Category Archives: Youth
First-year Bucks focusing on development, confidence
January 29th, 2020The first-year CAHA Bucks program has burst into the Arizona youth hockey scene in a big way this season. The Bucks have two teams for the 2019-20 season – a combined 11U/12U team coached by Greg Sitrick and a 13U team coached by Daemion Glantz – and both have shown marked improvement over the course…
Arizona Hockey Union 10U Squirt Silver team staying busy, on and off the ice
January 28th, 2020Whether it is getting ready for baseball, flag football or soccer, the Arizona Hockey Union 10U Squirt Silver team doesn’t sit still for too long. Led by coaches Bruce Willis, Mike Weekly, Steve Ishu and Paul Manos, these kids are hockey players. If you have ever seen them play the game, you would agree that…
Mission AZ 18U team ‘going full throttle in fifth gear’
January 23rd, 2020The 2018-19 season was a truly special one for the Mission AZ hockey program, especially for its 18U Red team. For the first time in the program’s nearly two-decade history, one of their teams advanced to a national championship game. While Mission 18U came up short in its final game, the entire season was a…
Former NHLer Norton now behind bench with Jr. Sun Devils
January 22nd, 2020All it took was a chance conversation with a connection from the hockey world to get Brad Norton coaching with the DYHA Jr. Sun Devils. A former NHL defenseman from the Boston area, Norton is the head coach of the DYHA 16U team this season – and loving every minute of it. READ OUR LATEST…
Jr. Sun Devils taking huge strides to maximize program’s offerings
January 9th, 2020Brad McCaughey is in his third season as the hockey director and coach-in-chief for the Desert Youth Hockey Association and in that time, has put his own stamp on the program while piggybacking off the initiatives put in place by his predecessor, Sean Whyte. Whyte stepped down to take a role as a regional youth…
AHU 12U Black team gives back with community outreach
January 3rd, 2020While the Arizona Hockey Union 12U Black team is making an impact on the ice this season, the team recently participated in a community service project with the Gilbert K-9 Unit. READ OUR LATEST ISSUE After the players went to police school, they watched Officer Thomas and K-9 Bono find drugs planted on a GFD…
AZ Ice Arcadia continues adult hockey initiatives for beginners
January 2nd, 2020As hockey in Arizona has continued to grow, much of the focus has remained on youth hockey. When Justin Rogers took over as the adult hockey director at AZ Ice Arcadia nearly four years ago, he became passionate about encouraging the growth of adult hockey specifically. READ OUR LATEST ISSUE He found himself coaching the…
Titans coaches adjusting in second year to foster more growth, on and off ice
December 2nd, 2019Nearly two years ago, Justin Rogers was tasked with rebuilding VOSHA and as a result, the Arizona Titans were born. What seemed like a shot in the dark to the then-22-year-old hockey director has proven to be an important decision in the growth of youth hockey in Arizona. READ OUR LATEST ISSUE The mission for…
Mission Special Edition continuing to thrive in Year 3
December 1st, 2019There is something truly special happening within the Mission AZ hockey program in Southwest Phoenix, and it has nothing to do with wins, losses and championship banners. Mission is now in Year 3 of offering its Mission Special Edition program, which is designed to allow people of all ages with special needs the opportunity to…
Mission focusing on in-house program with solid, positive results
December 1st, 2019It’s not hard to connect the dots from a thriving in-house hockey program at any rink to a successful travel program that plays out of the same building. The best players from the house league naturally will find themselves with opportunities to play tier hockey, and if they’re familiar with the program that plays on…