Vol 3_No 1 Guts.indd - Rubber Magazine

‘Runners won’t fi eld U18 team
By Brett Fera
As the Peoria Roadrunners prepare to
send forward seven teams this season,
one group - the U18 squad - will not be in
action this year.
“At a lot of different levels, I think everyone is trying
to fi eld too many teams at the travel level,” said association
president Marvin Lomax. “For us, as kids get older,
it becomes harder to fi eld the older teams. It’s just what
happens.
“We don’t want to fi eld a team that’s not competitive.”
The seven remaining squads will compete at the
Mite A (coach Don Berg), Squirt A (coach Jim Dover),
Peewee A (coach Darrell Sleeman), PeeWee AA (coach
Brad Bayer), Bantam (coach Jon Larson) and U16A
(coach Dave Cope) and AA (coach Shawn Babin)
levels.
Last year, the Roadrunners fi elded eight travel teams,
winning three of fi ve A division state championships
(Mite, Squirt A and PeeWee Silver), a pair of Southwest
Youth Hockey League (SWYHL) titles (PeeWee Blue
and Bantam AA Tier II) and three regional Silver Stick
Championships (Squirt A, Peewee Silver and Bantam
AA Tier II). ❂
20
AWAY FROM THE RUBBER:
Summer healing the ultimate energizer
The fall is one of my
favorite times of the
year, as our players and
coaches start returning
to the ice in the Valley to
prepare for another NHL
campaign.
Although many of
our players do not live
in Arizona, I like to keep
in touch with all of them
throughout the summer
to keep tabs on how
they’re doing.
Immediately following
the season, I typically
recommend that players
take 2-4 weeks off from
any sort of structured
physical activity. At the
end of the season, they
are physically worn out,
maybe a few nagging
aches and pains, and
mentally they
are ready for a
break.
A player
might even
require a little
more extensive
rehabilitation
for an injury,
and that rest
period can be
easily implemented into
his rehab schedule. Many
players like to take a vacation
during this time.
Following that short
break, players are usually
chomping at the
bit to start working out
again. Some are ready to
go two weeks after the
season ends; some need
3-4 weeks before they
want to go near a train-
Peoria Roadrunners Hockey Association
Bahn
ing facility!
The break
should consist
of light activity;
nothing
structured or
intense. But
players don’t
spend this time
sitting around
at home,
watching TV. They may
go on a fi shing trip, take
up some light bike riding
outdoors, or some other
activity that they can’t do
during the season.
Not only does this
help keep their body
moving, but it is amazing
for the mental recovery
of the player following
the long, rigorous NHL
season.
Once they start
training again, typically
they’ll spend a week or
two getting back into a
workout routine, allowing
their body to adapt
to exercise once again.
From there, they spend a
month or two building up
their physical foundation
of strength and general
conditioning.
Not until July do they
start doing explosive
movements or agility
training. Come August,
they start getting on the
ice 2-3 times a week,
building up to 4-5 times
a week by early September.
❂
Mike Bahn is the Coyotes’
strength and conditioning
coordinator.
Arizona High School Hockey Association
High schools start 8th season
By Brett Fera
The Arizona High School Hockey Association
is readying for the start of its eighth
season this month.
Varsity teams slated to compete include: Boulder
Creek (Anthem), Brophy (Phoenix), Cactus Shadows
(Cave Creek), Chaparral (Scottsdale), Corona del Sol
(Tempe), Deer Valley (Glendale), Desert Mountain (Scottsdale),
Desert Vista (Phoenix), Flagstaff, Gilbert, Hamilton
(Chandler) Highland (Gilbert), Horizon (Scottsdale),
Mesquite (Gilbert), Mountain Pointe (Phoenix), Mountain
Ridge (Glendale), North Canyon (Phoenix), Notre Dame
(Scottsdale), O’Connor (Glendale), Pinnacle (Phoenix),
Prescott, Saguaro (Scottsdale), Thunderbird (Phoenix),
and Tucson.
A combination of players from Cactus (Glendale) and
Centennial (Peoria) High Schools will also compete.
Thirteen junior varsity teams will also compete, including
Brophy, Corona del Sol, Desert Mountain, Desert Vista,
Flagstaff, Hamilton, Horizon, Mountain Pointe, Mountain
Ridge, Notre Dame, Pinnacle, Prescott and Tucson.
The Valley of the Sun Youth Hockey Association will
also fi eld a Lady Coyotes junior varsity girls team. ❂