families with their next move.

IceTimesMagazine

888-878-8465 Keep your kids out of hot water – put them on ice!13

The Blues win it all!The 1st Annual Christmas Milk Tournament Champions.

Jr. Brahmas Squirt AA Team went to Ontario for the Bell Capital Cupseen here with the German Eagles from Germany.

Shane Page #4 with the Dallas Stars Selects Midget U-16.Ethan Williams (#20) making a save against the Aces.

IceTimesMagazine


IceTimesMagazine


Bryson Andregg dumps the puck.

Goalie - Brydon Gillilan (McKinney Lightning PeeWee A).OKC Oilkings Ben Johnson #22Texas Aces Bobby Bernier #4

Dixon Whitehead (23) taking the face offDallas Stars Selects Midget Minor AA - Aucoin

OKC PW Major Oil King Mathew Allen Makes a Move.

The TAHA Winter Meeting has been scheduled for 10:00-11:30am on Sat Feb 11th at the DPSC McK-inney. The agenda includes a review of highlights from the recent USA Hockey and Rocky Mountain District Winter Meetings, along with the TAHA Affiliate Report and review of remaining season event. Every USA Hockey member in TAHA is able to attend, so please put it on your calendar. This event will be held during the 2012 Tier I & Tier II State Tournament so the Winter Meeting is an added bonus while you enjoy watching your favorite Tier hockey team. Congratulations are in order for the three in-dividuals below who were recently elected to fill the unexpired terms for the open board member posi-tions. I also want to sincerely thank Jamie Appell and Tracy Servaes for all their time, dedication, and con-tributions while they served on the TAHA Board the past few years. Their commitment to Texas and Okla-homa hockey will be sorely missed, but I am positive that Reggie, Doug, and Kendall will hit the ice in full stride without missing a beat.Reggie Hall – TAHA Vice PresidentDoug Ritter – Adult Section PresidentKendall Hanley – Girls/Women’s Section President The TAHA Guidebook has also been up-dated with the above contact information, in addition to updates to various rules, policies, and guidelines. Outside of USA Hockey’s Annual Guide and as men-tioned in prior TAHA Annual or Winter meetings, the TAHA Guidebook is intended to be a “one-stop” ref-erence shop for affiliate rules and policies currently in effect. I encourage member association reps to closely review the updated Guidebook that has been posted on the www.tahahockey.org website.

2011/2012 Planned EventsFeb 10-12 States Tier I & Tier II (TAHA Host in Dallas)Feb 17-19 .......USA Hockey Weekend Across AmericaMar 1-4 .........................................Districts Tier I (CO)Mar 2-4 ............................. Districts Girls/Women (CO)Mar 5-11 ........... Texas Cup Gold HS Champs (Dallas)Mar 16-18 .TAC Boys/Girls (TAHA host, Valley Ranch)Mar 21-25 ................................. Nationals High School......................................(pure teams only, Kearns, UT)Mar 23-25 ................. Texas Cup Silver Division (TBD)Mar 28-Apr 1.....Nationals Tier 1 & II Youth (sites vary)Mar 28-Apr 1 Nationals Tier I Girls (Marlborough, MA)Mar 28-Apr 1..................Nationals Tier II Girls (Dallas)Mar 30-Apr 1 Nationals Women A/B/C (Marlborough, MA)Apr 11-15 ........... Americas HS Showcase (Pittsburgh)Apr 13-15 ..National Disabled Hockey Festival (Dallas)May 2-6.....................................RMD PDC (SLC Oval)

As we all enter the second half of the 2011-12 season, I want to wish all teams and players good luck as each drives towards state and league championships, and for some, national championships. A number of very excit-ing events are planned in the next 3 months, all of which will be fun to watch, but even more fun to participate in, whether as a player or coach, and even as a volunteer. These events are highlighted below with more informa-tion to be found on the TAHA website at www.tahahockey.org. Again, good luck to all and remember to play our great game as it was intended to be played, with much energy, respect, sportsmanship, and compliance with all USA Hockey rules.

Nick Bebko #87 Squirt B Jr Brahmas

IceTimesMagazine


As our teams enter into the end of the season and come into playoffs we need to shift the

focus of our training. This is the time of year where players are more susceptible to injuries as physical and mental fatigue really starts to set in. This is for many reasons, the obvious is it’s been a long season and has required much from our players, most players also begin to decrease in flexibility, and others are nursing bumps, bruises, and pre existing injuries. Here are a few helpful tips so we can finish the season strong and healthy! One way to help fight the fatigue is decreasing the volume of our training and to increase our focus on injury prevention. This can be done a variety of ways; we can decrease the reps and sets of our strength training but still maintain our attention to form but maintaining proper amounts of weight in order to maintain strength. This will also leave more time for core work and injury prevention at the end of the workout as the lift sessions will be shorter. We must continue to keep our conditioning and speed at its peak. We do not necessarily need to

decrease workout session, just shift the focus. Another aspect is nutrition; some players need to increase calories to maintain their high levels of performance. An increase in Carbohydrates to increase energy, boost protein for greater muscular recovery, and also raise water and electrolyte intake for better muscle maintenance and to help flush toxins from our bodies. Increasing vitamins and minerals is also important, adding ginger and black tea to foods or post workout drinks also helps because ginger is a powerful anti-inflammatory and black tea has antioxidants which will help reduce muscular stress and increase recovery. Staying away from acidic foods or drinks such as soda helps keep our bodies more basic which will put our bodies in a greater state of recovery. Finally we need to treat our bodies’ right. Ice baths after games will help reduce inflammation. More sleep will allow us to repair our bodies more effectively. Applying heat to sore or tight muscles will help loosen them up and increase blood flow to the area. Stretching in our spare time, after games, and workouts is an extremely

simple and effective way to decrease injuries and increase performance. I hope you find these helpful and if you have any more questions please feel free to email us at [email protected], here to an awesome rest of the season! ■

End of Season TipsBy Luke Beltrand

Luke Beltrand is a Former Collegiate Hockey player and Current Manager of Crull Fitness Valley Ranch. Luke is Certified as a Certified Fitness Specialist through the Cooper’s Institute and Sports Performance Coach through USA Weightlifting. Luke is the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for over 40 local Hockey Teams..

IceTimesMagazine


Take Back the IceBy Michael Greene

The boys of the Dallas Stars Elite Squirt Major AAA hockey club of Irving, Texas wanted to show support and bring awareness to the challenges

being met by Jack Jablonski; a young man from Minneapolis, MN who is currently facing paralysis due to a check from behind in a JV hockey game on December 30, 2011. The team decided to tape their sticks red for the entire Dallas Super01 Series that was held on January 14-16 in Irving, Texas. Teams and families from Los Angeles, Denver, St. Louis, Boston & Kitchener, Ontario were able to see these sticks and see the boys from Dallas skate with skill, purpose and honor. The Dallas Stars Elite Hockey Club encourage all hockey players, coaches, associations and parents to “take back the ice” by visiting www.jabby13.com and www.jackspledge.com. ■ Dallas Stars Elite Squirt Major AAA hockey club of Irving, Texas.

#9 Chris Samatas Wolves Pee Wee B.

Blues Fickenscher Steers One Away For OKC Oil Kings Bantam AA.Cameron Fernandez - Frisco Bantam Maple Leafs, #2.

Gibson Duhe celebrates after scoring a goal. Dillon Lieberg - Dallas Stars Selects U16AA

IceTimesMagazine


Not a goal!!

Aaron Siegrist (Alliance U16 AAA - Fry)

IceTimesMagazine


The Rickard Reportby Karen Rickard

Most teams in the NTXHL will finish up their seasons around the middle of

March, but the girls at Alliance will still be headed to the rink up until the beginning of April to prepare for the USA Hockey Girl’s Tier II National Championships. This year’s National Tournament is being held right here in Dallas, TX by the Alliance Youth Hockey Association. All four girls’ teams at Alliance have their sights set on winning, with the 19U team looking to defend their National Championship title from 2011. Amidst the excitement from players and parents alike there is still much preparation to take place. Skates are not the only piece of equipment being sharpened, but the mind of the elite hockey player must also be fine tuned for the Big Game. Having a pre game routine is inherently part of being an athlete. We all know how crazy athletes can be with their superstitious pre game rituals (hockey players are undoubtedly the worst offenders!), but there is an actual purpose behind all the quirkiness. Some players listen to certain music while others don’t wash their “lucky” shirt or socks. I used to always put the left side of my equipment on first – left foot sock, left shin pad, left sock, left pant leg, left elbow pad, left glove and so on. If something was out of order I had to go back and fix it. To anyone other than a hockey player it would seem incredibly strange, but it kept me focused on what I was getting ready to do. Even more so – it kept distractions at a minimum leading up to game time so I could focus on getting amped up and ready to hit the ice hard when the first puck dropped. There are really two pre game routines – one that the team goes through together and another that each player needs to develop on their own. The coach’s routine usually involves arriving at the rink by a certain time, being dressed a certain way, having an off ice team warm up, stretch and pre game talk. The team’s pre game routine is timed to set in motion a series of events to point the team in a specific direction, but still allow players time on their own to prepare for the game individually. With the younger age groups it can be incredibly difficult for players to really develop and fine-tune their individual pre game routines because

distractions can come from almost anywhere. Parents, teachers, kids at school, schoolwork, a bad day, a fight with a friend or teammate, or a bad test score are all contributing factors, and what coaches need to do is help these young players develop their own routines to keep these distractions to a minimum in the hours leading up to competition. Aside from minimizing distractions, stress management is a vital tool in preparing for major competitions. The girls have practiced and played all year long to prepare for this one tournament and want to do well. They don’t want to let anyone down – themselves, teammates, parents or coaches. My fear is that if any one of them makes one little mistake they will crumble under their own pressure that they won’t be able to dig themselves out. For these young hockey players it is absolutely critical they understand they will likely commit one or two mistakes during the course of play. I have never seen a perfect hockey game or met a player who played a perfect game. Mistakes are meant to happen – it’s how we get better and develop. What I want my players to understand is if they make a mistake, it’s not the fact that they made the mistake, but it’s how they recover in that very instant. Players CHOOSE how they respond to mistakes – they can choose to let the man go, or stick with them and get the puck back. Being resilient is a choice and those who understand that philosophy will be much better at managing stress during competition and be able to attack a Championship game rather then just be a part of it. Developing pre game routines, minimizing distractions and managing stress does not just happen overnight. They are part of the off ice coaching that needs to take place throughout the season and are inherent in players being successful. Routines need to be consistent and managing stress needs to be done consciously so young players are prepared properly for all the Big Games – on and off the ice.Best in Hockey, Karen Rickard ■

Player Profile – Elisabeth ElsborgAge: 12Team: Alliance 12U GirlsHometown: Danish Citizen, born in Hong Kong and currently lives in Frisco, TXFavorite Female Hockey Player: Don’t have one. Oh no wait – Coach Karen! Elisabeth enjoys her time at Alliance because she has fun with her teammates at practices and games and is looking forward to travelling this year.

Player Profile – Bailey McKeonAge: 10Hometown: Andover, MAFavorite Female Hockey Player: Angela Ruggiero – she is so talented! Bailey’s favorite part about playing girls hockey with Alliance is the girl’s part! It’s great spending time with each other and having girls all over Texas come to Dallas to play at Alliance! Getting together with girls who are alike - we all want to make girls hockey known and not forgotten. Bailey is most looking forward to getting to know the new players on the team and Hosting Nationals this season.

Bring it On: Preparing for the Big Game

Coach Karen is currently the Head Coach of the Alliance Bulldogs 12U & 14U Girls Teams. She grew up in Bowmanville, ON Canada, currently resides in Dallas, TX and played Division I Women’s College Hockey at the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

IceTimesMagazine


BEHIND THE BENCHBy Mark Dyslin

Mark Dyslin has been coaching youth sports for over 15 years and coaching youth hockey since 1999. He is currently one of the coaches for St. Mark’s Junior Varsity Hockey Team.

From the farthest reaches of the universe, they come with a single purpose in mind: dinner! Alien

creatures whose very survival depends on a steady diet of brain soup. Who are these extraterrestrial carnivores, whose insatiable appetite for being right, all the time, threatens our planet’s very existence? Beware:The Brain Eating Parents! (Cue ominous music). Please understand, I don’t consider all parents to be gray matter epicureans. Really. The majority are wondermous non-zomboids. But it only takes one or two cerebellum chow hounds to spoil things for the rest of the team, parents, spectators, officials, snack bar employees, and even the maintenance folks. We all know some parents “living the dream” through their kids. While we privately giggle at them, be careful you don’t wind up as their amuse-bouche. Just remember: from their perspective, your actions better mesh with their expectations, thus ensuring their investment pod (read: child) grows into the next “great one”. So how do you survive these “high energy” parents? It ain’t always easy. It’ll take a lot of patience and resolve. Just make sure you do what’s best for the kids (without usurping the parent’s authority, of course). If you wind up with a parent who sees you as nothing more than medulla oblongata pate, bewailing non-stop about everything, try using a communication escalation process. This is designed to protect you and the team.

1) First formal conversation. You have reached the point where the frequency and tone of the complaints have become more intense. Using your 24-hour rule, arrange a meeting and explain the desired outcome is for the two of you to reach a mutually agreeable direction. Make sure your assistant is at the meeting. Afterwards, email parentis eatamus cerebelli the plan(s) of action, and copy your association or rink management. 2) The “Grow-up” directive. Do this when mummy/dadda has not followed the aforementioned plan o’ action. Explain (and email), point-by-point, how they have failed to honor what you both agreed upon. Make sure they understand that the behavior will have to cease immediately and throughout the remainder of the season. There is no “or-else”. They don’t have choices at this point. Copy your association or rink management. 3) The Pontius Pass. If the negative behavior persists, then wash your hands and pass the problem off to your association or rink management. Send a note to the parent(s) letting them know you are no longer to communicate directly. You have done what you can. We’d all like to think only bad coach’s “get” themselves into these situations. Fact is, we are dealing with the general public and it’s not always pretty out there. But open and frequent communication is like garlic and a crucifix: it’ll repel the nastiest of the nasties. ■

IceTimesMagazine


Love Ice Times Magazine and want to help support it? Donate to our cause of, it’s easy! Visit our web site and donate what you can to help offset the print costs. Thanks so much!

IceTimesMagazine


Get NoticedBy Brad Buetow

Want To Play Prep School, Midget AAA, Junior or College Hockey?

Coming May 18-20, 2012, Texas and Oklahoma hockey players have the opportunity to show

off their talent at the 8th Annual Junior Placement Showcase. JPS hockey showcase will be at Apex Arena in Denver and will start on Friday, May 18 and will end on Sunday, May 20. Attending and participating in JPS hockey showcase will be coaches and GM’s from Midget AAA, Prep School, Junior A, and College (Division I-III) programs from the United States and Canada. Last year there were over 60 programs involved at the showcase. These coaches/GM’s will coach behind the bench and provide informational sessions to players and their parents regarding their respective programs during the weekend. Director, Brad Buetow, stated that he believed there was a need for this hockey showcase so that Texas/Oklahoma athletes could be noticed and further advance their hockey careers. Brad has had over 20 years experience as a head coach at the University of Minnesota, United States International University, and

Colorado College, was name “Coach of the Year” 5 times (both in the collegiate and professional levels), played professional hockey, and has been director/coach for 9 years in Colorado Midget AAA programs where he has placed over 75 players in Junior A and over 40 players in Division I-III college programs. “I know Texas and Oklahoma has great potential to move players on to other programs so they can accomplish their lifelong goals of getting a quality education and continuing to play hockey. That is the sole purpose of JPS!” In addition, many players from previous JPS camps have received offers from various programs throughout the US and Canada. According to Brad, attending JPS is like attending over 60 individual camps, thus saving money and yet maximizing player’s exposure. Information regarding JPS can be found online at JPS-Hockey.com or you can email Brad Buetow at [email protected]. ■

Brad Buetow is the Director of Junior Placement Showcase. He is also a coach and former professional hockey player.

JPS – Hockey Showcase92’ - 97’ Midget AAA, Prep, Jr A, College Div I-III

Denver, CO (APEX Arena) MAY 18-20, 201260 Coaches/GM’s in attendanceJPS is like attending 60 team selection camps4 Games & Information sessions (Midget AAA, Prep, Junior A, College)

www.JPS-hockey.comGeorge Gwozdecky – Head Hockey Coach, University of Denver WCHA‘At the University of Denver was are proud that 33% of our hock-ey team is comprised of players from the state of Colorado and therefore I am supportive of any opportunity that gives hockey players from our state a chance to develop and receive the expo-sure to the Junior A hockey coaches as well as college hockey programs.

Brad Buetow has played and coached at the highest level of NCAA Division I college competition and knows what it takes to play at this level. Some of Brad’s former players who are cur-rently playing at the University of Denver.”

Kevin Hartzell – GM/Head Coach Sioux Falls Stampede USHL“Brad Buetow, Director of JPS, was my college coach when I played at the University of Minnesota and I feel that with Brad’s contact JPS is one of the top exposure camps for juniors, prep, midget, and college scouts. We will enjoy coming out and feel it is very worthwhile. Coach Buetow, JPS Director, has coached in Division I College for 20 years, scouted and coached in the pros for several years and with his network he has helped my career immediately.”

Dean Blais – Head Coach University of Nebraska-Omaha CCHA“We are looking forward to scouting players out of the JPS showcase. The competition is excellent and there will be several scouts/coaches from all the junior A/B and college levels.”

Jon Bonnett – Assistant Coach Colorado College WCHA“I believe Coach Buetow is one of the hardest working youth coaches/recruiters in the country. Brad is well connected and vis-ible within the hockey community. Brad is motivated to develop and expose local and non-traditional hockey area players to Midget AAA, Juniors and NCAA Hockey. This camp is the first step.”

Pete Sauer – Head Coach/GM Aberdeen Wings“Excellent showcase! JPS exposure showcase really puts kids on the radar for future hockey opportunities. I will be attending it along with other NAHL coaches.”

••••

IceTimesMagazine


SUMMER LEAGUE 2012 BANTAMS, PEEWEE AND MIDGETS· July 16 – August 19· Full Ice 4-on-4· 10 Games and a Practice· Team Jersey· · Fast, fun and creative

SPRING LEAGUE 2012 MITES THROUGH MIDGET· April 28 – July 15· 15 Games and 3 Practices· Mites get full and half-ice games· Team Jersey

A FULL SUMMER OF HOCKEY FOR

ONLY THE DR PEPPER STARCENTER CAN OFFER THESE GREAT FEATURES

EULESS1400 S. Pipeline Rd.

Euless, TX 76040817-267-4233

FRISCO2601 Avenue of the Stars

Frisco, TX 75034214-387-5600

McKINNEY6993 Stars Avenue

McKinney, TX 75070469-675-8235

FARMERS BRANCH12700 N Stemmons Frwy

Farmers Branch, TX 75234214-432-3131

A FULL SUMMER OF HOCKEY FOR ONLY $398! SPACE IS LIMITED. REGISTER EARLY AND RESERVE YOUR SPOT!

Ice Times Magazine February 2012

Documents

Transcript of Ice Times Magazine February 2012