Scottsdale, AAHA to host inaugural age 15 Tier I Nationals in 2017
USA Hockey announced on Jan. 29 an addition to its slate of 2017 and 2018 Youth Tier I National Championship Tournaments.
The new event – a single birth-year USA Hockey National Championship for 15-year-olds – was recommended by USA Hockey’s Youth Council, approved by its Board of Directors and will be conducted as a two-year pilot tournament with potential to become a permanent part of the Youth Tier I Nationals in 2019.
USA Hockey and the Arizona Amateur Hockey Association will host the inaugural Youth Tier I National Championship for 15-year-olds in Scottsdale, from April 6-10, 2017.
Tier I teams comprised entirely of players born in 2001 will be eligible to compete.
“Age 15 is a pivotal point in a hockey player’s long-term development,” said Kevin McLaughlin, USA Hockey’s senior director of hockey development. “They’re segueing between true youth hockey and the next level of competitive development, so by offering a single birth-year Tier I national tournament for 15-year-olds, USA Hockey is putting those players in the best possible position to make that transition successfully.”