Sports for all, Forever AAU Hockey, Michigan May 14, 2014 Revised 6-18-14 Year 3, Wrap-Up AAU Ice Hockey - North American Championships for Squirts and PeeWees AAU Hockey appointed an AAU National Championship Committee, which has been developing plans for our 2015 Squirt and PeeWee Editor Championships. Keith Kloock The Committee has renamed this premiere national level event to the 21220 Wellington AAU Ice Hockey - North American Championships, which will now Woodhaven, MI 48183 (734) 692-5158 welcome our AAU Canadian members into the Championship Tournament as well as our US-based clubs. Published monthly for the benefit and interest of AAU The Committee has selected March 27-29, 2015 as the date and the Ice Hockey participants. Greater Niagara Amateur Hockey League (GNAHL) as the host AAU Leagues, Administra- organization (within the Buffalo NY region). tors, as well as Team Coaches and/or Managers Recognizing the great nationwide expansion of AAU Mite Full-Ice are encouraged to submit Hockey, it’s now time to begin moving opportunities for hosting AAU articles and notices to: [email protected] national level events into other regions to help build programs at other age classifications. Western New York is centrally located for many of our existing AAU Ice Hockey programs in Boston, Cleveland, Detroit, Metro New York, New Haven CT, Ontario, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and greater Washington DC, which are all within relatively close commuting range. The Committee has selected a non-checking version of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) playing rules, which provide for: Full-Ice, Black Pucks, a 9-Dot Faceoff system and Delayed Off -sides. The Committee has also elected to host multiple competition levels within six separate age classification, providing a more inclusive format for our members. PeeWees will include: PeeWee Major = 12U (2002), PeeWee Mixed = 11U-12U (2003-02) and PeeWee Minor = 11U (2003). Squirts will include: Squirt Major = 10U (2004), Squirt Mixed = 9U-10U (2005-04) and Squirt Minor = 9U (2005). Please be aware that the Mite classifications of the AAU Ice Hockey - North American Championships will be hosted within the greater Minneapolis-St.Paul area on March 5-8, 2015 and will again in conjunction with the Let’s Play Hockey Expo. Mark your calendars and watch for additional details, as they are released at: aauicehockey.org Page 2 AAU Hockey, Michigan May 14, 2014 Year 3, Wrap-Up AAU begins Adult Hockey for 2014-2015! AAU will begin our long awaited Adult Hockey (non-checking) for the 2014-2015 season, providing a great many benefits including, in part: 1) lower cost AAU memberships ($25 for adult athletes), which can also provide access to many other AAU sports (including Inline Hockey, Men's Basketball, etc) with no additional membership fees, 2) lower cost licensing fees for Clubs, Leagues and/or Tournaments, 3) world-class insurance coverage for AAU participants and facilities, 4) a greater voice and control by local facilities, leagues and programs. Those wishing to create an AAU licensed Adult Ice Hockey league and/or tournament and/or for information on forming an AAU Club (Team) then please feel free to contact: Keith Noll at (715) 231-4000. Thanks to our AAU Players, Parents, Coaches & Families! As our third Hockey Michigan season comes to a close, we at your state association wish to thank you all for making 2013-2014 a great season and for helping to grow AAU hockey in Michigan. AAU Mite hockey began right here in southeastern Michigan for the 2011-2012 season, with only 11 league teams at the 7U Travel level and 13 at the Mite B level, plus 4 Mite B teams within an Upper Peninsula league. These teams provided Full-Ice hockey opportunities to 505 Mite players during our first regular season, mostly of the 2004 birth year (as well as a few 2003s and 2005s). That first AAU season was a scary venture. A “Field of Dreams” type scenario of “Build it and they will come”, which at that time was a tremendous leap of faith on the part of our parents and coaches. AAU hadn't been involved in youth ice hockey for many decades and the game was being dominated by a monopoly. Yet over 500 kids came to play Real Hockey and have some fun. Today those first 2004s remain as many of the top skaters and most highest skilled players within the State of Michigan. During our second season we quiety went about with more than double our size to just over 1100. In addition, AAU Mite full-ice hockey began to spread throughout other states and into additional age classifications as well. Now in our third season, (thanks to all of you) Hockey Michigan has more than double again to over 3000 members participating within 92 AAU Clubs. We now find Mini-Mites, Mites (having 55 teams at the 8U level within Southeast Michigan alone), Squirts, Juniors and even JV-Prep teams all participating within AAU hockey. Something that many claimed could never have happened. And similarly, AAU Hockey has been doubling each year at the national level as well. Reaching well over 21,000 members this season, while hosting National Championship tournaments at Mite, Squirts and Juniors. Plus AAU Hockey has now gone international by welcoming our new Canadian members from the Canadian Independent Hockey Federation (CIHF) with affiliates throughout Ontario including members in Barrie, Burlington, London and Toronto. For 2014-2015, watch for our AAU Ice Hockey - North American Championships. Page 3 AAU Hockey, Michigan May 14, 2014 Year 3, Wrap-Up During the first two seasons of Hockey Michigan, as your state youth hockey director I found myself acting as the janitor, as well as the chief cook and bottle washer for our state association. While administering the league, State tournaments and Regional tournaments. I was more then happy to put in the time and effort. However, I had been stretched pretty thin (despite being terrible over-weight) and frankly I’m not sure how well that I could have managed during this season’s expansion, if I was forced to continue these operations alone. Fortunately, volunteerism has expanded as well as our membership. Lee Shifflett resigned from a position that he very much loved (as the president of the Wyandotte Warrior Hockey Association) and he took up the task of creating a new AAU based youth hockey league. That league is called the Michigan Amateur Hockey League (MAYHL), which most of you participated in. Lee’s move effectively doubled the labor force available to AAU Hockey programs within Michigan. Lee’s efforts with the MAYHL allowed me the time and space necessary to begin expanding our AAU state association and to help grow AAU Hockey regionally and nationally. In essence, allowing me to serve in more of a force multiplier function with the freedom to search for additional volunteers. Gerry Lullove then came aboard with Hockey Michigan to serve as our Director of Standards & Compliance. Gerry brought to the table his long history of service and experience within youth ice hockey covering all age classifications, including Juniors (with his tenure as the founder of the Great Lakes Junior Hockey League in 2008 and his service as their Commissioner from 2008-2012). Gerry’s vast experience within the game and his administrative capabilities have aided in strengthening our AAU Ice Hockey programs and leagues in Michigan. Gerry’s primary role has been to chair the state ice hockey Infraction Committee, which conducts hearings concerning: Match Penalties, Sport Rules, Entry Requirements and/or Operating Rules related to the sport of hockey in accordance with the procedures detailed within AAU National Policy XI. It should be noted that Gerry also served as the Chairperson of the Disciplinary Committee during the Mite-Squirt National Championships in Minnesota. In addition, Gerry aids the AAU Inline Hockey program for the state of Michigan as well as the AAU National program. Yet, Gerry went way beyond his primary role, helping in almost every aspect of Hockey Michigan as well as helping out the AAU National Committee. Dane Baruzzini volunteered to assist the MAYHL with the administration of their Mite AA (2005) Lake Michigan and Lake Huron divisions. And by all accounts from Lee Shifflett as well as feedback from several coaches within those division, Dane has done a first-class job. Ultimately, it is our volunteers like Lee, Gerry and Dane who will set the tone for the evolution of our AAU youth hockey programs in Michigan. A tone based upon the concept of providing opportunities and service to our players, parents and coaches. Your volunteerism had a lot to do with this year’s success. Yet, AAU Hockey could neither exist or expand without our players, parents, coaches, managers, volunteers and family members. Sincere thanks from Hockey Michigan (AAU), Keith Kloock Page 4 AAU Hockey, Michigan May 14, 2014 Year 3, Wrap-Up Why do we volunteer, providing an alternate path for youth hockey? Some of us no longer have children playing youth hockey. My own son’s final youth hockey was played during 1990-1991 season and my grandson no longer lives in southeast Michigan. So why volunteer for a lot of work with no pay. Well the simple answer is that someone has to. Otherwise thousands of kids will be denied Real Hockey and sometimes there are different kinds of rewards in life, beyond the almighty dollar. Here is an example of payment. One weekend several months ago, the MAYHL was hosting their league Playoff Finals. So on a Saturday morning, I quickly answered the last few emails about the up and coming AAU Nationals and also the AAU Michigan State tournaments, turned off my computer and left for the rink to see if the league needed any help.