Stephanie Rees covers a puck in Lake Placid, N.Y.

After four Development Camps, four Festivals (yielding two Select Teams: Under-18s and Under-17s) and nearly 1,300 of the country's best teenaged hockey players, USA Hockey's 2004 Camps and Festivals season came to a close Aug. 6. Brittany Skudder, who scored 11 points in five games at the Girls' Select 14 Camp, was this summer's most prolific scorer, followed by Patrick Gaul, who went 4-9-13 in six Boys' Select 14 Camp games.

>>> CAMPS/FESTIVALS COVERAGE

	The IAHA numbers about 450 youth players.

The IAHA is a non-profit sports program that services children from the greater Indianapolis metropolitan area and surrounding communities. It used to be called the Junior Ice. But when the local CHL team moved out of town and was replaced by a USHL team (the Indiana Ice), owned by Carmel businessman Paul Skodt, it set off a chain of events that affected the 48-year-old youth hockey organization.

On the final day of USA Hockey's 2004 Annual Congress, host sites for the 2006 National Championships were announced. Among the featured locations is Rochester, N.Y., host of several Camps and Festivals this summer, including the Boys' Select 16 Festival from June 26-July 2 and the Boys' Select 14 Development Camp from July 17-23.

>>> 2005 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SITES

	The Tier I Jr. Bruins rolled in Marquette, Mich.

On April 4, 12 teams won USA Hockey National Championship titles, bringing to 15 the number awarded in divisions ranging from boys Tier II 12-and-Under to three women's Senior events. It was a weekend full of hockey, and you'll find features, game recaps, comprehensive stats and standings within our complete 2004 Nationals coverage. Check out how the players from your area fared and which teams showed promise for next season.

Dates and locations for the 2004 Select Camps and Festivals are now available online. Check back here for more information on each site as it becomes available.

>>> 2004 CAMPS & FESTIVALS INFO

	Most don't know a Hanson is in the house.

Almost as soon as the Hanson Brothers hit the silver screen in Slap Shot, the film's cinematic screwball siblings became part of hockey lore. Since then, the trio has been giving back to hockey by entertaining fans at more events than they can count. Hanson, however, has taken it a step further. As the GM of a multi-sport complex near Pittsburgh, he's responsible for the hockey welfare of hundreds of area kids, from youth players to a recently added NCAA D-I program.

	O'Ree played 45 games for the Boston Bruins.

The Ninth Annual Willie O'Ree All-Star Game went to a shootout on Feb. 29, with the East All-Stars prevailing, 4-3, over the West. The East's captain, Californian Nick Kukielka provided the shootout game-winner on his third goal of the game, while Santa Fe's Dustin Haraden also scored three in the game hosted by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. The 24 boys and girls, ages 11-13, who competed in the event, represented 19 of 32 NHL Diversity programs across the U.S. and Canada.

>>> EAST AND WEST ROSTER ANOUNCEMENT
>>> MORE O'REE ALL-STAR COVERAGE FROM NHL.COM

The mission statement for Minnesota Hockey refers to encouraging the standard of youth and amateur hockey in the Minnesota area. Organization president Dennis Green is dedicated to doing just that, " always looking for ways to improve," he says. With 161 associations and 12 districts, it's not an easy task, but Green does so by soliciting information from across the state.

Nearly 20 years ago, a team of Wisconsin high school all-star hockey players traveled to face their "peers" in neighboring Minnesota. The result was 15-goal loss. Through the years Wisconsin has been catching up, and last season the Badger State's all-stars won in Minnesota. Coincidentally, the man perhaps most responsible for Wisconsin's emergence, Mike Connor, was in the stands for that 15-goal drubbing.

On Sept. 4, 2003 the USA Hockey Board of Directors modified a rule mandating the use of a lightweight (4-4.5 oz.) blue puck. Effectively immediately, all players in 8-and-Under and younger age divisions are required to use the blue pucks. For players 10-and-Under, use of the blue puck is strongly recommended by the Board, but not required.

Recognizing that aggressive adult behavior is on the rise at young sporting events, USA Hockey and Hockey Canada have partnered to launch a series of public service announcements targeting parental behavior. Lampooning the overzealous, the TV, radio and print PSAs are clever, witty and designed to encourage parents to think to themselves, Relax, Its Just A Game."

>>> ARE YOU A GOOD HOCKEY PARENT?
>>> MASS. SUCCEEDS WITH PARENT CODE
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