Madison tournament: pre-tourney practice March 10

For players who are going to the Madison Tournament:

We have purchased ice time for a pre-tourney practice on Saturday, March 10th from 12:00 to 1:00 PM. The purpose of the practice is to let the players meet the tournament coaches and each other as well as allow the coaches to work up rosters for our two teams.

Parade Ice Garden (near Walker) is located at

400 Kenwood Pkwy.

Minneapolis, MN 55403

Phone: 612 230-6400

Fax: 612 230-6500

Hours: 6 a.m.-10 p.m.

Google Map: http://g.co/maps/pvkrw

Thanks and hope to see you there,

Joe Kelly

Phone: 612-627-0672

Wisconsin Invitational Disabled Hockey Festival March 17 & 18, 2012 - Madison Ice Arena, Madison WI

We've been invited to a hockey festival in Madison WI March 17 and 18th (not to be confused with the Dallas National Festival!).

At this point we think we may have two teams. This is what we know so far:

• Registration is due by March 5, 2012
• There's no cost to participate (Madison Ice Inc is donating ice), home of Wisconsin Timberwolves.
• Teams will play two games on Saturday, March 17th and one game on Sunday, March 18th
• Teams will be matched by skill levels.
• They have selected two hotels very near the ice arena, they both have pools and free breakfasts, along with other amenities.  Both are close shopping and a great selection of restaurants. The North Central Group is offering the teams, fans and families from the Wisconsin Invitational Disabled Hockey Festival a special room rate, so be sure to use the code: HOCKEY FESTIVAL when you call.  Please call as soon as possible to reserve your rooms, as there are a lot of things going on in Madison that weekend! (Hampton Inn, Homewood Suites)
  
  • Homewood Inn & Suites Madison West: call Cory Mace at 608-662-3654 to reserve rooms (HOCKEY FESTIVAL code)
  • Homewood Suites Madison West: call Cory Mace at 608-662-3654 to reserve rooms (HOCKEY FESTIVAL code)
• Coaches will email registration counts and forms to Andrea Chaffee (andreachaffee@yahoo.com). Contact your team manager to register. There's also individual registration if needed - contact John Faughnan (jfaughnan@gmail.com)
• We probably won't have a bus.

Gopher Women's Hockey Jan 20 - $1

MN Special Hockey has been given a wonderful opportunity to attend a Gophers Women's Hockey game at Ridder arena for only $1 per person! 

Thanks to the generosity of the athletic department, we have been given this special ticket price to come see one of the best women's teams in hockey today! (Ranked #2!) 

We will be watching the Gophers battle it out against the Bemidji State Beavers (#6!) at 6:00pm on Friday, January 20th at Ritter Stadium.


Calendar: Gopher Women's Hockey Night | Minnesota Special Hockey

If you can attend, please let your team manager know so s/eh can RSVP (Eagles: John F: jfaughnan@gmail.com)

Dallas tournament - April 13 to 15th 2012 - update

The annual disabled hockey tournament is in Dallas this year, just a few months from now. It's on our calendar and you can learn about it from two sites:

• USA Hockey: http://www.usahockey.com/Template_Usahockey.aspx?ID=16722&NAV=PL_05
• Facebook: 2012 USA Hockey National Disabled Festival

We are looking for someone willing to take on a leadership role this year. Please let Jane Cashin (jocashin@comcast.net), or John Faughnan (jfaughnan@gmail.com) know if you would be willing to help organize.

We don't know yet if we'll have an 'A' team and one or more 'B' teams, or if we'll play as multi-line teams (Raptors, Stingers, Muskies, etc).

There will be a bus leaving from a local rink and traveling to Dallas - yes, it's a long overnight ride! For example:

• Bus leaves from one of the local rinks around 8:00 pm on Wednesday, April 12^th.
• Arrive in Dallas around 1:00 – 2:00 on Thursday.
• Play games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
• Bus leaves immediately after the last game on Sunday.
• Bus arrives back at the local rink on Monday morning.

We don't yet know the budget and financing. We might just help cover most of the bus costs or we might have additional funds to defray expenses.

Please do let Jane or John know if you think you could lead this little project!

2012 Dallas USA Disabled Hockey festival April 2012

More news about the 2012 Dallas USA Disabled Hockey festival:

2011 USA Hockey Disabled Festival

The 8th annual USA Hockey National Disabled Festival will take place April 13-15, 2012 in the Dallas, Texas area. The Festival encompasses all 4 disciplines of disabled hockey which includes deaf/hard of hearing hockey, special hockey, sled hockey and standing/amputee hockey. Download the Disabled Festival Invitation and Application Form now!

This year the Adult Sled Hockey National Championship will again be a part of the Festival. Please make sure to read through the links below which contain additional information needed to register & qualify for the Adult Sled National Championship.

2012 Sled Nationals Rules

Adult Roster & Ranking Form

Player Waiver & Addition Form

Mark your calendar now as this is the largest gathering of disabled hockey athletes anywhere in the world.

Invitation: http://www.usahockey.com/uploadedFiles/USAHockey/Menu_Players/Menu_Disabled/Menu_Disabled_Festival/2012USADISABLEDHOCKEYFESTIVALINVITATION.pdf

Application:

http://www.usahockey.com/uploadedFiles/USAHockey/Menu_Players/Menu_Disabled/Menu_Disabled_Festival/2012USAHDisabledFestivalApplication.pdf

The 2011-2012 season begins Nov 13

The Calendar | Minnesota Special Hockey calendar has practice times and games online. The first practice is scheduled for Nov 13.

Remember everyone needs helmets with face guards to be on the ice.

This old fitting guide reference may be helpful, and here's a checklist I wrote up a few years ago.

Disabled Coaches Clinic: Oct 30, Coon Rapids Ice center

From: Jane Cashin<jocashin@comcast.net>
Date: Wed, Oct 19, 2011 at 8:18 PM
Subject: Coaches clinic

All coaches and volunteers are highly encouraged to attend the Disabled Coaches Clinic.

Anyone that is on the ice with the players should consider attending this event.

When:  Sunday, October 30th, 8:30 am until 3:00 pm
Location:  Coon Rapids Ice Center

Each participant will walk away with a coaching certification card and a lot more information on disabled hockey.

Please let Joe Kelly know if you will be attending this event: joe@mnspecialhockey.org

Questions?  Contact Joe or Bill Thielbar (hackeybirch@aol.com)

A preliminary agenda:

* Intro/Welcome
* State of Disabled Hockey: Stats on growth, awareness, what has evolved over the last 5-10 years
* USA Hockey/ADM overview
* Skating
* Puck Control & Passing
* Disability Awareness
* CPR
* Strength and Conditioning
* Teambuilding Exercise
* On Ice Session
Station 1 Skating Skills
Station 2 Puck Control
Station 3 Passing Skills
Station 4 Shooting Skills
Station 5 Small Area Games
* Wrap up

Season Kickoff meeting Sunday October 16

Our season kickoff is coming October 16. Please see the flyer for details.

Here are some highlights.

• Meeting 1:30-2:00pm (board members, coaches, etc)
• Skate 2:15-3:45
• Mariucci arena

This year we require skates, helmet and GLOVES.

No sticks or pucks (alas!).

Hockey equipment distribution Sunday Oct 9 at Xcel energy center

I'm late spotting this, but there will be a free hockey equipment distribution Sunday Oct 9 at Xcel energy center from 9am to noon. I don't know if there's any special arrangement for MNSH players.

If you have equipment to donate you can drop it off at arenas and some retail stores (see below). Sounds like this has been a good dropoff season! I don't know if these donations are tax deductible.

Hockey Equipment Drive update | Minnesota Hockey

... An enormous success already, the 2011 Used Hockey Equipment Drive is reaching its final days, leading up to the distribution of equipment on Sunday, Oct. 9, at the Xcel Energy Center. From 9 a.m. to noon inside Gate 1, equipment will be available – first come, first  served – for all individuals, families, teams and associations who are in need of hockey equipment.

Equipment donations will also continue to be accepted until Tuesday, Oct. 4, throughout the Twin Cities at select arenas and hockey shops.

A partnership between Let’s Play Hockey, the Minnesota Wild and Minnesota Hockey, the 2011 Used Hockey Equipment Drive has netted loads of new and used youth and adult hockey gear. Boxes of equipment were overflowing at Westwood Sports in Apple Valley and Chanhassen, and at arenas in Eden Prairie, Plymouth, Blaine and New Hope, resulting in the need to call in equipment drive sponsor Berger Transfer to pick up all the donated gear.

In addition, the Augsburg College women’s hockey program  donated nearly a dozen sets of goalie pads and other equipment. “We couldn’t be more pleased with the response of the hockey community to the equipment drive for the third straight year,” Let’s Play Hockey publisher Doug Johnson said. “The need is so great today, and we’re hopeful that this drive will help kids stay in hockey or begin to play for the first time.”

Berger Transfer has placed drop-off boxes at the following arenas: Burnsville, Woodbury, Super Rink (Blaine), Eden Prairie, Plymouth, Lakeville, Bloomington, Eagan, Highland (St. Paul), St. Thomas (Mendota Heights), Stillwater, Cottage Grove, Maple Grove, Apple Valley, White Bear Lake, Braemar (Edina), Buffalo, North St. Paul, Tartan (Oakdale) and Minnetonka. Westwood Sports (Bloomington, Chanhassen and Apple Valley) and Boehm’s (Mendota Heights and St. Paul) are also drop-off locations...

I've added this event to the Eagles calendar (only one I can edit).

New teams: Alexandria and Burnsville

Yay!

Minnesota Special Hockey

...We are adding 2 new teams! Alexandria is home to the Muskies and Burnsville will be home to the Rams.

If you are interested in registering for the program please contact President Jane Cashin at jane@mnspecialhockey.org or call 612-581-4483....

 

MN Special Hockey Registration is now open!

Minnesota Special Hockey Registration is now open!

For more about MNSH please see our web site or visit our Facebook Page. We have players of all ages, sizes and genders. We have players with all ranges of cognitive disabilities, from ADHD and Aspergers through the autism spectrum to players with limited language ability. We have players who sit in chairs, players who can't skate (many learn!), and players who have played mainstream hockey competitively. We have players who always loved hockey, and players who followed their siblings.

There's help available for low income players. The time demands are limited -- typically 2 hours a week of game/practice. There are no volunteer commitments required.

Players:

Please follow the instructions on our website to complete the registration: http://www.mnspecialhockey.org/page/show/224315-2010-2011-registration-instructions

If you are unable to print your forms during registration, they can be found at: http://www.mnspecialhockey.org/page/show/348704-forms

Coaches and Volunteers over 18 years old:

Follow the instruction at the link above under the Coaches and Volunteers Registration.

1. Must register with USA Hockey (free for volunteers) if not already registered with another organization.
2. Then go to the MN Hockey link to complete a background check form. * Enter "Special" for Hockey Association name. * Enter "0" for MH District.
3. Then email your USA Hockey Confirmation number to Jane Cashin at jocashin@comcast.net

 

The 2011-2012 Season is starting - Open Skate Oct 16, Fund raising

The 2012 season is starting, and events are being added to the official MNSH calendar. The list includes an event this week and a few in weeks to come. As in past seasons news will be posted here; Facebook members should be sure to "like" the Minnesota Special Hockey Facebook page.

First up is the Hendrickson Foundation Inaugural Fundraiser Friday 9/9 in Lakeville:

Minnesota Disabled Hockey has a great new opportunity for our organization to help raise funds for all our programs. The Hendrickson family (Darby Hendrickson and his father Larry) have formed a foundation with the primary purpose being to support Minnesota Disabled Hockey. They will be hosting their first fundraising event on Friday, September 9 .

It is a golf tournament at Crystal Lake Golf Club in Lakeville, MN.The Hendrickson Foundation has asked us to help support the tournament by passing on the attached flyer to any friends and family who would be interested in playing in the event.  In addition, if you have any contacts who would be interested in sponsoring the event or providing silent auction items please share the attached sponsor letter with them.

Please contact Suzy Lindeberg, MN Special Hockey Board Member, if you have any questions regarding the event at slindeberg@comcast.net. Please help to support the Hendrickson Family Foundation raise funds for Minnesota Disabled Hockey.  This is a huge new opportunity for our programs! Thank you.

On September 30th we will have Disabled Hockey Night at the Wild game -- a fun time and a way to raise money for Special Hockey by selling programs. There will be skating between periods.

The season really starts with an Open Skate at Mariucci arena on October 16th. We should also be getting registration information in the next 2-3 weeks.

More information to come as we get closer to the Wild game ...