Volume 3 Issue 2 | September 2020
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KEVIN BOLGER TAKES HELM AS AHAI PRESIDENT
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We are pleased to announce that Kevin Bolger will serve as President of the Amateur Hockey Association of Illinois, Inc. Kevin’s vast experience in the Illinois hockey community will serve our membership well during these unique and trying times.
Kevin began coaching in the House League at Winnetka 27 years ago. He progressed through the Winnetka Program serving on the Board of Directors as Wishbone Tournament Director, Director of Development, Legal Consultant, Director of Personnel, Coaches Selection Committee, All Star Committee, Vice President and President.
From 2004 to 2011 he served on the Loyola Academy Hockey Board holding positions as Registrar, Chairman of R&E, Coaches Selections Committee and Secretary. In 2003 Kevin was appointed to the AHAI Board of Directors to fill the vacancy of Sarah Teuting.
Prior to taking the helm as President, Kevin most recently served AHAI as Vice President of Hockey Operations and Chairman of the Suspension & Review Committee. Kevin has also served on the Tier II, Showcase, Screening and Appeals Committees.
Additionally, Kevin’s experience as a Criminal Defense Attorney, former Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney and Chicago Police Officer provides him with the broad experience necessary to fulfill the role of AHAI President and achieve the goals of Illinois Hockey.
Kevin was inducted into the Illinois Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018 for his myriad contributions and exceptional dedication to hockey in Illinois.
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“There are many ways we can improve this great game and grow our sport in the coming years. I look forward to serving the Illinois hockey community and representing your interests in the State of Illinois.” – Kevin Bolger, AHAI President
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FORMAN'S VARSITY SPOTLIGHTS
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Never Daunted, Warren Township’s Izzy Solano Continues to Battle Forward
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Isabella “Izzy” Solano is a fighter, a right-handed shooting junior forward for the co-op Warren Township girls’ team. But the battles she faces on the ice, especially with less than four years of skating experience, pale in comparison to those she’s fought – and won – off the ice.
Solano was born January 1, 2004, almost four months early (at 26 weeks), and weighed 2.6 pounds. She stayed in the NICU at Evanston Hospital, in an incubator, for three months. In addition:
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- She endured several hours of physical therapy weekly for the first three years of her life.
- She was diagnosed with a learning disability at age 7, and later was enrolled in ballet, tap dancing, jazz, Tae Kwon Do and horseback riding to help with her learning disability.
- She was diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome at age 10.
- She had severe asthma when she was younger, but it has gotten better in her teens.
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Barrington Foursome Means Business, On and Off the Ice
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Their on-ice friendship drives their off-ice passion. Or, maybe the other way around. Four Barrington seniors – Landon Marcinek, Carter Andreae, Patrick Gull and Quinn Rowley – are key parts of the Broncos’ drive to return to the glory that the team had last season. They also are budding businessmen. These four can talk slapshots and hip checks or hooking into muskies and selling merchandise. Let’s start on the ice. Barrington had one of its best seasons ever in 2019-2020, two wins away from the school’s first-ever state championship. They finished 15-11-0-0-1 in the Scholastic Hockey League.
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Ty Nagy Will Do ‘Whatever It Takes’ to Push BG/H/W Among Combined Division Elite
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Ty Nagy isn’t feeling pressure for this, his senior season on defense for the BG/H/W Stampede. The perennial Combined Division state power had a fun 2019-2020 season, was successful in several tournaments, but didn’t go as deep in the state tournament as they hoped, Nagy said.
BG/H/W earned the No. 7 seed in the 2020 Illinois High School Hockey State Tournament, but they lost their first game, 3-0, to No. 10 Lincoln Way. The Stampede have not forgotten the sorrow of that state loss.
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Neil Schultz, Cobras Hockey
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Neil Schultz is an aggressive, left-handed shooting defenseman for the co-op Cobras who enjoys puck pursuit in the corners and skating the puck up ice whenever he can. He savors the physical portion of hockey, plus the speed of the game.
“It isn’t like any other sport out there,” said Schultz, 15, who lives in Hickory Hills and is a sophomore at Amos Alonzo Stagg High School – with No. 12 emblazed on the back of his uniform.
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Celebrating an Unusual Year… Metro Girls High School League September Update
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By Pam Flores – The Metro Girls League is made up of both pure teams and combination teams that pull from several schools to form a team. They are all unique, but Lake Forest Academy (LFA) had an approach to forming its team that is genuinely like no other. And it is one that introduces brand new players to a sport they may have otherwise never experienced.
Lake Forest Academy is unique in that it has a lot of international students. Because the school requires students to participate in two sports throughout the year, Athletic and Hockey Director, Darrin Madeley leverages these factors to ensure the team is strong in numbers and encourages all students to give hockey a shot.
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Register for your FREE Baseline Test Today!
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The A Step aHead partners are excited to announce the 10th year of our program! We are proud of the work that has been done to educate our youth hockey community about sports safety and provide free baseline neurocognitive testing. We look forward to another 10 years of working to keep our athletes safe while they play the game they love. This year the free baseline testing will be offered through November 30, 2020.
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YOUTH SPORTS SAFETY QUESTIONNAIRE
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Are you a parent or coach of a youth athlete and live in Illinois? Please complete a brief and anonymous survey on various health and safety topics relevant to youth hockey players. Dr. Beth Pieroth (Rush University Medical Center) is developing a program to address safety issues in youth sports*.
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*Please click here for more information regarding the Youth Sports Safety Questionnaire.
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