PIHA 2004 NEWS

[GROWL]

As a spokesman for the league, I would like to make the following announcements about the upcoming 2004 season.

This season PIHA will change it's season schedule to begin March 1st and have the playoffs end by early July. This will also include a small cutback in total games per team, which is expected to now be 20 total games.

All teams will still have minor league affiliates, but rules have changed to allow all players play pro as many times as their organization seems fit, as long as they meet the age requirement of 18yrs old and until a playoff roster freeze during the last month of regular season. No player will be permitted to play both a minor and pro game in the same day.

The league has added new teams which need to be announced.

Nike Team Breakaway will play out of the Coliseum in Voorhees, NJ. Run jointly by Pedro Councel of Breakaway and Matt Denton of the Coliseum.

Two other teams will join the league, one run by Adam Stio of the NJ Bullets and are expected to play out of Extreme Skaters in Bridgewater, NJ. The second I have little information at this time, but will play out of Williamsburg, Virgina.

Returning this season are: Tour Typhoon, Nexed Nasty Boyz, Labeda Lunatics, Tour Growl, and the Mission Shockwave.

The additions will enable the league to split into two seperate divisions (The Delaware Valley and Mason Dixon). An additional division is to join the PIHA in a non-competetive expansion capacity. This division is expected to consist of six teams from various areas (Illinois, NY State, and Maryland), and will be called the North American division. These teams will compete with the teams within the PIHA, but shall not be eligable for PIHA playoffs. The goal is to grow interest in expanding areas, while keeping travel ability realistic.

To date to tryouts have been announced:

Nike Team Breakaway: Sunday, December 7th @ Coliseum
www.teambreakaway.com

Tour Growl: Saturday, Jan 10th @ 12pm @ Sportsplex
www.growlhockey.com

The PIHA Website is being reorganized to reflect these changes and will be up and running once all changes have been made. Continue to check back at www.proinlinehockey.com

[Db55UD02]

Thanks for the update. It looks like PIHA is turning the corner for a better product. Looking forward to traveling with the Growl and Scrapper boys. Any other talk for piha?

[StormOwner]

what about Boston?

[WMBG_GM]

Just want to throw this out here to try to stem the tide of e-mails & calls... no, I know nothing of the above mentioned PIHA team in Williamsburg, VA. That doesn't mean it isn't for real in any way. That just means I haven't heard of it. And that doesn't mean anything because in no way am I the "do all, end all" of the roller mecca that is Williamsburg VA.

So, please, don't call and ask when tryouts are or if I'm looking for a goalie ;)

Personally, I do hope it happens as it will help to increase the visability of the sport down here and I get to watch more good hockey :)

Ben Loyall
GM/Owner
Williamsburg Warriors, MLRH AAA

[Db55UD02]

I know you guys up there have some sort of cash flow, and I am sure if you in the world of roller hockey, you could talk to mr. Yoder about PIHA. If you have financial stability ( and know rinkrat/rest of your team), a rink ( nice one from what I hear), and a willingness to travel ( you are covered there), I don't see any reason why you couldnt be an expansion team. This is coming from someone who is not really on the radar screen when it comes to PIHA organizational decisions ( see cj, AF, etc). Any comments or concerns?

[StormOwner]

Thanks for the info....

Question I have regarding travel...we are willing to travel, but will the existing teams also be able to travel? Currently, all the teams are relatively close to one another...expanding the league in new locations is sure to add additional concerns for the league....how are they planning to handle it? Seems like this is a big problem for most of the present and past Roller hockey major leagues...

[GROWL]

I apologize! I made a mistake and it is in Fredricksburg, VA that there will be a 2004 PIHA organization. As I get more information I will post it and I am doing my best to get the PIHA Website as up to date as possible. Sorry for the confusion.

[GROWL]

Allow me to answer these questions. PIHA's ultimate goal is not to be a nationwide league with one major team in each specific area. We feel that is unrealistic, atleast until the sport proves otherwise. It is our goal to have a division of teams (4 minimum) in each of these areas. This will make it realistic to travel as we have in PIHA in its first two seasons.

Currently PIHA is opening the new season to expansion teams outside the current PIHA geographic area. The general idea is to have these teams play a limited schedule against the teams within the league, with the hope that this will create more interest in each particular area. Hope this helped.

[Maskman]

Does it look like there is going to be a team on Long Island this season???

[GROWL]

I spent sometime speaking with Tim McManus about the Snipers possibly coming into the league, but after a while communication dropped off. If you know of anyone interested in at minimum finding out more, be sure to have them contact me and I will help them.

[email protected]

[Benny_Gulakiw]

Does that mean that the Snipers were considering leaving MLRH? They flirted with joining Inline Hockey America last year until they dropped out at the last minute, partly due to pressure from MLRH. I wonder what MLRH has to say about this latest development with the Snipers. It also sounds like PIHA is being pretty aggressive with their expansion plans.

Benny Gulakiw
President
Inline Hockey America

[NLane]

Several players in MLRH also play in PIHA. Just can't use the SAME TEAM NAME.

[SpeedDemon]

I believe he's talking about the Empire Snipers out of New York.

[Dcplayer]

we had 4 guys from the voltage playing with the Tour Typhoon, Spain Kevin,Fleury Brian, Szilagy Frank and
Staub Jimmy And of course cj plays with Marple

[-venom-]

hm.... I'm the only one from the Growl organization in MLRH.

[SpeedDemon]

Yep, you are.

[Benny_Gulakiw]

Sorry, I must of misinterpreted the post. I thought he was referring to the organization joining the league not the player. I know there are a number of players who play in both leagues and I think that's great. Guys have a lot of choices now. They can play in the summer or the winter, or both. They can play the full-contact version or the non-contact version. It's all good.

Benny Gulakiw
President
Inline Hockey America

[-venom-]

err, duh...... nevermind. hahaha i'm a tool, i'm sorry naz, forgive me :(

*bangs head into wall

[WMBG_GM]

Actually, this needs to be clarified. As for the MLRH AAA, players are welcome to do what they will outside of the MLRH AAA season. During the season, we ask that they limit play to tournament and MLRH AAA only.

We do however restrict our member organizations to only fielding a team in our league. This is due to our belief that in order to do this right, you really need to focus your resources on one league. Honestly, until you have done it, you have no idea how much the body behind the team does during the off season. Without this leg work being done, you end up with a bunch of guys who get together and play hockey each week in a different rink. I don't think any of us want that.

The above is done with my "Expansion" hat on.....

Ben Loyall
GM/Owner
Williamsburg Warriors, MLRH AAA<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by WMBG_GM on 12/08/03 04:02 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

[SpeedDemon]

That's quite alright. When watching me attempt to play hockey, it invokes temporary amnesia, similar to other traumatic life experiences.

[Db55UD02]

Is that before or after playing for the Sting? I think we all know the answer to that one. All you serious folk out there who can't take a joke, get over it. I expect an all Defensive PIHA selection out of you Naz, and who knows, I may be your partner out there. Is it January 10th yet? NICE
DB, like you didnt know.

[MDE3]

Given the rules of MLRH about not participating in another Pro League while playing in MLRH, how does PIHA plan to resolve this conflict with so may players playing in both, and certainly a few of whom may be tied up for part of March with MLRH playoffs?

[GROWL]

I believe you have the wrong Snipers. I am not speaking about the Steel City Snipers, but the Empire Snipers from Long Island.

[GROWL]

I thought Naz played too.

[-venom-]

yeah, I'm a moron.