MNSH Eagles: Photo day Saturday Dec 6 at 2pm, Game Dec 7 Plymouth, Jamboree Reservations, Fund Raiser volunteers Dec 5-7

Hello Eagles and Fans:

There is no game or practice Thanksgiving weekend. Have an excellent holiday and be sure to get some skating in too :-).

We have our photo day on Saturday Dec 6 at 2pm at the Woodbury Elementary School gym (not Bielenberg). Enter in the front entrance and we will have signs.  From our calendar:

Team Photo Day - photos start at 2pm. (NOT BEILENBERG)
1:45pm CST - 2:15pm CST, December 6th, 2014 Ical_event_icon
Woodbury Elementary School, 1251 School Dr Woodbury, MN 55125
Maps: http://goo.gl/maps/DhpcU

Wear all your gear and bring sticks BUT NO SKATES. Please have Team Jersey (we have some extras).

We have to be lining up around 1:45pm, pictures taken at 2:00 pm. 

On our January 11th practice John F will take FREE (amateur) team and individual photos. We are just finalizing time for that shared practice (I’ll do our co-practice colleagues too :-). (This will be on calendar and I’ll send out reminders.)

We have a GAME Sunday Dec 7 against the Plymouth Moose at 3:30pm. The game will be at the Plymouth Ice Center, Rink B:

The Plymouth Ice Center is connected with Life Time Fitness at 36th Avenue and Plymouth Boulevard. 
Plymouth Ice Center | 3650 Plymouth Blvd. | Plymouth, MN 55446-3201
http://plymouthmn.gov/index.aspx?page=120
maps: http://goo.gl/maps/94M8X

Our Alexandria Muskies hosted hockey jamboree is coming up FAST. It’s on our calendar Saturday December 27 and 28:

For a number of years running we have had an excellent post-holiday 2-day hockey event in Alexandria. Our friends with the Muskies host a 2-day jamboree-style festival. What that means is we divide our athletes up into levels that allow them to skate to their ability and have an appropriate amount of puck touches while getting to know other players from across the league.

The hockey blocks are 12:00 to 2:15 on Saturday, and 12:45 to 2:45 on Sunday, which gets everyone home at a decent hour. We block the time so no one gets too tired or loses interest. It is a blast, both at the arena, and at the Holiday Inn Alexandria where everyone swims, hangs out, and enjoys good bonding time.

We've arranged a block of rooms at the Holiday Inn at the following prices:

Standard Rooms = $109.99 plus tax
King Rooms = $119.99 plus tax
Recreation Area Rooms = $129.99 plus tax

Holiday Inn, Alexandria, MN
5637 State Highway 29, Alexandria, MN 56308
(320) 763-6577

If you plan on attending, get your room booked ASAP. There are a limited number of rooms. The block is reserved under MN Special Hockey.

Players... we would like an idea of how many players are attending, this will help us better organize the event. Please RSVP to Jane Cashin at jocashin@comcast.net if you are planning on attending.

Coaches/Volunteers... if you are attending and want to help, please contact Dana to let him know (dthiede@kare.gannett.com).

Jane Cashin is looking for volunteers to staff a table Saturday, Dec. 6th from 10:00 until 2:00 at a Minneapolis Convention Center gymnastics event - we can raise money. Contact Jane if you can help -  jocashin@comcast.net.

We are invited to promote our program and raise money at a huge gymnastics meet at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The Hendrickson Foundation is setting up a table at the event and want us to staff the table on Saturday, Dec. 6th from 10:00 until 2:00. We may also be involved in the award ceremonies!

Please let me know if you are willing to attend this event and the timeframe you can attend. Email jocashin@comcast.net for attendance and questions.

We will reimburse you for your parking expense, just hang on to your receipt (if possible).

http://www.tctmeets.com/PeppermintTwist.html

I know some players are waiting for new Jerseys, I’ve sent an email to Greg Facho asking for an expected delivery date.

Here’s our current coach/volunteer list:

Name	Position
Blomquist, Joe	volunteer
Boerger, Andy	volunteer
Bretzman, Pete	volunteer
Faughnan, John	manager
Johnson, Hannah	volunteer
Kleckner, Ken	volunteer
Laurents, Erin	Head Coach
Lindeberg, Mark	coach
Long, Andrew	volunteer
Longendyke, Lindsey	volunteer

Volunteers: Please do the SAFESPORT training module (not required, but Jane asked: http://www.usahockey.com/safesporttraining.  - look for USA HOCKEY in drop down)

Coaches - please do two modules:

• USA disabled hockey: https://usahcepmodules.flexxcoach.com/registration.aspx (Costs $10, I’ve asked Colleen what policy is for this.)
• SAFESPORT: http://www.usahockey.com/safesporttraining

Please spread the word at school, work and among friends that the Eagles welcome new players at every level and age. If you have ideas for attracting new players please let Coach Erin or John F (me) know.

Lastly — I have everyone’s medical paperwork. Thank you!!

 

Please email if you'd like changes to your email address (add, remove, etc) - jfaughnan@gmail.com.

 

See you Sunday!

 

About the Eagles: http://goo.gl/wnhR2 (About the team, coaches and volunteers)

Calendar: http://www.mnspecialhockey.org/page/show/1456233-eagles-2014-2015-?subseason=191927

News archives: http://news.mnspecialhockey.org

 

Eagles News: Nov 21, 2014

Hello Eagles and Fans:

We had a great game this Sunday with the Stingers. All of the Eagles turned in top performances, and we all looked pretty pleased at the end.

This Sunday we have a practice:

Eagles Practice
12:50pm CST - 1:50pm CST, November 23rd, 2014 Ical_event_icon
Location: Bielenberg East
http://www.mnspecialhockey.org/event/show/109007675 

Now that bowling is done and winter is settling in we’re expecting to see more of our veteran players. We could still use some growth though. Please spread the word at school, work and among friends that the Eagles welcome new players at every level and age. If you have ideas for attracting new players please let Coach Erin or John F (me) know.

We are doing official TEAM PHOTOS on Saturday, Dec 6 at Bielenberg. John F will take less formal photos at another time (free).

 

The Roseville Oval is open if you'd like to get some extra skating in.

 

Please email if you'd like changes to your email address (add, remove, etc) - jfaughnan@gmail.com.

 

See you Sunday!

 

About the Eagles: http://goo.gl/wnhR2 (About the team, coaches and volunteers)

Calendar: http://www.mnspecialhockey.org/page/show/1456233-eagles-2014-2015-?subseason=191927

News archives: http://news.mnspecialhockey.org

 

MNSH Eagles: Game this Sunday

Hello Eagles and Fans:

We've had two practices and the team is coming along nicely. We're hoping to pick up a few more of our veteran players over the next 2-3 weeks. There's a web page with team info including coach contact information:

About the Eagles: http://goo.gl/wnhR2  

Our calendar is up to date, the URL is below. Unfortunately some events are appearing twice. We have a game Sunday, please arrive at least 30 minutes before game time:

Sun, Nov 16

Eagles at Stingers

11:40am-12:40pm (CST),  Braemar Arena, East

Directions:

Braemar arena 

7501 Ikola Way, Edina, MN ‎

(952) 833-9500

Google: http://goo.gl/maps/eftg3 

Turnout will be low for this game! We have special Olympic bowling finals, family trips, etc. John Faughnan will be acting 'head coach' as Erin and Mark will be at bowling finals. I'm looking for volunteers to help on the bench, please email me if you can assist.

We are doing official TEAM PHOTOS on Saturday, Dec 6 at Bielenberg. John F will take less formal photos at another time (free).

The Roseville Oval is open if you'd like to get some extra skating in. I'm hoping outdoor rinks will open early, I know some are trying to take advantage of the early cold.

Please email if you'd like changes to your email address (add, remove, etc) - jfaughnan@gmail.com.

See you Sunday!

About the Eagles: http://goo.gl/wnhR2  

Calendar: http://www.mnspecialhockey.org/page/show/1456233-eagles-2014-2015-?subseason=191927

News archives: http://news.mnspecialhockey.org

MN Disabled Hockey Night at a Wild game in St. Paul - RSVP by Sunday, September 21st,

Minnesota Special Hockey Players and Families: As summer ends, the Hockey Season is getting geared up! One of the highlights of our year is the ability for MN Special Hockey players and families to participate in the MN Disabled Hockey Night at a Wild game in St. Paul. In addition, this night is also a GREAT fund raising opportunity for MN Special Hockey via our support of program sales. We have a couple opportunities for MN Special Hockey players and families to participate and volunteer. All people participating will also get free tickets to this game! PLEASE NOTE that this year the event is on a SATURDAY!

Event Details:

Date: Saturday, September 27th before 5:00. This time is when everyone must arrive to get into the arena. Late arrivals may miss the opportunity. The game starts at 7:00.

Where: Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN.

What: MN Wild vs. The Winnipeg Jets 

What we need:

1. We are in need of approx. 25 volunteers to sell programs at this event. We need a combination of players and non-players (including adults!) Selling programs is a lot of fun. Once completed (around the end of the 1st period), you get to sit down and enjoy the rest of the game!

2. Once again, MN Special Hockey will be showcased via a short exhibition game to be played in between periods (not sure which one). For this we will need 12 players and 3 coaches.

Next Steps: Please respond back to me if you are interested in volunteering / participating in this GREAT event:

Specifically, I need to know if you are interested in volunteering to sell programs at this event and also if you are interested in skating (Players and Coaches) between periods. Once all volunteers have been gathered, we will be putting together a list of those that will be skating and those who will be selling programs. In the event we have more than 12 players wanting to skate, the criteria we will use to select the skaters will be as follows:

1. If they did not skate at this event last year.
2. If they have never skated at this event in prior years.
3. Draw names from a hat.

Each volunteer that participates as a program seller at this event will receive one free ticket to the game. Each MSHA Player / Coach that skates in this event will receive one free ticket plus one ticket for an additional family member. As with prior years, we MAY have the opportunity to receive additional tickets. Please also include how many tickets you would ideally like to have for your family. This is a Saturday game, extra tickets might be hard to get for family members. Once we have all of the info, we will communicate tickets details.

Please let me know by email before Sunday, September 21st, if you can join us for this fun night at the MN Wild!

Thanks!
Tom Schuneman
Thomas.Schuneman@Michaelfoods.com

Shock Doctor to donate mouth guards (first practice)

Message from Tom Schuneman (dad/board member/volunteer):

... Shock Doctor, the leading company in protection products for athletes and the manufacture of the #1 mouthguard in the world, has come forward with a generous offer of sponsorship to MN Special Hockey. They will be providing each of our athletes a Shock Doctor String Backpack gift bag! Each gift bag will include a Shock Doctor Mouthguard and an Anti-Microbial Mouthguard carrying case! I have seen the string backpacks and they are very cool. This is a very generous gift that I am sure our athletes will be excited to get. All thanks to the Shock Doctor company!

We have a limited number of gift bags, but expect that all of our registered players will be able to receive one at their first practice. Because these bags need to be organized and distributed, all players must be registered by Sunday, Nov. 4th to receive one. MN Special Hockey registrations received after Nov. 4th will not likely receive this cool and generous gift from Shock Doctor.

Eagles: First Practice is with Polars (Blaine) Nov 10

Our first practice is with Polars on Nov 10, Blaine Super Rink 7 from 4:50pm CST - 5:50pm. [1]

We are doing pretty well on registration but if you haven't registered yet and are interested please let me know (jfaughnan@gmail.com). This year Nick U will be coaching!

Our calendar is up to date [2] with our games and practices. We will be playing and practicing out of Bielenberg arena. We've had problems in the past with that arena canceling our practices, John F will call ahead to confirm for each event there.

The Alexandria tournament is Dec 28/29. Jan 4 is a special event with Minnehaha Boys High School hockey. Our season ends March 2nd. March 15/16 is the Madison Tournament and the USA Disabled Hockey Festival is April 10-13. This year it will be in Marlborough Massachusetts.

Volunteers: Please complete the USA Hockey portion of the registration and the MN Background Check Form before the season begins. (thanks!)

See you all soon!

[1] http://www.mnspecialhockey.org/event/show/57891781

[2] http://www.mnspecialhockey.org/page/show/990919-eagles-2013-2014-

Team Manager tips

On request, I put together a summary of team manager sorts of things I've done: Minnesota Special Hockey - Team Manager tips.

I didn't mention posting into this blog, because this is a cross-team/org news site. I used to put Eagles news here, but now that's on our Facebook page.

Please send me other manager ideas/best practices and I'll expand on the page.

Facebook page for the Eagles (Eagles specific notice)

Based on team interest I've created a FB "Page" for MNSH Eagles. The page is visible to anyone, but only Facebook members who "like" the Page can add to it. Please note: These kinds of FB "Page" are always public. Unlike a personal FB wall you can't restrict who sees what you post or comment on. FB comments are not anonymous, they include names and will show up in Google searches.

Note that there's also a (public) Facebook Page for Minnesota Special Hockey; you can see updates to that page on the right side of this blog.

I've had good results with using a FB page with my baseball team. Many people find it easier to track Facebook updates than email or posts to blogs like this one.

General MNSH news will continue to be posted here, but I'll link to it from the Eagles' Page. Eagles specific news and discussions will only be on the Eagles FB page. So if you follow the Eagles FB page you will see it all.

Eagles email won't be changing. The things I emailed before will still go out by email, but they will also show up on the FB Page. You can ignore the FB page if you like.

I hope members of the Eagles family will also use this Page to connect and share non-hockey information of interest to our community.

Minnesota Special Hockey Albums: 2006 to 2011 including Alexandria Tourney and 2011 Disabled Hockey Festival

This post includes links to the albums that are currently available online, starting with the 2006 Spring pre-season skates.

• 2011 Disabled Hockey Festival April 1-3, 2011 - @280 pictures, Eagles, Wild and teams we played from Opening Ceremonies through Sunday.
• 2011 MNSH Alexandria Tourney
• 2010-2011 Eastern Eagles season album
• 2010-2011 Eastern Eagles team photos
• 2008-2009 Stingers
• 2007-2008 Stingers
• 2006-2007 Stingers
• 2006 Minnesota Special and Sled Hockey: In spring 2006 there was one team and we practiced with sled hockey at Richfield Arena

How to download a full sized version of a photo

You can download a full sized version of any photo. Simply view the photo, then click the download menu item as shown below. If you install the free Windows or Mac (Intel Only) Picasa software you can download an entire album at once.

Eagles unofficial team picture will be January 9th, cancellation Dec 12.

Our Dec 12 practice was canceled due to a  tournament delayed by Saturday's storm.

We have a game next Sunday, then a practice Jan 2nd. Since some will be away that day we'll do our unofficial team picture on January 9th (4:35pm).

Meanwhile, Coach Joe is working to schedule a makeup practice in the field house next to the ice arena.

Bielenberg Arena scoreboard controller instructions

These pictures show the Bielenberg Arena scoreboard controller and the instructions for operating it. I took these hastily with my phone camera; I might get better pictures later.

Brave volunteers who help with scoreboard control may want to print these out and review them prior to games. Click on the thumbnail for a full-size image.

Eagles team picture Dec 4 and unofficial picture Dec 12

Official Picture

The official Eagles Team picture will be taken Saturday December 4th at 8am. Players need to be fully dressed and at the Bielenberg multipurpose facility by 7:45 AM (15 min early). For most players this means arriving there by 7:20AM.

1) Photos will be taken at Beilenberg in the multipurpose again this year.

2) Photos will be taken by Sunshine Photography again this year.

3) Order forms will be ready AFTER the photos are taken.

4) Please have your team there and ready 15 min's prior to the photo time. 5) ALL PLAYERS SHOULD COME DRESSED. We will only have one locker room available for all teams. It gets very crowded and items get lost with four teams useing it at once. We will not have any locker room in the afternoon at all.

Unofficial Picture

We expect some players will be unable to make the official picture. John Faughnan will do unofficial Team and Individual Pictures during practice December 12th. Print orders will be taken and digital versions will be made available for downloading. JF will try to offer sport mugs too. Note John F is an amateur photographer taking pictures in awful arena lighting. The official pictures will be significantly better.

WCCO story on Eagles and Augsburg

From our active Facebook page comes a link to a story from WCCO ...

Giving Everyone The Opportunity To Play Hockey - wcco.com

Minnesota is known as the "State of Hockey" so a special organization is proving hockey is for everyone in the state.

Minnesota Special Hockey launched four years ago. Now there are four teams in the metro area.

If you ever need a pick-me up, check out the Woodbury Eagles. You can't help but feel good watching these athletes play their hearts out.

"I love playing it," exclaimed 11-year-old player Grant Jobe.

Each player is unique. Some skate and some are pushed by others. They range in age from five to over 40 year old. They all have developmental disabilities and they all love hockey.

"To me, it doesn't matter. Hockey is hockey. If you want to go out there and work the puck around, go for the net, that's what it's about," said Jill Pohtilla, Augsburg Women's Hockey Coach.

For the first time, the Augsburg College Women's Hockey Team hosted the Eagles. The college athletes offered pointers and played side-by-side with the special team members.

"It reminds you of how much fun it is and why we started playing and how awesome it is that anyone can play," said Augsburg player Toni Menth.

Being included has meant the world to Grant and his family.

"He would be sitting on the bench pretty much most of the time if he was playing with a regular hockey team. This way he gets to play a lot," said Grant's mother Jennifer Jobe.

The Eagles are improving their skills, but this league is about much more than the game. Coach Joe Kelly described a moment he'll never forget. When one of his athletes, nicknamed "Bomber", made a goal for the first time.

"When Bomber got back to the box, he started crying and that meant more to me than anything I've ever seen here. That's what this brings to these athletes. It's a chance for them to achieve some stuff that they've never achieved before," Kelly said.

Remington featured on Fox 21 News

A very determined MN SH athlete gets some media attention ...

Tonight at 9: efforts to bring Minnesota Special Hockey north | FOX21Online.com

INTERNATIONAL FALLS - In the State of Hockey, everyone plays. But, it’s not always easy to find a team.

This Thursday and Friday on FOX 21 News at 9, join Nick LaFave as he travels with a family from their home in International Falls all the way to the Twin Cities, just so their son can play the game he loves.

He’ll also explore the Minnesota Special Hockey program, and look at it’s efforts to expand to the Northland.

Unfortunately the Fox video clip was only transiently available, we don't have a copy at this time.

End of season game and banquet - TIME AND LOCATION CHANGE

We've changed locations and times for the end-of-season game.

The new location is Breck Ice Arena is at: 4210 Olson Memorial Hwy, Golden Valley. You can see it in this Google Map view. There's parking in back of the arena.

From the new announcement:

Join us for the Final Games of the Year and the end of the season banquet!

Who: All MN Special Hockey Players, Families & Guests
When: Sunday, March 15, 2:30—4:00 p.m.
Pizza Party immediately following.

Where: Breck Ice Arena, 4210 Olson Memorial Highway, Golden Valley, MN

PLEASE NOTE TIME AND LOCATION CHANGE!!!
Questions, please contact your coach or call 612-325-3392

I've revised our web site calendar.

Eagles: Special pre-practice lunch tomorrow

Toni has arranged for a special lunch prior to the Eagles practice Sunday March 8. It will be from 12-1 in the "viewing area" at Bielenberg arena. Jimmy Johns, chips and pop.

I've added this event to the unofficial calendar.

Pictures from Polars v Stingers Feb 15, 2009

Our online album now includes Images from the Feb 15 Polars vs Eagles game. The link takes you to the first picture in the series. As always the token password is "mnhockey".

Great teams, great pictures.

Eagles - Practice time change

The East Eagles will practice at 9:05 AM on March 1st instead of 6:40pm. The late practice was troublesome for our players so Toni worked to change it for us.

Game photos: Stingers, Eagles and Polars

We've posted photos from 3 games so far this season. As usual you can view them by entering the password "mnhockey" when requested. You can also order prints from this web site, save a full resolution version of any image to your local computer, and add comments (such as the name(s) of your favorite players!).

All the photos are in one album, these links take you to the start of each game. You can also start from the beginning and page through:

• Stingers vs. the Eagles: Dec 7, 2008
  
• Stingers vs. the Polars: Dec 21, 2008 new
  
• Eagles vs. the Polars: Jan 18, 2009 new

If anyone has other photos they'd like to contribute or share, please email John Faughnan at jfaughnan@gmail.com.

Clothing orders due by JANUARY 19th

Jane Cashin is taking orders for MN Special Hockey clothing.

This older (stingers/polars) flyer shows what the gear looks like and helps with sizing, but don't use it for ordering.

Please see these directions for ordering advice (Jane Cashin):

We will be taking orders for sweatshirts and skating pants until Monday, January 19th.

Costs:

• Crew Neck Sweatshirt (adult S-XXL, youth M-L) - $46
  
• Hooded Sweatshirt (adult S-XXL, youth M-L) - $50
  
• Skating Pants (adult S-XL, youth S-XL) - $38

Email your order to: Jane Cashin at jocashin@comcast.net. She will confirm that she received your order. If you do not receive a confirmation email call her at 612-581-4483.

Please email Jane the following information for EACH apparel item ordered:

• Team name
  
• Apparel type: Crew or Hooded or Pants
  
• Size (include Youth or Adult)
  
• Athlete name (optional)
  
• Athlete Number (optional):
  

Please send a check made out to Minnesota Special Hockey for your total items purchased to :

Jane Cashin
7009 Weston Circle
Edina, MN 55439