In This Issue
STAY CONNECTED
Volume 2 Issue 24
April 1, 2015
CHICAGO MISSION GIRLS 19U
USA HOCKEY NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!!

Danielle Browning, Jesse Compher, Catherine Davis, Amanda Di Nella, Kate Fanning, Mikaela Gardner, Dakota Golde, Alyssa Gorecki, Katie Granato, Nicole Guagliardo, Kate Landers, Baily Larson, Kendra Nealey, Kelly O'Sullivan, Lauren Rogers, Amber Samonek, Tatum Skaggs, Sophie Skarzynski, Bridget Wagner, Grace Zarzecki; Head Coach: Tony Cachey; Assistant Coaches: Tom Mandarino, Erin Rourke-Smith, Katie Cachey; Team Manager: Pam Di Nella

AHAI THANKS THE CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS FOR LEADING THE WAY!

AHAI would like to personally thank the Wirtz Family and the Chicago Blackhawks for hosting the Illinois State High School Championships at the United Center for the past 28 years.

 

The games started on the old Chicago Stadium ice until they moved over to the United Center when it opened in 1994. Under the leadership of William Wirtz, Sr. and more recently Rocky Wirtz, the games have added an unprecedented level of excitement for those who are lucky enough to play on this special day.

 

This year was no exception. The courtesy and professionalism demonstrated by everyone on the Blackhawks and United Center staff is truly remarkable and always appreciated by all. The experience of this special day for these players is something that each will remember forever.

 

As we plan ahead, AHAI is looking forward to continuing this longest standing youth/professional relationship in all of sports. Again we thank the entire Blackhawks organization for all they have done and continue to do to promote youth hockey and making it available for everyBODY.

ILLINOIS BOASTS 1 NATIONAL CHAMPION, 2 FINALISTS &
6 SEMI AND QUARTER FINALISTS!
Congratulations to the Chicago Mission Girls 19U Team on their National Championship Title! The Chicago Mission Bantam Major team should be extremely proud of their double OT 2nd place finish against HoneyBaked, as should the Chicago Young Americans Girls 16U team with their 2nd place finish to Shattuck-St. Mary.
Chicago Mission Girls 19U
National Champions
Chicago Mission 14U
National Runners-Up
CYA Girls 16U
National Runners-Up

 

Out of the fifteen (15) teams competing in this year's Toyota/USA Hockey National Championships, five (5) teams advanced to the semi-final round and nine (9) to the quarter-finals! AHAI salutes the Chicago Mission, Chicago Young Americans, Chicago Blues, Chicago Bruins, Naperville Sabres, and Highland Park Falcons teams on their outstanding seasons! READ MORE FOR COMPLETE USA HOCKEY NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS UPDATE>>

 

 

AHAI NEWS & INFORMATION

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. 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. Click HERE to view full AHAI Annual Meeting Schedule.

Falcons & Jr. Riverman End Successful Season at Midwest Pee Wee Tourney
Illinois is proud of the great showing for both the Falcons and Jr. Rivermen. Each team won 2 of their three games at the Midwest Pee Wee Tournament of Champions this past weekend in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, narrowly missing advancing to the Championship game due to tie breakers. Click HERE for full tournament results.
Find the Perfect Hockey Program
For Your Skater
AHAI is pleased to announce the "Affiliate Club Hockey Program Tab" on ahaienews.com. You can find club program information for Girls, Tier I, Tier II, Tier III, High School and Learn-to-Skate. For more information on how your club can list their program, click HERE.

Ask AHAI 

QUESTION: What is the story with High School goalies for spring? I heard we can just use any goalie we want?

 

ANSWER: It is the same process in spring as it is in the fall season. All High School goalies that are to be "re-assigned" must be approved by AHAI's Chuck Fattore, and Mr. Fattore alone. Contrary to some opinion, a goalie must first be cut from his own High School program. Therefore, the goalie must tryout only with his High School program. READ MORE>>

MARCH PHOTO OF THE MONTH ~ TOP 5!
Your votes have been counted and the The Top 5 Photos for March have been selected! Congratulations to our winners! Click HERE to view our 10 Finalists and visit AHAI's Facebook Page to see all photos submitted in March! The Photo of the Month Contest is taking a hiatus, but will be back in August for the Fall 2015-16 Season.

Logan Ditello
Huskies Bantam Bronze

Jeremy Drayton
Blues - Squirt 1

Briac Griffin
Chicago Hawks - PeeWee
Ethan
Jaguars - Squirt
Carter K.
Sabres - Silver Mite 5
HIGH SCHOOL HOCKEY
2015 Illinois High School State Champions
Photos Courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks & Photos by Sully. Click HERE to view full-size photos on ahaienews.com.

Glenbrook North
Red Varsity

Latin School of Chicago
Girls Varsity
Glenbard
Varsity Combined
New Trier White
White Varsity
Providence
Junior Varsity
PREP Black
Junior Varsity Combined
United Center State Championship Games Deliver One-Goal Excitement 
By Ross FormanJunior forward Joe Day came through in the biggest game of his career, played at the United Center in front of about 10,000 fans, including a mass of green-and-gold-clad Glenbrook North fans. Day scored his 25th goal of the season - the game-winner - as GBN defeated Benet Academy 3-2 in overtime to claim the Illinois High School State Championship (Red Division). Day tallied with: 54 remaining in overtime, giving the Spartans their fifth state championship in school history, the second-most in Illinois history (behind New Trier) and the school's first since 2008. This was GBN's ninth appearance in the state championship game and this win ends the Spartans' jinx as the school was the runner-up in 2013 and 2014. READ MORE>>
Team Illinois & Team Central Set to Compete in America's Showcase April 9-13 in Pittsburgh
The Illinois High School Showcase Team (boys) and Team Central (girls) will compete in the 2015 America's Showcase April 9 through 13 at the Robert Morris Island Sports Center in Pittsburgh, PA. The purpose of this historic event will be the continuation of traditions established over the past twenty-six years. 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 boys' and girls' High School Showcase Teams good luck as they seek to again bring home the National Title to Illinois.

IHOA NEWS

By Mike Barrett, Illinois Referee-in Chief & AHAI Supervisor of Officials ~ As with the players and teams who earned their position in the High School State Finals, the officiating community similarly had candidates who earned the privilege of officiating these games at the United Center. Through a long process including review of this year's evaluations and supervisor reports, as well as the evaluations of the teams and other officials and assigners, I selected the officials to work the United Center games. The selected officials worked hard throughout the year and exhibited the effort, skill and judgment necessary to receive consideration for these games. Their selection to work these games is the culmination of their work throughout this past season and a reflection of their desire to provide quality officiating to the Illinois ice hockey community. All of the officials who worked the United Center games should be congratulated for their selections.

 

Red Varsity Officials
Mason Strom, Brian Fisher, Ryan Canfield & Robert Dawson
Combined Varsity Officials
Jameson Gronert, Brad Moravick, Matthew Bleck & Matt Neubauer
Girls Varsity Officials
Ceci Morris, Jeremy Zarth
& Rich Freni
Ask the Official 

QUESTION: An icing situation is created as the puck is shot past the defending team's players' bench. The defending team, in the process of making a line change, elects to let the puck continue down the ice in fear of being called for "too many players on the ice" if it is played.  Is the icing is still in effect?

 

ANSWER: No. Rule References 620(d) and Note. Icing must be nullified if one player of that team had a reasonable chance to play the puck, but didn't. READ MORE>>

CENTRAL DISTRICT GIRLS' NEWS
Girls Central District Tryouts April 17-19 in Fond du Lac, WI
The Girls Central District Tryouts will be conducted April 17-19, 2015 in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Teams will be posted on April 1 and emailed to all registered players. Please contact Mary Ann Robinson immediately if there is a conflict. All players are expected to be at the entire tryout unless notification was give prior to tryout.  SCHEDULE>>
ILLINOIS PLAYERS, CLUBS & FAMILIES IN THE NEWS
Jaguar Family Needs Help of Illinois Hockey Community!
The Illinois Hockey Community is rallying to help the Humann Family, members of the Jaguar Hockey Club, recover after a devastating house fire on Sunday evening, March 22nd. A Go Fund Me account has been created for them, and any donation big or small will be appreciated. The Jaguar Hockey Club is also collecting gift cards (Sams, Wal-mart, Target, local grocery stores, etc.) for the Humanns. If you would like to donate a gift card please contact Katie Woodrow at wonkeewoodrows@yahoo.com.
Campbell Boisselle's Small Change Makes a Big Difference

On Saturday, March 21 the Huskies Hockey Club played host to the Hornets Sled Hockey Team at Canlan Ice Arena in Romeoville to raise funds for the program which serves kids ages 5 to 20 who have physical disabilities yet are determined to play ice hockey. Romeoville's Mayor Noak was even on hand to drop the puck for the first game between the squirts/peewees and the Hornets. In all eighty Huskies players competed on two teams comprised of squirts/peewees and bantams/midgets.

 

Event coordinator, Jessica Crowley stated, "The Huskies felt this was an amazing opportunity to support the Hornets and teach our children that anything is possible. Individual players raised money through sponsorships ranging from $50 to $200, teams donated the remainders of their fall slush funds, and the Squirt Central States team conducted a penny war raising $200! The event was a great success." READ MORE>>

Campbell Boisselle (Left) pictured with Hornet's founder and general manager, JJ O'Connor
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS YOUTH HOCKEY NEWS
BMO Harris Bank February 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: Anthony Loffredo, St Viator High School, John Berthiaume, Gurnee Maulers, Wendy Fleming, Fenwick High School, BMO representative, Mike Furlong, CEO, BMO Harris Bank, Spencer Montgomery, Youth Hockey Coordinator, Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks Youth Hockey
Referee Spotlight
Blackhawks Youth Hockey
Captains' Spotlight
The Youth Hockey Referee Spotlight highlights two amateur hockey referees from Illinois per month and gives them the opportunity to attend a Blackhawks game and meet the NHL refs prior to puck drop. The impact and contribution of youth referees in hockey is as important as the players, and this is a great opportunity to reward them for their contributions. Featured in the fourth spotlight are Max Spiro and Quinten Jedd. READ MORE>>

(From left to right) Graham Skiliter, Lonnie Cameron, Quinten Jedd, Kevin Pollock, Max Spiro, Mark Wheler
The Captain Spotlight is a youth hockey initiative that features four local high school hockey captains per month. These captains are invited to a Blackhawks game and are interviewed on the defining characteristics of what makes a good leader.  With the Illinois High School Hockey Championships in March, Blackhawks Youth Hockey wanted to take a closer look at what it takes to be captain of a high school hockey team. Featured in the March spotlight are Nicole Matousek and Jimmy BlairREAD MORE>>