Amateur Hockey Association Illinois

NOTICE: The 2012 AHAI Girls National Development Camp tryouts will take place on March 10 and 11, 2012 at the Edge in Bensenville. Registration information will be sent via US Postal mail to all eligible female players with the following birth years: 1995, 1996, 1997 & 1998. Registration will not be accepted if postmarked later than February 22. Players MUST participate in the AHAI tryouts to be eligible to attend the Central District tryouts the weekend of April 27 & 29. Those selected from the AHAI tryouts will attend Central District tryouts for the USA Hockey National Select Camps this upcoming summer. Please feel free to contact Sjoukje Brown at referette@gmail.com with any questions or concerns.

PREFACE
It is important to understand that different entities are involved in the development process for girls hockey in the United States. USA Hockey is the governing body for the sport of hockey in the United States. USA Hockey is divided into eleven geographic districts. The States of Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Wisconsin comprise the Central District. AHAI, the Amateur Hockey Association of Illinois, is a sanctioned affiliate of USA Hockey and the governing body of Illinois amateur hockey. USA Hockey, the Central District and AHAI work in concert with one another to promote the development of girls hockey. You can get the latest information online from the USA Hockey website (www.usahockey.com), the Central District website (www.usahockey.com/central_district/default.aspx) and the AHAI website (www.ahai.org).

This outline describes various player development opportunities available through AHAI, the Central District and USA Hockey. AHAI sponsored events include the Opportunities in Hockey Seminar, National Camp tryouts, and the AHAI Girls Development Camp. The Central District hosts the Central District Development Camp and USA Hockey hosts National Development Camps.

AHAI’S OPPORTUNITIES IN HOCKEY SEMINAR
Attendance at the Opportunities in Hockey Seminar is the first step in the development process. Each year on Columbus Day, AHAI presents a series of presentations covering a wide array of topics including whether prep school is right for you, discussions about the pressures on young athletes, the importance of grades, what it takes to make a college hockey team, how to pick the right school, how to apply for financial aid, and discussions regarding NCAA rules. In order to participate in AHAI Player Development events, one time attendance at the Opportunities in Hockey Seminar is mandatory. The Seminar is open to all players, coaches and parents and there is no charge to attend. As the Seminar attracts a large number of attendees, it is typically held in the ballroom/meeting facilities of a local hotel; please check the AHAI website for the exact location.

The 2012 Opportunities in Hockey Seminar will be held on Columbus Day. This starts at 7pm at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Schaumburg. Pre-registration through the AHAI website will be required. 

USA HOCKEY NATIONAL PLAYER DEVELOPMENT CAMPS
USA Hockey holds national development camps for girls during the summer months. The camps are a week long and include both on-ice and off-ice sessions.

In 2012, USA Hockey will host four separate camps based on player ages: 17 year-olds (birth year 1995); 16 year-olds (birth year 1996); 15 year-olds (birth year 1997); and 14 year olds (birth year 1998). [NOTE: Check the USA Hockey website or the girls’ development calendar on the AHAI website as the locations for each of these camps will be determined by USA Hockey.]

Each District within USA Hockey is allotted a certain number of spots depending on the overall number of girls registered in such District. Tryouts for these camps are held on a District by District basis. In the Central District, tryouts have been open tryouts which means that any female player registered or residing in the Central District and born in the appropriate birth year may tryout. [NOTE: The information for the 2012 tryout format will be made available in late January or early February.]

The location of tryouts varies from year to year but is always in the Central District. The evaluators for these tryouts are selected by the Central District. Those girls selected from the tryouts to represent the Central District are notified directly by the Central District shortly after tryouts. A player tryout fee is assessed and players are responsible for their travel, lodging and meal costs associated with tryouts. Illinois players selected to participate in the National Development Camps pay for their own transportation to the location of the Camp and also pay a player fee which includes lodging and meals at the Camp. AHAI also subsidizes a portion of the cost associated with its players attending these Camps.

AHAI AND CENTRAL DISTRICT PLAYER DEVELOPMENT CAMPS
In addition to USA Hockey’s National Player Development Camps, the Central District holds its own player development camp during the summer. The location of the Central District’s Development Camp varies from year to year. The location of the 2012 Central District Development Camp is Green Bay, WI. The dates for the 2012 Central District Development Camp (birth years 1995 through 1998) are July 29-August 3. The goal of the Central District Camp is to provide a week-long skill development program for girls in the 14 through 17-year-old age category. Each State within the Central District is allotted a certain number of spots in the Central District Camp, depending on the overall number of girls registered in such State.

Each State selects its own method of determining which girls will represent that state at the Central District Camp. AHAI’s Girls Committee has determined that Illinois will choose its representatives for the Central District Camp from those players who attend the AHAI Elite Girls Development Camp. The coaches at the AHAI Development Camp select the top players to move on to the Central District Development Camp.

Coaches of female players in the appropriate birth years nominate girls for the AHAI Development Camp. Girls’ coaches receive recommendation forms which must be completed and returned to the Player Development Committee by the announced deadline in February. Upon receiving recommendations from coaches across Illinois and other independent evaluators, AHAI’s Player Development Committee will meet to review the recommendations and narrow the field of players. A maximum of sixty eight (68) players of those invited will then be accepted to participate in the week-long AHAI Camp; each player attending the AHAI Camp will pay a player fee, which includes the cost of lodging and meals at the camp (in 2011, the fee was $500).

From the AHAI Elite Girls Camp, players will be selected to represent Illinois at the Central District Camp and will be notified directly by AHAI shortly after their selection. Illinois players selected to participate in the Central District Player Development Camp pay for their own transportation to the location of such camp, and also pay a player fee which includes the cost of lodging and meals at the camp (in 2011, the fee was $250). AHAI also subsidizes a portion of the cost associated with its players attending the AHAI Development Camp and the Central District Development Camp.

The dates & location for the 2012 AHAI Elite Girls Development Camp (birth years 1995 through 1998) are June 8-11 at Lake Forest Academy.

The dates for the 2012 Central District Development Camp (birth years 1995 through 1998) are July 29-August 3.