Orange County Hockey Club http://www.ochockeyclub.com Locally Grown Fri, 18 May 2012 22:29:43 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 2012 Hobey Baker Award winner Jack Connolly http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?p=710 http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?p=710#comments Fri, 18 May 2012 22:15:56 +0000 David Bigelow http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?p=710

Hobey Baker Award winner Jack Connolly thanks the hockey community in Minnesota

Please see the letter of appreciation below that Minnesota Hockey recently received from Jack Connolly, Duluth native and 2012 Hobey Baker Award winner.

 

Thank you!

Minnesota Hockey

Jack Connolly 

Dear Minnesota Hockey:

 

I recently had the honor and privilege of being named the 2012 Hobey Baker Award Recipient as the top men’s college hockey player.   Wow!  Just typing that sentence and reading it over and over causes all kinds of wonderful emotions and thoughts in my head.  But more so than anything, it makes me realize how fortunate I am to be from Minnesota, especially Duluth.

 

I put my skates on for the first time in the warming house at the Duluth Heights outdoor rink when I was four.  And some of the other four year old kids that were putting their skates on for the first time next to me in the warming house that winter are still some of my best friends today, 18 years later.  We grew up on the outdoor ice rinks and then eventually the indoor ice rinks in the Duluth area.  My friends and I are extremely lucky to have been coached by so many wonderful people who instilled into all of us a passion and respect for the game.  I was fortunate enough to play in the state high school hockey tournament and eventually play for my hometown Bulldogs, being part of a memorable team that won the school’s first National Championship.  But it all started with the foundation that was built for me by the community hockey system that Minnesota has.

 

In recent years, I’ve been able to play on teams with players from all over North America.  After talking about our childhood hockey experiences, I quickly realized that hockey elsewhere is not quite like hockey in Minnesota.  As a mite and squirt playing for Duluth Heights, all I wanted to do was beat the other Duluth neighborhood teams including Piedmont Heights, Glen Avon, Portman, Congdon Park, Woodland, etc. Then at the PeeWee and Bantam level I played for Duluth East, which increased my list of rivals to places such as Cloquet, Grand Rapids, and Hibbing. Then came high school hockey at Duluth Marshall and games against Hermantown.  The only thing better than a high school game against Hermantown was a win against Hermantown!  All of this was done with my friends. All of this was done while living in the same house where I’d fall asleep as a four year old dreaming about hockey. All of this was done while continuing to play soccer at a high level throughout high school.  No, I didn’t join an all-star team of 10-year old kids in the winter and go to tournaments in Quebec City or Buffalo. I played with kids from across the alley and down the street and a big road trip was a tournament in Coleraine.  I didn’t move away at age 14 to pursue my hockey dreams.  Instead I stayed home to play the game I love with my friends, and had a blast doing it!

 

I did develop.  I developed as a hockey player and as a person.  And for that I want to thank everyone who is involved in hockey in Minnesota.  The coaches at Duluth Heights that picked me up when I fell as a four year old.  The people connected with Minnesota Hockey that oversee all of the community associations in the state.  I truly appreciate all that you have done for me and for other young hockey players in Minnesota.  I encourage you to keep doing it because hockey in Minnesota works and is indeed special.  From the bottom of my brand new Hobey Baker award, thank you!!

 

With Thanks,

 

Jack Connolly

 

 

]]> http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?feed=rss2&p=710 0 2012 Goalie Clinic At the OC in May http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?p=705 http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?p=705#comments Thu, 10 May 2012 22:20:39 +0000 David Bigelow http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?p=705

]]> http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?feed=rss2&p=705 0 The OCHC and the Anaheim Jr Ducks Merge their Midget Tier I Programs http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?p=703 http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?p=703#comments Mon, 07 May 2012 21:45:47 +0000 David Bigelow http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?p=703 NEWS RELEASE

Media Contacts:
Alex Gilchrist, Steve Hoem or Lauren O’Gorman, Anaheim Ducks (714) 940-2911, -2909, – 2890

May 7, 2012

ANAHEIM JUNIOR DUCKS AND ORANGE COUNTY HOCKEY CLUB TO MERGE MIDGET 16U AND 18U AAA TEAMS FOR 2012-13

ANAHEIM, Calif. – The Anaheim Ducks today announced that the Anaheim Jr. Ducks program and the Orange County Hockey Club will merge its two teams in each of the Midget 16U AAA and Midget 18U AAA divisions for the 2012-13 season. The Jr. Ducks Midget 16U AAA and 18U AAA teams will compete in the North American Prospects League and be coached by Jim Burcar and Mark Mollica, respectively. Tryouts for the Jr. Ducks 16U and 18U teams will begin on Friday, June 1. Additional tryout information will be posted at www.JrDucks.com and www.ochockeyclub.com when it becomes available.

“Merging our two Jr. Ducks teams in the 18U and 16U divisions with the Orange County Hockey Club will strengthen each individual team and give the program a stronger chance of success as we move forward in 2012-13,” said Vice President of THE RINKS Art Trottier. “We look forward to the upcoming tryouts and watching some of the best young hockey players in Southern California compete.”

Both the 18U AAA and 16UAAA teams will wear Jr. Ducks jerseys in their first season in the North American Prospects League (PHL). Now in its third season, the PHL is made up of 42 teams from 20 programs that compete at the Tier I AAA level. Sanctioned by USA Hockey, the PHL is designed to maximize the exposure of all the Midget and Bantam participants through the North American Hockey League’s (NAHL) high profile recruiting events that attract hundreds of college, junior and professional scouts.

For more information on the Anaheim Jr. Ducks program, visit www.JrDucks.com

]]> http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?feed=rss2&p=703 0 Three OC Teams Capture State Titles! http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?p=690 http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?p=690#comments Mon, 16 Apr 2012 19:00:17 +0000 David Bigelow http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?p=690 April 16 – 2012 : The OC congratulates the Peewee A, Bantam B, Bantam A, and Midget 16 A teams for advancing all the way to the finals in the State Championship Series for CAHA.

All of our State bound teams made the championship finals contest with three teams coming home with the State title. Those three teams are the Peewee A1 team, the Bantam B team, and the Midget 16A team. Great job and our hats off to making an impressive run throughout the season and post season play!

]]> http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?feed=rss2&p=690 0 Five OCHC Teams Advance to Finals! http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?p=663 http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?p=663#comments Mon, 19 Mar 2012 21:19:00 +0000 David Bigelow http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?p=663 Congratulations to all our OCHC Teams for making a strong showing in post season play!

Our Mite A team will be squaring off against the LA Hockey’s best on 3/24 at the Toyota Center on 3/24.

Our Peewee A team will be heading to the SCAHA finals and the States. They beat the Valencia Express 4-3 in a shootout victory!

Our Bantam B team will be heading to the SCAHA finals and the States. They beat the Jr. Reign Express 4-3 to advance.

Our Bantam A2 team will be heading to the SCAHA finals and the States. They beat the Bears 5-0 to advance.

Our Midget 16A team will be heading to the SCAHA finals and the States. They beat the Jr. Gulls 3-1 to advance.

Great job to all of our OCHC teams!

]]> http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?feed=rss2&p=663 0 OCHC Mite A wins the Congressional Midwinter Classic http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?p=666 http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?p=666#comments Mon, 19 Mar 2012 16:10:18 +0000 David Bigelow http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?p=666 Our Mite A team traveled to Washington D.C. in January of 2012 and brought home the championship banner!! The boys went undefeated in the tournament to capture the Mite A division banner.

click here for the schedule and results

]]> http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?feed=rss2&p=666 0 OCHC Bantam AA is Headed to Nationals http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?p=654 http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?p=654#comments Sun, 11 Mar 2012 18:46:17 +0000 David Bigelow http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?p=654 Congratulations to our Bantam AA team coached by Joe Burcar and Mike Bickley.  They went 2-0-2 over the weekend and captured our club’s first State Title.  They are headed to New Jersey on March 28th to via for a National Championship!

 

Way to go boys, and team!

 

]]> http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?feed=rss2&p=654 0 17 Teams Advance to the Post Season http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?p=169 http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?p=169#comments Fri, 02 Mar 2012 15:33:56 +0000 David Bigelow http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?p=169

Congratulations to all of our playoff bound teams! Best of luck in the weeks to come.

The following teams are in playoffs:

  • Midget 18AAA advances to Districts, Coached by Joe Burcar
  • Bantam 16AAA advances to Districts, Coached by Jim Burcar
  • Bantam AA 98 advances to States, Coached by Patrik Stefan
  • Midget 16AA advances to States, Coached by Scott Shand and Dean Wilson
  • Bantam AA 97advances to States Coached by Joe Burcar and Mike Bickley
  • Peewee AA 99advances to States Coached by Daryl Tiveron>
  • Midget 16A advances to SCAHA Playoffs, Coached by Dean Wilson
  • Bantam A1 advances to SCAHA Playoffs, Coached by Scott Shand
  • Bantam A2 advances to SCAHA Playoffs, Coached by Matt Beaty
  • Bantam B advances to SCAHA Playoffs, Coached by Jeff Shields and Matthew Beehler
  • Peewee A 99 advances to SCAHA Playoffs, Coached by Jean Labbe
  • Peewee B advances to SCAHA Playoffs, Coached by Nick Silver
  • Squirt A advances to SCAHA Playoffs, Coached by Scott Shand
  • Squirt B1 advances to SCAHA Playoffs, Coached by Bob Walsh
  • Mite A advances to SCAHA Playoffs, Coached by Patrik Stefan
]]> http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?feed=rss2&p=169 0 Outdoor Rinks – US Pond Hockey Outdoor Memories http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?p=257 http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?p=257#comments Mon, 20 Feb 2012 17:16:05 +0000 David Bigelow http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?p=257
 

]]> http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?feed=rss2&p=257 0 Spring Select League http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?p=135 http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?p=135#comments Wed, 15 Feb 2012 22:11:29 +0000 David Bigelow http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?p=135 http://www.ochockeyclub.com/?feed=rss2&p=135 0