WELCOME TO BRAHMALAND he NYTEX Sports Centre, locat- and was restored to its current state ed in North Richland Hills, is the and dubbed “Brahmaland.” Soon, it Thome of the Lone Star Brahmas. became the home of a profession- North Richland Hills is a beautiful al hockey team as well as the Texas suburb that sits in northeast Tarrant Brahmas Youth Hockey Association County, just minutes away from the and youth and adult house leagues, Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. giving a home to ice hockey players of all ages and levels of play. NYTEX is a 2,500 seat multi-purpose arena with five public suites, an own- After the professional team ceased er’s suite, and three party suites. The operation in 2013, it was decided 140,000 square foot facility also in- that the NYTEX Sports Centre’s focus cludes a second ice rink that converts should return to its original purpose into an indoor turf arena during the of developing young hockey players. summer. The Sports Centre also con- tains a 30,000 foot multi-purpose In late Fall 2013, the North American arena for volleyball and other events. Hockey League (the only USA Hockey Sanctioned Tier II league in the coun- Formerly the Blue Line Ice Complex, try) approved the purchase of the Tex- the Centre was the original home of as Tornado and the subsequent move the NAHL Texas Tornado. In the Spring to NYTEX, where they were rebranded of 2007, several years after the Tor- as the Lone Star Brahmas. nado had moved to Frisco, Texas, the building came under new ownership THE NAHL: AN OVERVIEW elebrating its 45th season in The NAHL's dedication to player de- During the 2019-20 season, the C2020-21, the NAHL is the only velopment is demonstrated by the NAHL set a new single-season record USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier II Junior league's high-profile annual exposure with 361 NCAA commitments, with league boasting 25 teams in 14 states events like the NAHL Showcase in 70% of those being NCAA Division I from across North America. September, the NAHL Top Prospects commitments. Tournament in February and the The NAHL offers junior hockey play- NAHL Robertson Cup Championship Over the course of the last five sea- ers the opportunity to develop, learn, in May, which have all evolved into sons, over 1,200 NAHL players have train, grow and succeed, while play- hockey's most prominent and popu- made NCAA commitments and 17 ing for free. The NAHL is unique in lar of its kind and are a must-see for have been drafted into the NHL, and the fact that a vast majority of play- NCAA programs and NHL teams alike. others have been invited to NHL De- ers begin their NAHL careers without velopment Camps. an NCAA opportunity, but earn one through the course of their develop- ment in the league. DOWNTOWN LIFESTYLE North Richland Hills is located within the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, one of the most lively areas in North Texas. Nearby cities include Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, and more. With as many attractions as there are within a short drive, there's never a shortage of things to do off the ice. HISTORICAL STOCKYARDS DOWNTOWN FORT WORTH SUNDANCE SQUARE Celebrate the American West at the The city of Fort Worth is alive and vi- In this 20-block district, you’ll find Stockyards, where you can take in a brant. In addition to the Stockyards and movies, restaurants, boutiques, muse- rodeo, see the world’s only daily cattle Sundance Square, Fort Worth boasts a ums, galleries, coffee shops, and live drive, hear live music, shop for authet- proud musical tradition. Across the city, theaters. Sundance Square’s beautiful nic cowboy gear, and dine on satisfying you’ll find national and local acts per- landscaping, red-brick streets, and his- Texas-style cuisine. You can even take a forming in a wide variety of venues from toric early 20th century buildings make guided tour of the entire area! roadhouses to refined concert halls. it a pedestrian’s delight. SOUTHLAKE TOWN DOWNTOWN GRAPEVINE DOWNTOWN DALLAS SQUARE Just minutes away from North Richland Experience one of the most populated Hills, this walkable, preserved historic cities in the United States! There’s plen- Known for its high-end boutiques and area features the Grapevine Vintage ty to do in Dallas. Whether it’s a night fine dining, Southlake Town Square fea- Railroad, the Palace Arts Center, the out at the clubs and restaurants, check- tures over 95 stores, 27 eateries, beauti- Grapevine Glockenspiel Clock Tower, ing out the museums and history, or at- ful outdoor areas, a luxury hotel, and a one-of-a-kind shops, live entertainment tending one of the many sports venues, movie theatre. It’s the perfect day shop- venues, restaurants, and art galleries. you can’t go wrong. ping or an evening with friends. SPORTS IN THE METROPLEX DALLAS STARS DALLAS COWBOYS DALLAS MAVERICKS Catch fast-paced action as the high-flying See the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium, a state of If basketball is your game, check out one of Stars take on the NHL’s finest at the Amer- the arts facility that also hosts concerts and the finest teams in the NBA at the American ican Airlines Center in Dallas. special events year-round. Airlines Center in Dallas. TEXAS RANGERS THE COLONIAL LONE STAR PARK Just minutes from North Richland Hills, ex- Enjoy Crowne Plaza Invitational at the Colo- And they’re off! You can watch top-notch perience all the excitement of the MLB at nial golf course, the longest running event horse racing all year long at the world-class the Ballpark in Arlington. on the PGA Tour site since 1946. racetrack in Grand Prairie. TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY FC DALLAS COLLEGE SPORTS The fastest and loudest sporting facility in Major League Soccer can be found right With several major universities in the area, the Metroplex! TMS is the second largest in your backyard: Just take a short drive to TCU football is just one option to get your sports and entertainment facility in the na- the soccer-specific Pizza Hut Park in Frisco. fill of NCAA action in the metroplex! tion. LOCKER ROOM: Your home away from home, the locker room is equipped with everything you need to perform your best on the ice. TEAM FACILITIES WEIGHT ROOM: Conveniently located inside the same build- STROUD'S FITNESS: Stroud's serves as the official training ing as the rink where you practice, there is a weight room so you can center of the Brahmas and is located just down the road. Open seven days easily get in a workout any time you want. a week, Stroud's is there to ensure you stay in the best condition possible. VIDEO/FILM STUDY: Head Coach Dan Wildfong and Assistant Coach Andrew White- GOLF PRIVILEGES: It's not all work side have access to a video room, as well as a projector system inside the locker room to meet and no play here in North Richland Hills. Brahmas weekly with players, both individually and as a team. In addition, the coaches provide players players enjoy the perk of receiving privileges at with weekly scouting sheets to ensure that you are one step ahead of your opponents before you premier golf clubs in the area. TWO SHEETS OF ICE: One major perk of playing for the Brahmas is that the TEAM BUS: When the Brahmas travel, they do it in team and the building are under the same ownership. With two full sheets of ice in use style. The South Division is spread out with teams across during the season, your ice time is guaranteed. In addition, Brahmas games will never Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico and Kansas,. The team bus is get cancelled, postponed, or moved to another facility due to a scheduling conflict. ready to take the Brahmas where they need to go. PLAYER ADVANCEMENT NAHL TOURNAMENTS As a player in the North American Hockey League, you will be exposed to scouts and recruiters from other leagues, Division I & III colleges, and the NHL at league-hosted events like the Showcase Tournament and the Top Prospects Tournament. These tournaments allow coaches and scouts to view players from all over the league in one location. Over 300 college and professional scouts attended last year’s events. PLAYER ADVANCEMENTS The goal of the Lone Star Brahmas and the North American Hockey League is to provide a competitive atmosphere for play- ers to learn, develop, and grow their skills. The Brahmas coaching staff is committed to assisting players in progressing their careers. At least twice a month, the Brahmas will set up in-person or Skype conference calls with collegiate scouts, coaches, and professional hockey players. The goal is to provide the Brahmas with advice on how to advance their hockey career and balance their daily routine. To date, the Lone Star Brahmas have 89 alumni commited to NCAA programs at the Division I and Division III levels. Two players have been selected in the NHL Draft, and nine players have received invites to NHL Development Camps. Goaltender Jake Kupsky (pictured right) was drafted by the San Jose Sharks and has been to three Sharks Development Camps. Kupsky is currently playing NCAA Division I hockey at Union College, where he is teammates with fellow former Brahmas Sebastian Vidmar, Bran- don Estes, and Darion Hanson. THE BRAHMA FOOTPRINT IN COLLEGE HOCKEY hrough seven full sea- As of February 2021, the schools yet, and others may sons in the NAHL, the Brahmas have had 87 former not be there anymore.