SpeedHockey? To Hold Open Tryouts for Players
Amateurs and Pros Will Have Opportunity to Play in UCI Event on September 13

IRVINE, CA? The International SpeedHockey League ("SpeedHockey?"), a new major professional inline hockey league, announced today it will be holding open tryouts during its Open House at California Roller Hockey Center in Irvine on September 9, 10 and 11.

The league is holding two guaranteed slots open for players who want their shot to play in a professional hockey game. Tryouts will run from 3 p.m. - 10 p.m. The winners will be assigned to the rosters of Team USA or Team Canada to play in the pro game and will also be guaranteed a training camp slot for a SpeedHockey league team in 2004. The selected players will also be paid the professional player prize money rate for the September 13 game.

In addition to the professional game at 7:35 p.m., amateur players of all ages will compete in preliminary games between 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. on September 13. Teams will be comprised of players selected during tryouts on September 9, 10 and 11. There will be games for all age groups on September 13, including ages 8 and under, 9-10 year olds, 11-12, 13-14, and 15-17. Those interested in trying out can sign up at California Roller Hockey Center on September 9, 10 or 11, or can download a registration form in advance from the SpeedHockey? website at www.speedhockey.org. There is no charge to tryout for the youth games, and each youngster is guaranteed at least one game in his/her tryout session. The fee for the professional tryouts is $95 and each of those players is also guaranteed at least one game in his/her tryout session. The California Roller Hockey Center is located at 3150 Barranca Parkway in Irvine.

SpeedHockey? will play its inaugural exhibition game at UC Irvine's Bren Events Center on Saturday night, September 13. Game time is 7:35 p.m. The game will pit Team USA against Team Canada. Among the stars who will compete in the game are goaltender Rob Laurie (USA Gold Medalist), Hugo Belanger (Silver Medalist, Canada), Gerry St. Cyr, Christian Skoryna (all-time leading scorer, RHI), Shayne Arsenault, and J.P. Beilsten (USA Gold Medalist). These players will be among those available to sign autographs during the tryouts.

-more-

2-2-SpeedHockey/Tryouts-2-2

Fans can purchase their seats at the Bren Center box office and all Ticketmaster locations (including Robinson's-May, Tower Records, Wherehouse Music, Ritmo Latino and Tu Musica), www.ticketmaster.com, and Charge-by-Phone (Orange County 714-740-2000; Los Angeles 213-480-3232; San Diego 619-220-8497). Tickets may also be ordered by phone from the Bren Center box office, 949-824-5000. Seats are priced at $15 and $10.

SpeedHockey? represents the new generation of professional hockey? a sport designed to utilize the best aspects of ice hockey and inline hockey, played on an 85' x 85' surface. It is played in a three-on-three manner, plus goaltenders. The sport includes recessed goals (to prevent players from taking the puck behind the nets, which slows down the pace of hockey games). To further increase the speed of play, there are no icing or offside rules. There will also be a two-point goal arc to reward slapshots from the perimeter. These and other measures will provide great excitement for both players and fans as well as a uniqueness that will distinguish professional inline hockey from ice hockey. SpeedHockey? will be the fastest professional team sport in the world!

The New Generation of Inline Hockey has arrived! For more information about SpeedHockey?, please visit our website at www.speedhockey.org.

***

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central