50 & over nationals

[DannyG]

calling all players!

If you were born in 1954 or earlier, then USA Hockey Inline has the first ever national tournament just for you.

If you are 50 years old and you are playing this game, then you are doing it because you love the game, and you really don't care that almost always you are the oldest skater out there.

So, not that you are tired of chasing the twenty year olds around, but wouldn't it be great to try your skills vs. guys our own age?!?!?!

Please accept this personal invitation, from me, to you, to come on out and play!

Irvine, California
USA Hockey Inline Cup
Friday through Monday
October 8-11, 2004

info at www.usahockeyinline.com; or call/email me...

Even if, or especially if, you don't have a team, we want you to play! Every player, of any skill level is very welcome. No matter what your skill or experience level, you will find that there are a lot of players in this event just like yourself.

I will personally make two teams so this tournament will happen! I will personally keep in touch with every 50&O player who lets me know that they have signed up! You will be updated directly on everything happening with this tournament!

email me or call me...let's get going, and have some fun..

Daniel T. (Dan) Guard,
7341 Ramada Drive
El Paso, Texas, 79912-2147
[email protected], [email protected]
(915) 584-9714 (res)
(915) 757-2743 (office)
(915) 274-4911 (cell)

You can also call Barbara Bruce (ext. 110), or Don Moffat (ext. 115) at USA Hockey Inline 1-800-888-4656.

Either way, please let me encourage you to join us! Sure hope to see you out on the blue floor...

<font color=purple>DannyG</font color=purple>

[Defense1st]

Dan,

Glad to see your youth teams at JO's. My 12u girls enjoyed the competition with your team. Same for my boys teams.

Good luck with your 50 and Over teams.

Phil Steur
GEAR Mid America

[DannyG]

Phil:

We had four of our teams participate in the AAU youth national tournament this year. We had five teams participate in the USA Hockey Inline youth Nationals. We would have had more at each, if the Powers-that-be would not schedule these events in conflict with each other. We expect expanded participation in both events (New Orleans and Philadelphia, respectively) next year.

We might also call upon AAU to stop running both an AAU national event (The "Junior Olympics") and the USA Roller Sports (USARS) nationals. The USARS event is now obviously superfluous.

We note that both programs are now offering more and more opportunities in a variety of regional and national activities and events.

Please allow me to proffer the following for discussion:

We believe that it is very important to support both concepts, that is, a regional/national tournament program with open, club enrollment, such as NARCh, TORHS, AAU/USARS, as well as a true league program, such as USA Hockey Inline. Not only is there room for both, both are needed: each one provides different opportunities for a different set of programs.

We do note that, with it's new Open Division of play at the Tournament Alliance Group and USAHIL Youth National tournaments, USA Hockey Inline is now specifically catering to both levels of organized team programs.

Congratulations to your son on making the AAU All-American team.

<font color=purple>DannyG</font color=purple>

[DannyG]

Phil:

Hope to see you with your local 40&O team at this year's event...

In the meantime, could you personally pass on the names of the 50+ year olds in your program, or perhaps pass on my personal invitation to them.

As you know, there is some hesitancy with the older players to enter into this type of event, they somehow think they might not measure up. This of course, is invalid, as everybody else is simply thinking the same thing.

We need to overcome this inertia, and I have found that one-to-one contact usually can do the trick.

Please let me know the names of your local players, and I'll contact them directly.

Thanks!

...and while we're at it; can I solicit everybody out there to help me out? Please give me the names of anybody that might qualify to play with us...I hope that IHC readers can be a force in starting up something new and good here...

Thanks! again...

<font color=purple>DannyG</font color=purple>

[Defense1st]

Danny,

I would love to, but I do not even skate on inline's at all. Can't skate backwards at all. And truthfully I only know 3 or 4 of my parents that have even played hockey on any type of wheels before. Dek is one thing, wheels are another. I will pass on the word to them all including your email.

Phil Steur