HOCKEY MAY W 9, 2012 E E Vol. K 38, Iss L ue 20 Y $2.00 Hw w w . h o c k We y w e e k l y . c o m GLJHL DROPS USA HOCKEY FOR AAU - P. 3 YOUR #1 AMATEUR HOCKEY CONNECTION WORKING HIS WAY BACK Photo courtesy of Master Sgt. Robert Rais JERSEY DUTY: Air Force Master Sgt. Robert Rais, center, an avid hockey fan and player from Livonia, was looking for a place to play hockey while stationed in Italy when he discovered the Aviano Ice Dragons, an Air Force hockey team. Seeing that the team could use a uniform upgrade, Rais, who has connections with the Plymouth Canton Hockey Association, brought with him more than 30 hockey jerseys to deliver to the Hockey Weekly photo by Rena Laverty team. Modeling the new jerseys are, to Rais’s left, Tech. Sgt. Michael Under the watchful eye of skating instructor Kim Muir, the Red Wings’ Patrick Eaves works on his Christopher and, to his right, Senior Airman Kyle Calabrese. See story and stride at Compuware Arena recently. Eaves, who missed most of the season due to a concussion, is more photos on Page 3. fighting to get back with the team next season with help from Muir. See story on Page 5. Fly-by HW goal ON THE WEB Victory Honda’s Bantam Minor Use your Chris Cornford celebrates his smart phone breakaway goal against to take you Cleveland goalie Drew Nevin directly to with a mid-air double hand pump our website at the 25th Annual Showdown for all the in Motown Tournament at the latest Taylor Sportsplex April 29. Honda hockey news, photos, videos won this semifinal, 6-3. See Page 15 for results. and other features. Hockey Weekly/John Castine UUSSAA HHOOCCKKEEYY TTOO VVOOTTEE OONN MMIITTEE MMAANNDDAATTEE –– PPAAGGEE 33 PAGE 2 HOCKEY WEEKLY MAY 9, 2012 T A m R .co E ps T am S ec I lak G ard E rch R w.o ww ORCHARd LAKE sT. MARY’s SUMMER HOCKEY CAMPS 2012 OLSM Athletic Complex, 3535 Indian Trail, Orchard Lake, MI 48324 248-706-4200 ICE HOCKEY CAMPS GOALTENDING CLINIC • 5 hours of personal video training WITH JOSH BLACKBuRN • All 9 am-4:30 pm, Mondays-Thursdays University of Michigan Goaltending Coach Josh • Friday camp ends 12:00 pm Blackburn will be conducting a clinic at Orchard • All camps are divided by age and skill level Lake St. Mary’s in coordination with St. Mary’s • Start times vary depending on age group • 15 hrs on-ice, 5 hrs off-ice hockey camp. The camp will be • 4 to 1 student-instructor ratio 100% focused on goaltending fundamentals. Each week will ALL CAMPS $295 focus on movement and depth in June 18-22 Mini-Mite the net, saves and save selection, rebounds, puck handling skills, June 25-29 Mite 1 quick and explosive recovery, and July 9-13 Squirt an overall understanding of the July 16-20 Pee Wee & Mite 2 position and the game. July 23-27 Bantam All dates and times for each age group will DIRECTOR – Brian Klanow follow dates and times of st. Mary’s Camp St. Mary’s Head Coach • 4.5 hours of on ice training each day HEAD INSTRUCTORS • 1.5 hours of station training/day (on-ice) Jim Cariera - St. Mary's Assistant Coach, Pro Skill Intructor • 3 hours of private training/day with Josh Blackburn Zack Doyen - St. Mary's Assistant Coach • 3:1 Ratio of instructor to student CAMP COUNSELORS • Supervised Video training with use of Division 1 College and Nick Czinder - Windsor Spitfires OHL NHL goalies Dan Milan - Tampa Lightning NHL • Off-ice training, including stretching, strength training, and Tanner Pond - Cedar Rapids USHL Brett Lubanski - Holy Cross quick feet drills Clinton Bourbonais - Yale • Swimming in Orchard Lake and many other college and junior players • All instructors of at least college playing experience ON-ICE TOpICs: Skating technique, shooting, scoring, passing, Cost: $395 puck control, stick handling, body contact, game situation Blackburn Goaltending camp jersey will be Off-ICE TOpICs: Strength & conditioning, foot speed and quick - provided to each student ness, hand/eye coordination, endurance, stamina, power & flexibility, plyometrics, hockey specific off ice train ing Any questions can be directed to Josh Blackburn [email protected] or register at ST. MARY’S CAMP JERSEY PROVIDED TO ALL PLAYERS www.blackburngoaltending.com ALL CAMps fOR sERIOUs pLAYERs ONLY MAY 9, 2012 HOCKEY WEEKLY PAGE 3 GLJHL leaves USA Hockey for AAU By Paul Harris announced it will play under AAU sanctioning for the Hockey Weekly Editor USA Hockey’s John Vanbiesbrouck 2012-13 season. The Great Lakes Junior Hockey League is leaving USA pointed out that most of the There are also plans for a AAU Junior national champi - Hockey for the Amateur Athletic Union. onship tournament among the three leagues. Three of the league's 11 teams will be joined by at least GLJHL’s teams decided to remain Another issue for the GLJHL-AAU is the ability to seven other franchises to form the GLJHL-AAU, which will in USA Hockey. “That answers the expand. begin play with the 2012-13 season. The GLJHL-AAU will begin the 2012-13 season with “The members joining the AAU, where their theme is question,” he said. five teams in Michigan, two in Illinois, two in Ohio and ‘sports for everyone,’ feel the organization is a better fit one in Indiana with tentative proposals for additional for the GLJHL's main purpose – continuing the develop - Dore. “To me, USA Hockey has stronger rules, and you’ve teams in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and ment of our players who need the little extra help to got to follow rules." Kentucky. achieve their goals of playing at that next level,” the USA Hockey Junior Council Vice President John “The entrepreneurs, the Junior operators, have devoted GLJHL-AAU Board of Directors wrote in a press release. Vanbiesbrouck pointed out that most of the GLJHL’s teams so much of their time and assets in building a valued $50 The entire release can be seen on the GLHJL page in this decided to remain in USA Hockey. million division for USA Hockey, to not be afforded the issue on Page 18. “That answers the question,” he said. ability to improve, expand and develop their investments Colleen Dore, GM/owner of the GLJHL's Tri City The teams remaining with USA Hockey are Central because of affiliate interference, is detrimental to the IceHawks, said she along with seven other teams in the Wisconsin Saints, Wisconsin Rampage, Chicago Junior process,” the press release also read. “AAU affords us the league voted to stay as USA Hockey affiliates and that she Bulldogs, Ft. Wayne Federals, Tri City IceHawks, Wooster opportunity to expand into rural areas that need this devel - wished good luck to the teams that wanted to go to the Oilers and the St. Louis Frontenacs. opment process at a lower affordable cost than others in the AAU. The teams voting to move to AAU were the Motor City youth programs are charging.” “To me, USA Hockey is hockey,” said Dore. “AAU is an Chiefs, Michigan Ice Dogs and new Ste. Sault Marie fran - Vanbiesbrouck responded: organization that does all the other sports and is known for chise. “We hear that they want to expand into rural areas and a good job with those sports. But hockey players are not The GLJHL-AAU follows the lead of the Western States that’s fine,” he said. “But there’s just not enough players.” familiar with AAU, which is too new to hockey.” Hockey League (see related story on Page 7), which The press release also thanked USA Hockey for its sup - Dore said that the eight GLJHL teams that voted to stay switched from USA Hockey to AAU last year for the 2011- port in the growth of the GLJHL to this point. USA Hockey will play next season as affiliates of the 12 season. Also, the fledgling Northeast Junior Hockey Keith Noll, AAU National Hockey Chairperson, was Minnesota Junior Hockey League. League – which has developed out of the remains of the unable to return messages for comment before Hockey “A vote on May 2 allows us to stay as USA Hockey,” said independent International Junior Hockey League – Weekly’s press deadline. PCHA gives USA Hockey Air Force team to vote on Mite issue in Italy jerseys in June By Paul Harris off its back Hockey Weekly Editor USA Hockey will weigh in on the Mite By Paul Harris At right, mem - issue that has been the subject of so much Hockey Weekly Editor bers of the Ice controversy and upheaval in the Michigan The Plymouth Canton Hockey Associa- Dragons show Amateur Hockey Association for the past tion is responsible for the jerseys that are off their new couple of years. being worn by a United States Air Force jerseys. Of course the main issue has been whether hockey team in Italy. players 7 & 8 years old should be forced to And it is mainly thanks to the efforts of play only half- or cross-ice games or be Air Force reservist Master Sgt. Robert also allowed to play full-ice contests. Rais, PCHA Instructional Program Director The issue divided many in MAHA and, Ron Hayes and PCHA President Matt Zink. after legislation that limited most Mites to It began when Rais, who is from Livonia only half-or cross-ice was voted into law at but whose kids play in the PCHA, learned the MAHA Summer Meetings last July, was that he was being sent to Aviano, Italy.