Blog
Scottsdale’s Turner dominates JWHL, now off to NCAA
April 25th, 2016Carlee Turner says nothing makes her happier than being on the ice playing the game she loves. And the game has loved her back as the Scottsdale native was recently presented the Elizabeth “Liz” Turgeon Player of the Year award in the Junior Women’s Hockey League (JWHL) as a senior with the North American Hockey…
DYHA 16U combo team exudes brotherhood, high-end talent
April 12th, 2016The Desert Youth Hockey Association’s (DYHA) 16U combo team had a successful 2015-16 season. Need proof? The team won the AZYHL league and playoff championships, the 16U A state title and totaled four banners altogether, but the players and coaches took away more than wins from the season. “The team totally bonded and played for…
AHU Coach’s Corner: Four tips to follow for all levels of hockey tryouts
April 8th, 2016The season is barely over, and now the attention turns to spring training and tryout preparation. First and foremost, I want to personally thank all the coaches, players and families that make our organization great. We really saw the power of our hockey family in action this year, and I’m very proud to be a…
The Whyte Stuff: Tryouts – how to choose the right coach and association
April 7th, 2016We are once again in the midst of tryout season, where all players show their wares in hopes of having a coach determine they have what it takes. The season has ended and families are calculating their options for the next year of competition in youth hockey. Arizona is different to many, in that any…
Shop Talk: Memories can be created at all levels, even house league
April 7th, 2016Over the years of chatting with customers, I have found an alarming trend. When asking players and parents what rink they play at and what team they play on, we get all kinds of answers ranging from “AAA” to “only house league.” To the first response, I reply, “Wow, great. Where are you traveling to…
Los Alamos, Cibola tops in New Mexico high school states
April 2nd, 2016Two New Mexico Interscholastic Ice Hockey League high school state championship games were played March 12 with a pair of champions crowned in the two divisions. In the pure championship (all players from the same school), Los Alamos defeated Taos 2-1. The composite (players from more than one school) affair saw Cibola shut out Durango…
Jr. Coyotes program thriving in Scottsdale, Chandler
March 30th, 2016It’s been two years since Coyotes Ice, LLC, owners of North Scottsdale’s Ice Den, doubled down on its bet on hockey in the desert. That bet is clearly paying off. After taking over a sprawling, yet somewhat faltering, multi-sheet ice facility in West Chandler, some 34 miles south of the organization’s original home at Bell…
Wildcats make history with WCRHL Division II championship
March 29th, 2016The University of Arizona joined the Western Collegiate Roller Hockey League (WCRHL) during the 2011-12 season, but finished 0-20 competing against its Division I teams. The Wildcats resized their vision – and returned to compete at the Division II level. They have since found the competition much more satisfying, especially this season after capturing the…
Bobcats build through solid coaching, attention to detail
March 28th, 2016Ron Filion knows as well as anyone that a youth hockey program is only as good as the coaches running it. Perhaps even more important, though, he understands that hours put in behind the scenes developing a plan are often as important as those spent on the ice. The keys, he said, are the coaches…
Scottsdale’s Matthews named to U.S. National Team
March 24th, 2016Scottsdale native and Arizona Bobcats grad Auston Matthews, who spent the 2015-16 campaign as a member of the Zurich Lions in the National League A, Switzerland’s top professional league, has been named to the 2016 U.S. Men’s National Team that will compete at the IIHF Men’s World Championship May 6-22 in Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia. Matthews…