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Ann Arbor 8U Jamboree Proves Successful

By Carl Chimenti - Special to USAHockey.com, 04/06/15, 10:15AM MDT

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More than 200 players participate in inaugural event

The Ann Arbor Amateur Hockey Association began hosting a small monthly jamboree for 8U players last October.

In January, Steve Armstrong, the AAAHA’s 8U coach and coordinator, had an idea for something bigger.

The result was the Mite-y Jamboree in Ann Arbor in late March.

“I thought it would be a good idea to put the kids back on the ice one more time following the end of the winter hockey season,” said Armstrong, who was assisted by former AAAHA executive director Jeremy Lewis. “So I sent out emails to all the coaches I knew and have been associated with to see what kind response I would receive, and it was overwhelming.”

In total, more than 200 8U players from 22 teams encompassing nine different hockey associations participated. One came from as far away as Findlay, Ohio.

“We were very surprised at the number of teams that wanted to participate,” said Peggy Costello, who took over as AAAHA executive director after Lewis began working with the Trenton Hockey Association. “There were well over 20 teams, and for the first one we decided it was best to cap the amount of teams at 20. We’re already thinking of expanding the total for the next one, although nothing has been decided.”

Two rinks were used to stage the event, and each ice pad was staged per the USA Hockey American Development Model standards for 8U players, with rink cushions dividing both sheets into three cross-ice rinks.

Mike and Gabriella Bennie, from Milan, Michigan, were all smiles as they watched their son David on the ice.

“This is a wonderful event, and David was so excited to get back on the ice after finishing his season two weeks ago,” Gabriella said. “This is fun, and it’s nice to see all the kids having a good time.”

The Bennie parents both agreed that bringing out the skates one last time this season was a good way to end the year.

“This is David’s first year playing hockey, and he will be moving to the squirt level, so the extra playing time is beneficial,” Mike said. “He was looking forward to this.”

Each team played five games during the one-day event that started late in the morning and ran for more than two hours. Each game was 18 minutes long, and the kids played a four-on-four format.

The on-ice shifts were kept at one minute, and clock managers were utilized to blow the horn at the end of a shift. As the kids left the ice, two more groups replaced them. There was also a two-minute break between games to get the players on and off the ice.

Each association was assigned a locker room based on the number of players on the team. Every team was required to provide an on-ice coach who was also a referee during the games and assisted by opening the doors for the players as they stepped in to begin their shift or left the ice after their 60-second ice limit.

Two more jamborees are already planned for next fall.

Joe Lewis Arena, home of the Detroit Red Wings, will host the September event. The city of Trenton, Michigan, will host an event in October at the Kennedy Center.

Although the first Mite-y Jamboree proved to be a great success, Armstrong has no plans to rest on his laurels. Soon after the event, he was already asking parents for feedback to make the next event even better.

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.

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