By Wayne Witkowski
Dan Bergan, head coach of the Robbinsville-Allentown Ravens co-op ice hockey team, has been concerned along with the other ice hockey coaches in the Colonial Valley Conference (CVC) about dwindling numbers for their rosters, and they are doing something about it.
In a joint effort with the Lawrence Flames, a New Jersey Youth Hockey League Tier 2 nonprofit, they are taking signups this week for a youth development program. Flyers were sent out two weeks ago to school districts in Mercer County and nearby Pennsylvania districts.
Signups are taken online at www.lawrenceflames.com.
The program, with the Lawrenceville School that houses the Flames program, will host the expanded youth program that will include levels in the 2007 to 2011 birth years. The Atoms will be introduced for children ages 5-6 with birth years 2009 to 2011, and the Mites are looking to grow that level for those ages 7-8 with 2007 and 2008 birth years. They’ll practice two nights a week from October to March and play games against comparable youth programs in the area.
The Heat is adding two “house” teams to the existing travel teams — Squirts for those born in 2006 and 2007 and Pee Wees for birth years 2004 and 2005.
It will have a season running from September to March, with workouts on Saturdays and Sundays as well as games.
“We are receiving reports that emails and requests for additional information are moving along, and we’re hoping to get it up and off the ground,” said Rich Dickinson, treasurer of the Lawrence Flames program.
The youth program will be administered by Flames Youth Development Director Andrew Ducko, who is head coach at Notre Dame High School and The College of New Jersey, in conjunction with his fellow CVC coaches.
“All of this is a go,” Bergan said. “Evaluations for Mites and Atoms [started April 11 and continues April 13 and 14]. I don’t know that there will be much headway so soon there, as word is just getting out. [Evaluations] for older kids will be in May or June after usual travel tryouts. We expect a big turnout for those teams. We’re getting the info out to all of the elementary and middle school programs and getting a good groundswell so far.”
Dickinson will answer questions at [email protected] or at 609-731-3083.
“It’s really difficult for kids coming in as ninth-graders who never played hockey before to play the sport [on a high school varsity level],” Ducko said. “We need to get more kids playing hockey in the area, and the Flames offered to get more involved. We’ve got highly qualified coaches in place for instruction, and it’s more affordable [now] for people to get kids involved in hockey, particularly the 9 to 12 age level all the way to age 18.”
Ducko said he has started to see results from the public at this early stage.
“We’ve gotten some positive feedback,” he said. “Time will tell if we get a positive response.”
According to Bergan, the idea came about when CVC coaches met recently to discuss ways to generate ideas and improve participation for Mercer County area high school teams. Dwindling numbers over the years called for some co-op arrangements combining two schools, including the Ravens, to field high school teams.
“It became apparent that a grassroots program was needed to enhance the usual feeder systems,” Bergan said.
The initiative is part of USA Hockey’s American Development Model (ADM), the Flames explain on their website.
“The ADM is USA Hockey’s nationwide player-development program for youth hockey associations,” the website said. “It’s based on age-appropriate, age-specific competition and training for boys and girls, beginning with their first steps onto the ice and carrying them through age 18 and beyond. The ADM places a heightened emphasis on skill development and long-term athlete development principles, providing a blueprint for the best possible youth hockey experience. Put simply, it’s doing what’s best for kids.”
It points out that there will be 50 to 60 ice slots to be assigned to practices and games with the focus being placed on practices. All players must be USA Hockey registered when they sign up, which calls for registration at www.usahockey.com with a $50 fee. No player will be permitted on the ice without proof of registration.
The registration for each child to join the Atoms and Mites costs $500 and the Heat costs $600, with goalies paying half of those rates, Bergan said.
Ducko said the rates in the past ran as high as $1,800 per player for the year.
A 10 percent sibling discount will be applied to the second registration and a 20 percent sibling discount will be applied to the third registration.
“The important point is that they are a nonprofit organization that is responding to our [coaches’] call for help to move the sport forward in Mercer County,” Bergan said.