High School Inline Hockey

[cohockeydad]

A couple of years ago, I spent some time talking with Ed Delgado, who runs one of the high school programs here, and he pointed out that you have to be careful what you wish for, with respect to the school districts sanctioning the sport as more than a club sport.

Yes, the kids can get letters and more recognition within the school, but there are significant negatives, too. Costs go way up, because, if it's a school sport, you need to provide buses to the venues, certain levels of paid supervision, etc. Plus, the schools can place restrictions on the times and days of practices and games.....there's a whole level of regulation that you may fall under, which we currently avoid.

Under our current set-up in Colorado, the schools have virtually nothing to do with the leagues. But, they generally have provided some level of acknowledgement of accomplishments in school newspapers and assemblies.

Net-net, I think I prefer it this way.

While Mr. Delgado says be careful what you wish for, I say be careful who you believe. Ed is a great guy and runs a decent facility but he has a personal stake in the league staying private. There is a lot of money out there to be had and he wants his piece. I don't blame him. However, if the sport does not become a sanctioned sport, it will never be accepted as a viable alternative to football and baseball. Sanctioning brings credibility. There are hundreds of boys and girls out there who deserve recognition for their achievements. When you have volunteer coaches, you take what you can get. Quality suffers for want of a good coach. The sport should be sanctioned and the coaches paid. Referees are paid yet you never know what to expect, oversight is sorely lacking. Overall we have a fantastic league in Colorado but to take it to the next level, it needs to become a sanctioned sport.

[zipyaj]

Greetings cohockeydad;
Welcome to the IHC forum! I hope you continue to read, post and share with us all.

Concerning your post and high school roller hockey in Colorado, while I have not met Mr. Delgado, I am keenly aware of the Colorado High School Inline Hockey League (CHSIHL a.k.a. CHSIHA) and have read many good reviews of the positive impact of the league onto the sport throughout the state. Even my two young nephews in Lakewood, 9 and 10, already speak about looking forward to playing for their school teams when older - and that's representative of the HUGE importance to the development and growth of our sport!

As to sanctioning of the sport, there's an informative but short thread with poll "State Sanctioned Roller Hockey" posted in the IHC forum on June 4th that asks: State Sanctioned Roller Hockey. How important is it to you?

Very Important 60.00%
Moderately Important 28.00%
Too Much Hassle 12.00%
Don't Care! My Kid Graduated Already 0%

Count my vote in the Very Important response. This is especially true if our student-athletes are ever to be recognized on par with mainstream sports.

However, one must also recognize the stages of development within each hockey facility, school district, city and regions of the state, and of the individual state overall.

Some areas, and even rink operators, have no scholastic programs at all and are missing the boat for this important segment. Some rink operators run in-house scholastic programs of intermediate and/or high schools, but have no affiliation with a "league" that promotes the sport beyond the rink level. Some states, including Colorado, have good-to-excellent league programs for organized intrastate competition where teams represent their school colors, although mostly unofficially, in league play and then return to the in-house program for other seasons. To the best of my knowledge, only California's San Diego CIF section 10 has sanctioned Roller Hockey as a high school sport (winter season) affording full recognition on par with mainstream sports.

In a May 23rd Wall Street Journal article, according to John Collins, the former National Football League executive who joined the NHL last year, "Hockey is tribal."

By reading the threads of this forum, and from my own experiences, I am compelled to agree. But all is not lost!

There's much to do in getting the tribes to come to the council fire, smoke the proverbial peace pipe and work together for the greater good of the sport. Whether scholastic hockey, or any level, and for even ice and roller to recognize their synergies in helping the growth of our sport.

My two cent turned into a nickel once more.


INTERSCHOLASTIC HOCKEY FEDERATION (IHF)
Jay Piz
www.IHF-HOCKEY.org
[email protected]

[5280]

if the sport does not become a sanctioned sport, it will never be accepted as a viable alternative to football and baseball. Sanctioning brings credibility. There are hundreds of boys and girls out there who deserve recognition for their achievements. When you have volunteer coaches, you take what you can get. Quality suffers for want of a good coach. The sport should be sanctioned and the coaches paid.

Well, there's something to be said on both sides of the issue. I went and looked, and here in Colorado, Ice Hockey is a CHSAA sanctioned sport. Based on their website, it looks like there were 27 varsity teams in the CHSAA sanctioned leagues. For Inline, there were 44 varsity teams in CHSIHA (Ed's league), and another 12 in RMSHL (SIHA's league). So, it doesn't seem to me that lack of sanctioning is hurting the sport, at a high school level.

My kid played middle school last year, in Ed's league, and we have friends who played in SIHA's league, and I saw and experienced high levels of coaching in both. My kid has played for some of the very best coaches in the state, both paid and volunteer. Knowing who and what's around the youth world here, I can't imagine getting any higher level of coaching by offering money to them.

The one thing I see that is a problem because of the private structure is that it's hard to keep consistancy from year to year. One year, one school has a lot of interest and a big program, and then those kids, and their coaches graduate. And, that IS a big problem in terms of establishing a tradition and lasting reputation. But, net-net, I'm happier with the current system.

[cohockeydad]

Thanks for the welcome Jay! I believe we agree that sanctioning is important to the future of the sport, it has come a long way with the support of private clubs/venues, but in order to make certain that it continues to grow, state sanctioning would help immensely! I remember when I was growing up playing ice, I saw an ad in the back of Hockey Digest for this new off season training aid, inline skates! 5280- Don't get me wrong, I believe we have one of the strongest programs in the country here in Colorado! I just don't believe that it can continue in the current format and be successful. I doubled checked the CHSSA website because I have never heard of them sanctioning the sport. I could not find anything there about inline, just ice. If you could direct me to where that information is, I would greatly appreciate it! My son played SIHA for many years and I coached for most of them. It was a great experience, they have a top notch program! The reason we left was primarily because of the inconsistency of the officials. What a thrill for those kids to be coached by CJ Yoder! I am currently coaching CHSIHL and my son is playing. It is a very good league with amazing participation! I know that Chatfield HS had 6 or 7 teams last year. I am very satisfied with the program is in this state, I just want to make sure that it is around in the future for others to enjoy!

[5280]

I doubled checked the CHSSA website because I have never heard of them sanctioning the sport. I could not find anything there about inline, just ice. If you could direct me to where that information is, I would greatly appreciate it!

My son played SIHA for many years and I coached for most of them. It was a great experience, they have a top notch program!

I'm sorry, I was probably unclear. I was comparing the number of school ice programs under CHSSA to the number of inline programs under CHSIHA and RMSHL. You are correct that CHSSA doesn't sanction inline at all.

We've also been in and out of SIHA for about 8 years now (Cougars/Stallions and playing/coaching). My oldest player, who is the most committed, is moving to 14U next year, and my younger one will be a first year 12U. I agree that overall, my experiences with them have been very positive. I'll single-out Bill Mulhern out as a real gentleman who consistently tries to do what will make the best experience for the kids.

[cohockeydad]

5280-

I agree, Bill is a great guy! Unfortunately, SIHA, like everyone else these days is suffering from the economy. Last tournament I was at they had 1 guy running the desk, a score keeper and 2 refs on the rink. No upper management. I think it was a boon for Tour Arena to get the national college championships, that was great! Cougars huh? For the sake of the forum I will keep it civil. I coached the Flames. We had some serious problems with you guys, we couldn't beat you. Your 17U goalie, Josh, used to play for me. I taught him everything he knows (haha). I think that since he left us and went to you, we have a 50/50 record against him. At this point in time, I believe that SIHA has a great program for the younger guys, up until they start high school. I just don't think they can compete with the lure of playing for your high school. I would love to see them create some kind of partnership with Ed Delgado and get involved with the CHSIHA. Thanks for your efforts with SIHA, I think it is a great organization!

[cohockeydad]

5280-
I apologize. I just looked back at your post and saw that you said ice hockey when talking about CHSSA. I mis-read that.

[zipyaj]

Gentlemen;
Please don't get caught up in the details and lose sight of the bigger picture!

Who, how and why did Ice Hockey get in, for example, are lessons to be learned. Go To School on that!

There may be a velvet lining in Colorado's structure, eh?

[5280]

[QUOTE=zipyaj;52374]Who, how and why did Ice Hockey get in, for example, are lessons to be learned. [QUOTE]

From my perspective, ice has "always" been sanctioned in Colorado. When I was in high school in the late 70's, it was sanctioned then. I don't know what newer sports have become sanctioned. I know that the sport-de-jour, lacrosse, has been sanctioned for at least 35 years. Looking at CHSAA's website, they only list 18 sports, and I'm guessing "spirit" is the newest one.

[zipyaj]

Back to the future....
on 03-05-2005, Richard Graham started an on-going and worthwhile thread that has repeatedly been referenced within various IHC forum topics time and time again... the significance of High School Roller/Inline Hockey onto the growth of our sport can not be understated!

I encourage you to re-visit this thread and collaborate with your questions and old and new thoughts about the great importance of this segment of our sport.

Thanks!

[zipyaj]

High school roller hockey news from San Diego... An interesting article about young Adam Durkee, a Nederland, Colo ice hockey transplant who plays on the varsity roller hockey squad for the Westview Wolverines that competes in the North County League.

Read more:
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stori...o-t/?uniontrib

Keep those releases and letters to the Editors rolling when it comes to news about your high school teams!

Happy Holidays!

[zipyaj]

Sharing an article about a New Rink and High School Roller Hockey in Ann Arbor, MI... still growing and going, even in the Winter!

2 teams readying for roller hockey
Friday, January 16, 2009

It took longer than expected, but the Hartland and Howell in-line hockey teams began practicing for the varsity winter season this week. The Hartland Eagles and Howel Highlanders have been patiently waiting for their new home, Total Roller Hockey, across from the Rock Financial Showplace at 46039 Grand River Ave. in Novi, to be completed.

Read the full story: http://www.mlive.com/news/annarborne...070.xml&coll=2

[ArapNumbah11]

I am currently a player in the Colorado High School Inline Hockey Association. You mentioned Eddie Delgado in your post and he is such a helpful person, if anyone needs any help or information regarding how to form and mantain a succesful program he's a good guy to go to.

[zipyaj]

I am currently a player in the Colorado High School Inline Hockey Association. You mentioned Eddie Delgado in your post and he is such a helpful person, if anyone needs any help or information regarding how to form and mantain a succesful program he's a good guy to go to.

ArapNumbah11;

You're absolutely right! I just spent two days with Eddie and other AAU High School Directors from across the country in Las Vegas at the Let's Play Hockey Expo. Eddie is both well-versed and dedicated to building youth hockey throughout your great state.

Look for more new and exciting developments in Colorado High School Roller Hockey and beyond!

Best!

[NickCip44]

I think that Upper middle class area's are the ones where hockey thrives as it is expensive.