12/1/21

December Outlook - U14/15s Look to Gain Momentum

The U14s are coming off the Thanksgiving break with a commitment to being healthy, development and an excitement to see what’s next in Coach Hathaway’s “Training Camp 3.0”

The team continues to press forward and develop individually and as a team which is exactly the recipe for success the second half of the season. Head Coach Shaun Hathaway on the team “It’s been a challenging start to the season with a young team challenged with injuries. I’m very proud of our team’s resiliency through adversity and the positive attitudes that permeate the locker room! We are finding tremendous success gaining an authentic understanding of what it takes both on and off the ice to compete and succeed at the most elite level of play.”

The team has an extra week to prep, get healthy and focus on a home and home with the Thunderbirds December 13-14 before packing their bags for a road trip to Blaine, MN. The team will compete in the NAPHL Winter Showcase December 19-21 and face off against top teams to include the first place Chicago Reapers, Tri State Spartans, Carshield and Pittsburgh Esmark Stars.

The U15 Tigers continue to press on the gas and are looking for a great December with a busy schedule and determination to win.  Head Coach Joey Carroll said “our players and staff could really feel a positive and strong shift in our season throughout November. Everyone is buying in, creating an identity and playing with a team first mentality.” Carroll added “at this level of play there are no easy games and December has some very tough opponents which will be a great test for our team. With that said our team’s goal is to strictly focus on our structure and the details we need to be successful.”

The U15s will open the month December 4-5 with two games against the Rampage followed by a pair the next weekend versus the Thunderbirds in league play. The team will then join the U14 team on the trip to Blaine, MN for NAPHL league games where they will see the Tri State Spartans, Indy Fuel, Biggby and the league leading U15 Chicago Reapers.

The NAPHL

The NAPHL has established itself as one of the premier grounds for development and exposure. The success of teams on the National stage, as well as, the success of NAPHL players at the next levels of hockey, is further proof that the NAPHL is redefining exposure and has elevated itself to one of the premier training grounds for development and opportunity.

The NAPHL has enjoyed a record-breaking amount of advancement in recent seasons, which is highlighted by a large amount of advancement of players to the North American Hockey League (NAHL). No other USA Hockey Midget Tier I league has had more players play in the NAHL over the course of the last two seasons than the NAPHL.

The NAPHL is operated by the NAHL's experienced staff and provides an organized and competitive experience guaranteed to benefit all of the participating student-athletes.

The NAPHL is composed of regular-season events leading up to its Championship Tournament in which the top teams at each level compete for a league championship