Tryout information is now available!*

To register for tryouts, click HERE.  All players are encouraged to register online prior to tryouts.

Former NE Jr. Falcons player Jordan Samuels-Thomas has been nomintaed for this year's Hobey Baker award!!

From hobeybaker.com.......

It's time for college hockey fans everywhere to get in on the act.  No, not just by supporting your favorite college team, but by casting your vote as to who will be this year’s Hobey Baker Award winner as the best player in college hockey.

The highly popular fan-voting phase is now open by visiting the Hobey Baker website: hobeybaker.com.  Click on the "Vote for Hobey Baker" icon and follow the prompts to make your selection from this year’s outstanding crop of college hockey players.

This first phase of fan balloting will run now through March 7th, 2010.  Phase two of fan balloting will then begin on March 19th from the list of Top Ten Hobey Baker finalists.  The fans’ vote accounts for a full 1% of the total ballot in each phase in selecting this year’s award recipient.

Award criteria include candidates mimicking the superlative character traits put forth by the award’s namesake, Hobey Baker, a World War I flying star better known as America’s greatest amateur athlete in his day.  Award candidates must exhibit strength of character both on and off the ice, contribute to the integrity of his team and display outstanding skills in all phases of the game.  Consideration should be given to scholastic achievement and sportsmanship.

Key Hobey Baker announcement dates for 2010 include:
• Top Ten list of candidates:  March 18
• Hobey Hat Trick of three finalists:  April 1
• Hobey Baker Award winner:  April 9

The 2010 Hobey Baker Award winner will be announced from a field of three Hobey Hat Trick finalists on Friday, April 9, 2010 during the NCAA Frozen Four Championships in Detroit, MI.  The 30th annual award announcement honoring college hockey’s top player is tentatively scheduled to be televised live during prime time on ESPNU.

Automated or programmed voting is not allowed.  In the spirit of Hobey Baker himself, all voting should be conducted in an honest and ethical manner.  If further automated voting is evidenced, then the fan vote will not be included in this year’s selection process.   We thank all college hockey fans for participating in this year’s Vote For Hobey.

To vote for Jordan, visit http://www.hobeybaker.com/voting/.

    

New England Junior Falcons provide girls with opportunities to play hockey

By Bill Wells

January 30, 2010, 4:34PM

With more girls playing youth hockey than ever before, there’s become a need for all-girls teams.

In Greater Springfield, the New England Junior Falcons are meeting that need.

Under the current regime, the Junior Falcons are in their second season of offering high-level girls hockey, and the group is prepared to move right along with the growing sport.

“The numbers were growing rapidly,” said Carol Lessard, women’s director for the Junior Falcons. “We found once the girls got into full contact hockey, it was time to find a program where they could develop their skills. There were so many girls and they wanted their own team like the other sports.

“The New England Junior Falcons decided to put their own (girls) program together so that all youth hockey players would have a place to play.”

The Junior Falcons offer teams at Under-10, U14s (two) and U19. Lessard said the program is in position to offer two teams at the U10, U12, U14, U16 and U19 levels next season. Point being, if a girl wants to play hockey, that girl will have a home with the Junior Falcons.

Lessard has received excellent feedback from parents and players, saying, “They don’t have to travel to multiple rinks to practice. They have assigned practice nights, which are consistent every night. They like being in a league because they have good competition. A lot of the girls who play in the league go on to play in prep school or college.”

The Junior Falcons play in the New England Girls Hockey League, which includes 102 teams at five age levels. The program is based out of Enfield Twin Rinks, and draws players from up and down the Interstate 91 corridor, from Franklin County to Greater Hartford.

Gwil Jones of East Longmeadow put his daughter, Gabby, in the U10 program this season.

“I think when you got all the girls off their teams and put them on one team, they seemed to grow in terms of realizing their potential,” said Jones, who serves as the U10 coach. “When you put a girl on an all-boys team, they don’t grow like they should.”

With a coaching staff that includes former Pittsburgh Penguin drat pick Tom O’Connor, Lessard said the girls who play for the Junior Falcons don’t have any problems growing.

“We do have an outstanding coaching staff working with our girls program,” Lessard said. “Our coaches come with years of experience. That’s something that stands out.”

Jones’ U10 team and O’Connor’s U14 group won the Connecticut Polar Bear Tournament, which drew teams from throughout the United States and Canada. O’Connor’s team won in overtime. The tournament was held during Christmas vacation.

“It was an exciting finish,” O’Connor said. “The girls beat a team out of London, Ontario, in a 2-1 overtime victory. Every girl contributed in a positive manner, and it was a very positive and fun week of hockey.”

Interest in girls hockey certainly won’t wane anytime soon, especially in Greater Springfield. Not only is the USA women’s hockey team expected to compete for a gold medal at this year’s Winter Olympics, but the team also includes a local: Westfield’s Kacey Belamy.

Lessard said, “With the Women’s Olympic (team) expected to do well this year, it will certainly inspire even more girls to try out for hockey next season.”

Go to juniorfalcons.com for more details on the program.