In This Issue
Red Army Poster Winners

Kyle Kudrna
Chicago Young Americans
Pee Wee 2003

Kim Langill
Wilmette Hockey Assoc.
Bantam AA, Squirt  A
Stay Connected
Volume 2 Issue 22
March 4, 2015
2015 AHAI ANNUAL MEETING

The AHAI Annual Meeting will be held on Sunday, May 31, 2015, at the Hyatt Woodfield in Schaumburg starting at 8:30 a.m. This year the meeting format will be different and will include association board membership seminar sessions. These seminar sessions will be geared toward the education of Association Board of Directors, Hockey Directors and Coaches and other interested members. Instructors will be from AHAI and USA Hockey; each session will be 40 minutes in length. 

 

AHAI ANNUAL MEETING SCHEDULE

 

8:30am - 9:00am              Opening Session

 

9:10am - 9:50am               Running a Club/Board Structure

9:10am - 9:50am               Growing the Game/Attracting New Players

9:10am - 9:50am               Hockey Directors/Coaches: ADM for Older Age Levels

 

10:00am - 10:40am           Running an R&E Committee

10:00am - 10:40am           Using the AHAI Web Tool/AHAI Communications

10:00am - 10:40am           Hockey Directors/Coaches: Player Development Info.

 

10:40am - 11:15am           BREAK

 

11:15am - 12:00pm           High School Breakout

11:15am - 12:00pm           Club Breakout: Tier I, Tier II, Tier III/Safety

11:15am - 12:00pm           Girls Breakout

 

12:15pm - 1:00pm            Closing Session/AHAI Board of Director Vote

 

The early seminar sessions will focus primarily on the education and contacts for further assistance. The last breakout sessions will be open forums which will include updates on possible changes for each discipline along with a question and answer session. The closing session will be a brief recap of the day and the election of the AHAI Board of Directors for 2015-2016 along with any voting needed for proposed AHAI Bylaw changes.

FEBRUARY PHOTOS OF THE MONTH

Your votes have been counted and the Top 5 Photos for February have been selected! Congratulations to our winners! Click HERE to view our 25 Finalists and visit AHAI's Facebook Page to see all photos submitted in February! Send those photos in for March; click HERE for complete photo contest details.

 

Nick Spreeman
Jaguar Mite ADM
Basil Stamatopoulos
Admirals Squirt A1


Keaton Crement & Joey Barenie
Sabre Hockey PeeWee

Jake Smith
Kankakee Irish High School
James Hach
St. Jude Knights PeeWee
AHAI NEWS & INFORMATION
2015 AHAI Awards & Honors
Join AHAI in congratulating the following individuals on their achievement during the 2014-2015 hockey season. Awards will be presented to recipients on Sunday, March 22 at the United Center during the Illinois State High School Hockey Championships.

Cammie Granato Girls High
School Player of the Year
Grace Zarzecki
Latin School of Chicago
JJ O'Connor Boys High
School Player of the Year

Kyle Slovis
Glenbrook North High School
High School Boys
Coach of the Year
Dan Granato
Neuqua Valley High School
High School Girls
Coaches of the Year

Courtney & Claire O'Connor
Latin School of Chicago
Youth Hockey
Coach of the Year

Tom Miller
Falcons Hockey Club
Girls Hockey
Coach of the Year

Gina Guzzi
Franklin Park Panthers
Chicago Blackhawk Alumni Association Scholarship Award Recipients

The Alumni Association was formed in 1987 by former Blackhawks players Stan Mikita, Keith Magnuson, Cliff Koroll and many others with one of the main goals being to give back to Illinois youth hockey, high school in particular. As part of this charge, the Alumni awards three annual scholarships in the amount of $7,500.00 per year for four years totaling $30,000.00. Congratulations to these fine young student athletes on their accomplishments!

Joseph Orecchio
St. Viator High School
Margot Werner
Latin School of Chicago
William Spell
Brother Rice High School
CONGRATULATIONS TIER I ILLINOIS STATE HOCKEY CHAMPIONS
Click HERE to View Full-Size Photos Courtesy of Photos By Sully
Squirt AAA Major
CYA
PeeWee AAA Minor
CYA
PeeWee AAA Major
Mission
Bantam AAA Minor
Mission
Bantam AAA Major
Mission
Midget AAA Minor
Fury
Midget AAA Major
Mission


CONGRATS
CHAMPIONS!
TIER II & GIRLS ILLINOIS STATE HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIPS
"SUPER WEEKEND" MATCH-UPS
GOOD LUCK TEAMS!

SQUIRT AA
Falcons v Bruins
SQUIRT A
Falcons v Bruins
SQUIRT B
Sabres v Jets
PEE WEE AA
Peoria v Falcons
PEE WEE A
Vikings v Leafs
PEE WEE B
Rockford v Blues
BANTAM AA
Blues v Leafs
BANTAM A
Falcons v Blues
BANTAM B
Blues v Bruins
MIDGET U18 AA
Sabres v Bruins
MIDGET U16 AA
Falcons v Cyclones
GIRLS 12U AA
CYA v Mission
GIRLS 14U AA
CYA v Mission
GIRLS 16U AA
CYA v Mission
GIRLS 19U AA
CYA v Mission
GIRLS 10U A
Winnetka v Glenview
GIRLS 12U A
Glenview v Leafs
GIRLS 14U A
Winnetka v Falcons
GIRLS 16U A
Falcons v Sabres
GIRLS 19UA
Sabres uncontested

All Tier II and Girls Championship Games will be played at The Edge Ice Arena in Bensenville the weekend of March 7-8, 2015. Click HERE for Tier II Championship Game Schedule. Click HERE for Girls Championship Game Schedule. Don't forget to pre-order your Action Photo Discs from Photos by Sully. Click HERE for more details regarding pricing and/or to download the pre-order form.
ADULT STATE TOURNAMENT
Register Now! Limited Number of Teams & Tournament is Filling Up Fast!

AHAI announces that the 2015 Men's and Women's State Tournament at various adult levels (Multiple Men's and Women's Divisions for all skill levels, Novice/Rec, CII, CI, B, A) will take place at the Darien Sportsplex from April 23-26, 2015. The Adult State Tournament is open to Adult (21+) Men & Women USA Hockey registered players and teams who played at least 8 games together in the 2014-2015 season, or non-USA league teams and players that wish to become USA Hockey members before the Tournament. Players may play on only one team in the Tournament. This year's Adult State Tournament promises to be the best ever in the history of AHAI!  READ MORE>>
2015 AHAI PLAYER DEVELOPMENT CAMP INVITEES

AHAI proudly announces the players invited to the 2015 AHAI Player Boys Development Camp for Midget and Bantam age players at the AHAI Hockey Center in Bensenville, Illinois to be conducted March, 20-22, 2015.

 

For the past 36 years, USA Hockey in conjunction with the U.S. Olympic Committee, has been conducting Player Development Camps at their facilities in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Lake Placid, New York, Buffalo, New York and St. Cloud, Minnesota, as well as other designated United States Olympic training facilities for the purpose of identifying and training the top Midget and Bantam age players nationally whom they feel have the potential to play on future United States National Teams in international competition. READ MORE FOR LIST OF INVITEES>>

NORTHERN ILLINOIS HOCKEY LEAGUE NEWS
Congratulations to the 2015 NIHL Wolves Cup Champions! Tier II Illinois teams from Mite to Midget competed in 21 different divisions to vie for the Wolves Cup Championship Title. VIEW LIST OF CHAMPIONS & RUNNERS-UP>>

The Presidents Cup is the award given to recognize the team that finishes with the best overall regular season record in each age and competitive division of the League.  In competitive divisions that have multiple tiers, the Presidents Cup is given to the team that finishes with the best overall regular season record in the highest tier of that competitive division. VIEW LIST OF PRESIDENTS' CUP RECIPIENTS>>
HIGH SCHOOL HOCKEY
Ross Forman's High School Hockey

I love March Madness. You've got teams fighting for their survival, their season on the line as the clock ticks down. There are last-second game-winners, bitter rivalries renewed, breakout stars and so much more. There are ranked teams, shocking moments and lifelong memories. March Madness truly is magical, ultimately ending with that one shining moment. But I'm talking high school hockey, not the NCAA Basketball Tournament.

 

Yep, it's that time of year - sink or swim - when teams look to topple New Trier Green and, eventually, be the lone standing, cheering, probably crying, overjoyed at the United Center, when the Illinois state champion is crowned. For Red Division teams, the season-long goal is Sunday, March 22, when the title will be awarded. As of March 2, the dream was still alive for 16 teams. Yep, the Sweet 16, though when this article hits your in-box and goes live online, that number will be reduced and the season sniped for several talent-filled teams. DON'T MISS A WORD...READ MORE>>
Live Streaming from The Edge
AHAI is pleased to announce that The Cube will be live streaming the Girls High School Varsity, Combined High School Varsity and Red Varsity Divisions' Semi-Final games. The Cube will also live stream the White High School Varsity Championship Game. YOU can live stream with the FREE, easy to use  Cube app!
High School State Tournament
Click on High School Divisions below to find out how your favorite team is doing in the 2015 Illinois State High School Hockey Tournament.


Good Luck Teams!
2015 Illinois Showcase Team Announced!
The Illinois High School Showcase Team will compete in the 2015 America's Showcase April 9 through 13 at the Robert Morris Island Sports Center in Pittsburgh, PA. The Showcase is designed to allow high school hockey players from around the country the opportunity to compete against the "best of the best" during this five-day period with the prospect of being seen by every major hockey institution in North America. We wish this year's High School Showcase Team good luck as they seek to again bring home the National Title to Illinois.
West Completes Another Great Season!

Illinois West High School Hockey has completed another great season. Our seniors look forward to whatever awaits them as our underclassmen, in many cases, look forward to spring league. This past weekend our playoffs completed and our regular season Champions at the Varsity level, Neuqua Valley (25-1-0), completed a sweep in the playoffs. Read More for Overall Season Winners>>
Scholastic Hockey League Varsity Final Set

The Scholastic Hockey League Varsity final is set; New Trier Green will face Glenbrook North in the best of three SHL final series games. New Trier Green also won the Coaches Trophy emblematic of the SHL regular season champion - a title that GBN won last year. GBN enters as the final winner of the first two SHL Championships. Read More for SHL Coaches of the Year & Varsity/JV Coaches Trophy Champions>>
Hayes-Suburban Championship Series

The Hayes-Suburban Division is now two weeks into their playoffs. All opening rounds and semifinal action has taken place as a single elimination event and now the winners will square off in a best-of-three series to determine the championships. This past weekend saw 4 semifinal games go into overtime and two more were decided by one goal. Read More for Teams Advancing to Championship Series>>

ILLINOIS CLUBS & PLAYERS IN THE NEWS
Berthiaume Named Finalist for Double-Goal Coach Awards
John Berthiaume, Maulers NIHL Pee Wee Gold #1 Coach, has been named as one of 75 national finalists for the PCA's Double-Goal Coach Awards. Selected from more than 2,100 nominations, these coaches pursue both wins and the even more important goal of teaching life lessons through sports. The 25 winners will be announced on March 10 and will receive a trophy; $250; and recognition in PCA websites, e-newsletters and publicity campaigns. Selected winners will join a panel discussion on-stage at PCA's National Youth Sports Awards Dinner and Auction Sponsored by Deloitte in Palo Alto, CA on April 25. Click HERE to learn more about what it means to be a Double-Goal Coach.
CYA 2002's Compete in Quebec International Pee Wee Tournament

By Bernie C. Pratt

 

Hundreds of teams from across the globe apply for the honor of competing in the grandest pee wee hockey venue of them all, The Quebec International Pee Wee Hockey Tournament. This annual rite of passage is held in and around the gothic 300 year old Quebec City, which overlooks the St. Lawrence Seaway.

 

In the AAA Division, the highest caliber level, 32 are chosen. Of those 32, one was our own Chicago Young Americans Pee Wee (2002) team. READ MORE>>

 
Try Hockey For Free Day: 11 Illinois Locations Introduced 409 Boys & Girls to the Great Game of Hockey

On Saturday, February 21, 10,200 children from across the nation were introduced to hockey for the first time at more than 300 Try Hockey for Free events, presented by Kraft, in 47 states. Saturday's turnout eclipsed the previous February Try Hockey for Free Day participation record, set in 2013, by more than 4,000. Through the hashtag #TryHockey, fans submitted pictures on social media, some of which can be found HERE.

 

VIEW LOCATIONS & PARTICIPATION STATISTICS>>

IHOA NEWS & INFORMATION
Ask the Official By Dave Zednik

QUESTION: The goalkeeper has frozen the puck with his glove when an attacking player comes in and makes stick contact with the goalkeeper's glove. The puck comes free prior to the Referee blowing the whistle to stop play. Should the Referee allow play to continue?

ANSWER: No. Rule Reference 634(d). Once the goalkeeper has clearly covered the puck, any stick contact with the glove must be penalized as slashing. The puck is considered frozen at the time the Referee determines it has been covered and play has stopped at that time, even though it may take a fraction of a second to blow the whistle. READ MORE "Ask the Official">>
Bozek Marks 6,000th Game in Officiating Career
By Ross Forman - Tom Bozek was on the ice for an adult league game at Twin Rinks Ice Pavilion in Buffalo Grove on Friday night, Feb. 20, marking the 6,000th game in his officiating career. Bozek, 54, a Buffalo Grove resident, has been officiating for 21 years and now averages about 275 games annually - down from 325 in his younger days. "I'm glad, satisfied giving back to the greatest game in the world," said Bozek, who was greeted in the locker room by a bottle of wine and trophy to recognize his milestone. He worked the game with Nick Fiorito. "It's been a long road, but it's gone quickly," said Bozek, who recalls that, in his 5,000th career game, he assessed a fighting and match penalties. His career also has included officiating state and regional championships and countless adult league championship games. READ MORE>>
"My Hands Were Shaking": Impact Abuse of Officials Has on Youth Referees 
By Lilly Bianchi - Picture this: a bitter Saturday morning draws families out of bed to get their little ones to the rink. They tie skates, sip coffee and chat as the kids take to the ice for a game. It happens every weekend in rinks all across America...so does the abuse of the officials toward those that work those games.

 

AHAI Referee-In-Chief Michael Barrett estimates about 175-200 reports are received annually regarding abuse of officials. There is no doubt such instances take a toll on officials, but what about when the official is only a teenager? As a 17 year old referee, I can tell you it happens all too often. Very rarely does one work a game where not a single negative comment is made. Perhaps the worst experience I had involved the anger of a coach. My hands were shaking, my voice trembling. READ MORE>>
ILLINOIS HOCKEY HALL OF FAME
2014 IHHF Bio Series: Lisa Chesson, Players' Category

Lisa Chesson was a silver medalist in the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. She was a member of the U.S. Women's National Team for the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship in 2009, 2012, and 2013 where her team won two gold medals and one silver medal. Lisa was also a member of the U.S. Women's Select Team where her team took second place in the 2007 Four Nations Cup and participated again in 2008-2009. Lisa was a four-time participant in the U.S.A. Hockey Women's National Festival (2006-09), and also attended U.S.A. Hockey Play Development Camp in 2003 and 2004. READ MORE>> 

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS YOUTH HOCKEY NEWS
BMO Harris Bank January Volunteer, Coach & Player of the Month
The Chicago Blackhawks and BMO Harris Bank are committed to honoring our hockey community by congratulating each month during the season, a Youth Hockey Player, Amateur Hockey Coach and a Hockey Volunteer. Criteria is based on hockey accomplishments, volunteer activities in the nominee's community and a demonstrated passion, dedication and spirit through commitment to community. In determining the Youth Hockey Player of the Month, the judges will also consider the nominee's academic accomplishments and involvement with his/her school. Click HERE for Nomination Form.

(Pictured Left to Right) Alexandra Dousmanis-Curtis, BMO Harris Bank, Volunteer - Tom Cotter, St Patrick High School, Coach - Willis Griffin, Hinsdale Central JV, Player - Cole Walsh, Joliet Jaguars, Annie Camins, Chicago Blackhawks Youth Hockey Director
Chicago Blackhawks NEW Bantam and Girls Summer Camps

The Chicago Blackhawks are proud to announce the addition of a new four-day hockey camp taking place August 3-6, 2015, at the newly renovated Ridgeland Common Recreation Center's Paul Hruby Ice Arena (415 Lake St., Oak Park, IL). The Bantam group is open to second-year PeeWees and Bantams, and the Girls group is open to girls ages 9-14. Click HERE to register today!

 
History

Championship Schedule
Girls Division - 9:00 a.m.
Boys Red Division - 12:00 p.m. - live on Comcast SportsNet
Boys Combined Division - 3:00 p.m.

Guidelines
All youth hockey players wearing their current jersey at the Illinois High School Hockey Championships will take a picture on the ice after the Red Division Championship. Participants must purchase a $5 ticket to the Illinois High School Hockey Championships through the youth hockey organization's link provided by the Chicago Blackhawks (ask your team manager for your organization's code). Call 312.455.7000 for more details.

Youth Hockey Organization Awards
Organization with the highest attendance will receive a full game-day scrimmage experience at the United Center during the 2015-16 season. Organizations with the 2nd and 3rd highest attendance will receive a private tour of the Chicago Blackhawks Locker Room. Organizations with the 4th and 5th highest attendance will watch a Chicago Blackhawks practice at the United Center.

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