Gateway Division Tryout Results

[Dave Garland]

The Gateway Division completed tryouts this past week. Next Friday (November 17th) is our draft party at 6:30 PM at Midwest Sport Hockey. The party features a live band, a casino night, appetizers, and drinks and of course the draft itself. It will be an amazing event that has taken a ton of coordination.
The talent in the Gateway Division is unbelievable. For example:
5 Players from Team USA Men's Team
5 Players from Team USA Junior Team
25 Players who have won the Collegiate National Championship (Division 1, 2, 3, and B)
Over 50 NARCh Platinum Gold Medals in all divisions ranging from Pro all the way to Bantam.
In addition, numerous NARCh platinum All Stars, State Wars Champions, State Wars Team America.

Which teams are our players from? Mission Empire Snipers (NY), Team Tour (MO), Tour Bandits (MO), St. Louis Blast (MO), Mission Pama Cyclones (CA), Silicon Valley Quakes (CA), Team Smoothie King (LA), Lindenwood University, Washington University, St. Charles County Community College, Meramac Community College, St. Louis University, University of Missouri-Rolla, University of Missouri-St. Louis, University of Missouri-Columbia, and numerous other high school, select, and traveling teams!

Which states do our players come from? Missouri, Illinois, California, New York, Louisiana, Florida,
As far as the crossover with ice hockey: Players have played for professional ice hockey teams (UHL), Collegiate Ice Hockey teamas (Division 1/3 NCAA), Junior A Ice Hockey (USHL/NAHL), and some were members of the Junior B National Champions.

The youngest player in the league is 16 (minors) ranging all the way up to 38 years old with most players falling into the 20-25 range.




David Garland
Director of Marketing and Public Relations
Pro Inline Hockey Association (PIHA)
Gateway Division [email protected]

[TheSnake22]

Dave, that looks awesome. Exactly what the league needs, having the best players all playing against each other. If the talent level keeps increasing at the rate it has been over the past couple of seasons, and there's good reason to believe it will, this league might grow in popularity faster than most of us thought possible. Make sure you post the draft results ASAP next weekend! I can't wait to see who goes where. Good luck with everything.

Snake

[ISFN]

How excatly is the draft going to be taking place, I've heard different rumors as to the teams are already set and this and that but I'm curious if thats the case how were the teams picked, if not then its going to be a "real" draft which sounds awesome .

[kicksave60]

That is great that STL is in the PIHA, just wished the schedule allowed us to play those teams, or just any team in the PIHA. Playing teams just in your division? Thought we would see the growl and minutemen atleast once, even maybe the grizz. The Lunatics play the fury and team from marple, and isn't that around philly? Driving to Boston is like driving to Richmond. 52 games and we play EVERYONE! just thinking out loud

[Dave Garland]

I'll make sure to post the draft results after the draft...the talent level is amazing. The only thing players know right now is whether they are 'pro' or 'minor' they do not know anything else.

If you want to see which players are playing in the league check out www.myspace.com/pihagateway. You can see the site even without a myspace account.

[ISFN]

Alright I was just cursious to see if the draft was a "real-live" draft which I'm assuming now its not, with the rosters already been decided?

Interested in the coaching staff as well, will this be released at the time of the "draft"?

[Dave Garland]

Coaching information will be released soon...lots of solid names on that list as well.

[growl89]

Some amazing talent coming out of the st louis area...

costanza, thompson, daleo, matteo, fudge and the list could go on forever...

this year will be the most competative year by far in the PIHA.... it's too bad we can't get the growl down there to st louis for some regular season games and see what they have to offer!!

[Dave Garland]

Hopefully we can get a team maybe to come up and play an exhibition game!

[ISFN]

How are they going to do play offs with all the new divisions? Will it just be a confrence playoffs then the winner goes to nationals against the rest of the confrence winners or whats the plan for this.

[missionhockey19]

what is this league all about and why havent i heard about this? sounds like something big in the making...and i might be interested...thanks

[GROWL]

As for the playoffs:

Four teams will make the playoffs from every division. Two rounds of playoffs will take place to determine a division winner, which will be sent to the two conference championships. I am not exactly sure how the eastern conf championship will be determined with three teams coming in. Obviously the winner of each conference championship will go to disney on memorial day weekend for the PIHA league championship series.

[growl89]

maybe all 5 of the division winners could go to disney and play a round robin type series with the top 2 teams playing for the final...

OR...

have the best eastern conference team ( determined by regular season record ) get a bye, and the other two teams play each other in disney, with the winner getting to play the top team in the eastern conference finals.

[Troho9]

Somebody wants to go to Disney pretty bad!

Relax Arizona is very soon. When you get a sec give me a ring.

[alex]

what is this league all about and why havent i heard about this? sounds like something big in the making...and i might be interested...thanks

PIHA has been basically an east coast pro league for like 5 years now. But they're starting to expand a lot. In 2006, they added a Colorado divison with 5 teams. And now for the upcoming 2007 season, they're adding a Midwest division (4 St. Louis teams, 1 in Cincinnati) and a Western Canada division with 6 teams based out of Alberta, Canada. Plus, they've still got the 15 teams in the east in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Jersey.
The next logical step is, hopefully, an expansion to the west coast soon, since that's where the base of NARCh/TORHS Pro players are.