Nearly 500 players from Mites to Midgets attended the Arizona Hockey Union Showcase that was hosted by the newly formed Arizona Hockey Union at Polar Ice Peoria and Polar Ice Chandler April 17-20. “It was a great development weekend for Arizona Hockey,” commented the GM & Head Coach of the Phoenix Polar Bears Junior A, Harry Mahood. “I have always believed that those who work or volunteer in hockey have a collective responsibility to promote and develop the sport.” “Certainly, initiatives like this one, in non traditional markets like ours will go along way to further grow the sport and inspire kids to continue to play the sport they have come to love,” added Mahood. “It has also been great to take the time to educate players and families on the path that leads to the NCAA.” “Players and families are still not fully aware that if a young player wants to play NCAA hockey in the future, they will most likely need to play Juniors,” explained Mahood. “Having the only Junior A team in Arizona gives us the additional responsibility to educate our Arizona players on the opportunity that exists in their home state.”

The Arizona Hockey Union has been formed to create a more vertical path for Arizona players playing within the competitive Travel Hockey organizations in Polar Ice, (Phoenix Jr. Polar Bears, Peoria Roadrunners, Arizona Heat) to work together cohesively to form competitive Tier teams and eventually elevate players to play for the Phoenix Polar Bears Junior A. “I have been working and developing players in Arizona for nearly 20 years and this is absolutely the most complete model we have ever seen in Arizona,” said newly appointed Polar Ice Gilbert Hockey Director and Head Coach of the U 18 Jr. A Prep Team, Kurt Goar. “Working with 500 Arizona players in 4 days was an amazing experience and one that will help grow the game and inspire kids,” added Goar.

With the establishment of the Arizona Hockey Union and the newly formed working relationship with the Omaha Lancers Tier 1 USHL program Polar Ice has created one of the most exciting vertical development models in all of hockey. “This is another great growth step for Arizona hockey,” stated Brad Berman of Polar Ice. “With the opening of Polar Ice Gilbert in late summer or early fall, the sport will experience another significant escalation in participation that will only help make the sport stronger in Arizona.” “We have some more exciting announcements in the next few days , so I would say we are just getting warmed up,” added an enthusiastic Berman.