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Volume 4 Issue 4
June 22, 2016
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2016 USA HOCKEY ANNUAL CONGRESS
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Record Number of Players, Flex Hockey, Goaltending Development Among Highlights
 USA Hockey's four-day Annual Congress finished here last weekend, highlighted by the news of a record number of players in the 2015-16 season, the addition of a new Flex Hockey option for associations beginning in 2016-17, and added support for development of goaltenders nationwide. USA Hockey's Board of Directors learned that 542,583 total players were part of the organization in 2015-16, the most in the 79-year history of USA Hockey. USA Hockey included a record 107,703 kids ages eight-and-under playing the sport in 2015-16. It marked the sixth straight year with more than 100,000 8U players (never previous to the 2010-11 season had there been more than 100K 8U players who were a part of USA Hockey). Overall, it represents an increase of 9,411 players from the 2014-15 total. Also, the number of coaches (56,515) and officials (23,186) grew from 2014-15, meaning that USA Hockey had a record 622,833 players, coaches and officials in 2015-16. Finally, by adding in the 498,412 non-participants (defined as administrators, team managers/volunteers, and parents), USA Hockey finished with a record universe of 1,121,245.
"The success of our sport depends on our volunteers and we're fortunate to have what I believe to be the very best volunteers in all of sports," said Jim Smith, who completed his first year as USA Hockey's president. "Scott Blackmun (U.S. Olympic Committee CEO) said on Thursday at our Town Hall session that USA Hockey is at the top of the ladder when it comes to national governing bodies and that's a credit to our volunteers and certainly our professional staff as well."
"It's terrific to see our organization continue to grow," said Dave Ogrean, executive director of USA Hockey, "particularly the number of players, and at all age levels. We work hard to provide a safe and fun environment for everyone and on the youth side, an age-appropriate environment where every player can reach his or her full potential."
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The 2016 Annual Meeting of the Amateur Hockey Association of Illinois, Inc. (AHAI) will take place on Saturday, June 25, 2016, at 8:30 a.m. at the Woodfield Hyatt Hotel located in Schaumburg, Illinois.
These seminar sessions will be geared toward the education of Presidents, Association Board of Directors, Youth & Girls Hockey Directors, Registrars, and Coaches as well as Chairmen of R&E, SafeSport and Communication Committees. Instructors will be from AHAI and USA Hockey, and each session will be approximately one hour in length.
DEADLINE TO REGISTER IS TODAY
In order that we may best facilitate the Annual Meeting Seminar Sessions, PLEASE REGISTER by emailing Paul Jakubowski at pjakubowski@ahai2.org with the name of each/every person from your club/organization that will attend and which SEMINAR(S) they wish to attend.
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 2016-2017 along with any voting needed for proposed AHAI Bylaw changes. Click HERE for complete information on the AHAI Annual Meeting.
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The continued growth and development of AHAI and USA Hockey would not be possible without the contributions of dedicated volunteers. These individuals share in AHAI and USA Hockey's success and accomplishments year after year. Their selfless work and commitment continue to make a difference in the sport of hockey and in the lives of those who play the game.
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AHAI AWARDS
AHAI Service Awards
Chuck Fattore
Bill Fehrman
AHAI Lifetime Achievement Award
Pete Humann
AHAI New Leader Award
Jason Habrock
Female Honors Award
USA Hockey's Central District
Sabre Girls Hockey
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5 Years Service Award
Mike Mullally
10 Years Service Award
Amy LaPoe
25 Years Service Award
Dave LaBuda
Excellence in Safety Award
Dr. Elizabeth Pieroth
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Congratulations are also extended to Don Allord on his new position as USA Hockey's Central District Risk Manager.
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 NIHL MITE ANNOUNCEMENT
NIHL has announced plans to host mite travel hockey this upcoming season. NIHL will put together a tiering round consisting of 6 half-ice games. The subsequent regular season will consist of 6 more half-ice games interspersed among 12 full-ice games. NIHL will host a playoff for mites along with a State Championship. A formal unveiling of what the season will look like is forthcoming so stay tuned. We are excited to have our NIHL Clubs be a part of this mite season and look forward to sharing more details in the coming weeks.
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CHANGES MADE TO TIER II 2 CHOICE RULES & SUBSTITUTE CHOICE APPLICATION PROCESS
Please note that there has been a change to the Tier II 2 Choice Rule and Substitute Choice Application Process. The 2 Choice Rules, for Bantam age divisions and below will be subject to the following timelines; The new rule reads as follows::
- July 20th: Applications are open for acceptance
- Hearings of Applications: There will be 3 hearings, two (2) in the month of August and one (1) in the early part of September, prior to September 15th. Exact dates, times and locations of hearings will be established for each season.
- September 15th: Application process is closed and no further applications will be allowed.
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TIER II SUBSTITUTE CHOICE APPLICATION PROCESS
FOR 2015-17 SEASON
The Tier ll Substitute Choice Application Process, for Bantam age divisions and below will begin on July 20, 2016. All applications will be submitted online. The Tier ll Committee will ONLY have (3) three appeal hearings this year for those denied a substitute choice. The dates for the appeals are August 10, August 24 and September 8, 2016. Appeal hearings will be held at 6:30pm on the aforementioned dates at the North Shore Ice Arena located at 2111 Founders Drive, Northbrook, IL 60062. If denied please email Gregg Chudacoff, AHAI Tier II Chairman, atgregg@generaltruckparts.com with your preferred appeal hearing date (listed above). Deadline for applying for a substitute choice will be September 15, 2016.
Click HERE for Tier II Substitute Choice Online Application.
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A STEP aHEAD REGISTRATION OPENS JULY 1ST
AHAI, the Chicago Blackhawks, Athletico and NorthShore University HealthSystem are proud to announce the 6th year of the "A Step aHead" program, which provides free baseline neurocognitive testing and education on concussions to the youth hockey community. The program will run from July 1 through November 30, 2016. All AHAI players aged 11-18 years old are eligible for free baseline testing. Beginning July 1 you may register online by clicking HERE. Please note that registration will be online ONLY, do not call Athletico directly.
Additionally, the "A Step aHead" program will again provide concussion education to AHAI coaches, parents and players. Further information about the testing programs and educational opportunities will be available in the AHAI newsletter, AHAI emails and through your clubs. We look forward to another year of working with the hockey community to improve safety in the sport we all love!
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TIER I MIDGET TRYOUTS 
The Midget Tier I tryout dates are listed below. Please note that this year there will be a 15 birth year age division. For your convenience, the dates of the National Festival Camps (invitation only) are: 15 Festival Camp - July 16-20; 16 Festival Camp - July 8-14 and 17 Festival Camp - July 24-20, 2016. Should you have any questions please direct them to Mike Mullally, Tier I Chair, at mike@ahai2.org.
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 AHAI FOUNDATION GOLF OUTING IS CELEBRATING 20 YEARS!
The 20th Annual AHAI Foundation Golf Outing will be held at the Hilton Chicago Indian Lakes Resort, Friday, August 12, 2016. The purpose of this event is twofold. First, it creates an opportunity for coaches, referees, administrators, parents and supporters of amateur hockey in Illinois to come together for a day of fun and relaxation to kick off the beginning of the new season. Secondly, and most importantly, the revenues generated from this event will be donated each season to specific charities as established annually by the AHAI Foundation. READ MORE>>
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COACHING NEWS & INFORMATION
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 AGE-SPECIFIC COACHING MODULES OPEN
The Online Age-Specific Modules are now open for the 2016-17 season. Coaches must be current members of USA Hockey in order to register for the modules. Please click HERE to retrieve your USA Hockey confirmation number or to register for the 2016-17 season. Click HERE to register for a module or login to the module site to continue a previously registered module or access your account to view review any previously completed modules. |
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USA HOCKEY LEVEL 4
CEP CLINIC ANNOUNCED
AHAI and USA Hockey annouce they will be conducting a two day USA Hockey Level 4 Coaching Education Program (CEP) Clinic on Saturday, August 27th from 9 AM until 5 PM and Sunday, August 28th from 8 AM until 2 PM at the Marriott Renaissance Hotel in Schaumburg, IL. The fee is $245.00 which includes lunch on Saturday. Check-in will begin on Saturday from 8 AM to 9 AM with the Clinic beginning promptly at 9 AM. Check in on Sunday is from 7 AM to 8 AM with the Clinic beginning promptly at 8 AM. Click HERE for complete details and registration information.
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2016 NATIONAL HOCKEY
COACHES SYMPOSIUM
NHL head coaches Peter Laviolette (Nashville Predators) and Jeff Blashill (Detroit Red Wings) will headline an impressive roster of high level coaches speaking at the 2016 National Hockey Coaches Symposium in St. Louis, Aug. 11-14. The bi-annual event is for coaches looking to attain their Level 5 coaching certification, the highest offered by USA Hockey. In addition to general sessions, coaches will explore innovative approaches to coaching through intensive breakout sessions dedicated to age-specific teaching and techniques. LINKS & INFO>>
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 IHOA ANNOUNCES 2016 SEMINAR DATES
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PLAYERS, CLUBS, LEADERS & OFFICIALS IN THE NEWS
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2016 NAHL ENTRY DRAFT RESULTS
Congratulations to the 17 Illinois players drafted by the NAHL on June 7! For 2016 NAHL Entry Draft results for Illinois players NAHL logo above.
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2016 SWSL CHAMPIONS
Congratulations to the 22 South West Spring League Champions and 22 Runners-Up! Click the SWSL logo above to view the complete list!
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IL WEST H.S. HOCKEY LEAGUE
With a rich tradition of excellence in hockey, the Illinois West High School Hockey League (West) is one of the leaders in player development and opportunity. Check in with your Illinois West High School Hockey Club and see what opportunities they have to offer! VIEW FLYER>>
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 ILLINOIS FORWARDS FISCHER, KELLER & LACZYNSKI INVITED TO 2016 USA HOCKEY NATIONAL JUNIOR EVALUATION CAMP USA Hockey announced the 42 players that have been invited to the USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp, July 30-Aug. 7, at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan. The players, which include Illinois forwards, Christian Fischer (Chicago), Clayton Keller (Swansea) and Tanner Laczynski (Shorewood), will audition for a spot on the U.S. National Junior Team that will take part in the 2017 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship, December 26, 2016, through January 5, 2017, in Montreal and Toronto, Canada. READ MORE>> |
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CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS NEWS & INFORMATION
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MAYOR EMANUEL & BLACKHAWKS BREAK GROUND ON COMMUNITY TRAINING CENTER
By Office of the Mayor Press Release ~ On Wednesday, June 15, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Blackhawks Chairman Rocky Wirtz broke ground on the organization's new 125,000 square-foot Community Training Center on the Near West Side. The state-of-the-art facility will house year-round youth hockey development programs, recreational leagues and events, and serve as the practice facility for the organization and visiting National Hockey League (NHL) teams. READ MORE>>
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 DON'T MISS OUT! REGISTER TODAY! SPOTS ARE FILLING UP FAST!Hurry! Spots are filling up quickly at all age levels for the Chicago Blackhawks 3v3 Youth Hockey Tournament. This year's tournament (Mites, Squirts and Pee Wees) will be held August 5-6 at Seven Bridges Ice Arena in Woodridge, IL. Please call 312-455-7046 or email Laura Jordan at with any questions regarding registration. REGISTER NOW>>
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FACE OFF FOR MDA
Mark your calendars for July 23-24 for the Fire Fighter Face Off Adult Hockey Tournament, presented by Bolingbrook Fire Fighters Local 3005, at Rocket Ice Arena in Bolingbrook. All proceeds will benefit the MDA. VIEW FLYER>>
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COUGARS HOCKEY NIGHT
Lace up your skates and pull on your breezers for a night of hockey fun at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark! Join the Cougars for Hockey Night on Friday, July 29th as they celebrate Winter's greatest game in the Summer! VIEW FLYER>>
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A ROUND FOR
MATT OLSON
Register today for "A Round for Matt"! This event will take place on Thursday, July 21 at the Carillon Links in Plainfield, IL. All proceeds will be donated to the Matt Olson fund. VIEW FLYER>>
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