Sabres March Newsletter

Volume 9 Volume 7 | March 2021

SABRES SPRING REGISTRATION CLOSING SOON

Exciting things ahead for spring!! The deadline for Sabres spring registration is this Sunday, March 14th for the 8U-14U and Girls Programs. The Midget program does not have spring evaluations, all players are accepted upon registration and the program will begin the week of April 5th. We recently added off ice for our 14U players. Practice days/times and updated coaching list can all be found on our website.

Spring Practice Days/Times - Except for the Mite and Girls levels which will remain fixed, the other levels will alternate slots each week. One week your level will have the first hour and the following week you will skate the second hour. These schedules will be available to subscribe to following evaluations. Schedules are subject to minor changes on certain weeks due to other rink commitments. Check our website regularly for updates.

SABRES END OF SEASON SURVEY

All registered skaters should have received an email with a survey link. This has been a roller coaster ride of a season, however, we still want to hear from you. If you didn't not receive an email with a survey link, please email Angi Paravola at aparavola@sabrehockey.com. Please include your skaters team. All surveys are due next Wednesday, March 17th.

CONGRATS SABRE SENIORS

Bleacher Seats by K. Kiecker

Ask any parent, and they can vividly recall how they felt when they planted themselves on those cold bleacher seats to take in the 'firsts.' We may not have known it, but we were embarking on a journey that would define a decade and help shape these young athletes. We discovered along the way that 'family' grew to include a team of players. Nothing like hockey families! As time moved along and we earned the badge of veteran parent and player, the rinks seemed frigid, and those coveted bleacher seats seemed harder and colder than they did at the beginning...until now.

For the graduating class of 2021, hockey took on a whole new meaning. The uncertainty of their final season was real. Unless you're a player, it's hard to understand the effects of that void on an athlete fully. With so many of the ceremonial transitions already sacrificed to the pandemic, the prospect of not having a hockey season was a tipping point. The tribulation, however, exposed a renewed and passionate appreciation for the beloved sport. As parents, we'd give and do anything to sit on those cold, hard bleacher seats. And we did!

Through their tireless efforts, our Coaches and staff constructed an alternative to the regular season. ...We've had so many memorable moments not because of what wasn't, but because of what was! We had once-in-a-lifetime opportunities playing in Florida and Texas, getting caught in the worst winter Dallas has ever seen. We traveled to Iowa to play, and we weren't allowed to play in Minnesota. We registered for events only to have them canceled due to COVID. Adhering to rink protocols, our players dressed in parking lots. They wore their masks and followed the restrictions proving they'd go to any lengths to play.

To skate was a blessing, and knowing that it could always be the 'last' creates a beauty that only endings can facilitate. The players have been resilient, determined, and courageous. The focus was on playing and not lamenting the realities of not having a regular season. They played with tenacity and heart, and as the season drew to a close, the years of dedication flashed like still photos in their minds, and the certainty of knowing that if they could do it all again, they would! It's been our privilege watching you play! Congratulations to the graduating class of 2021; C.J Cirko, Christopher DeConcillis, Ithan DeLorenzo, Liam Gritsuk, Cole Hoekstra, Will Kanzler, Will Kiecker, Mason McCauley, Michael McCormick Angus Nemeth, Ryan Vanacek, Gino Viscomi and Teegan Mathey!

SABRE MARCH RAFFLE

LIVEBARN ON AT ROCKET

LiveBarn will be on for games this weekend at Rocket Ice.

SABRE SPOTLIGHT

Coach Jack Wood is our Sabre coach in the spotlight this month.

My favorite food is Sushi or BBQ during Ribfest! For vacation my family has always loved the different Caribbean Islands, I actually got engaged in the Caymans.

Becoming interested in hockey is because of my cousin who is 5 years older than me and was an outstanding player in the Buffalo area, where my dad is from. He forced me to play with him in the driveway and I fell in love with it.

Something not many people know about coach Jack is that Hockey is how he met his wife, and that was through helping Coach Cheli many years ago at Robert Morris (now Roosevelt). She also used to coach with the Sabres Girls program and Team Illinois.

The goals for the spring is first and foremost make sure that everyone that wants to play has a spot here at the Sabres. The club has always held pride in making sure that everyone who wants to be a Sabre has a place to play. From there it is to elevate portions of the players' game that can get lost in the shuffle when game strategy starts to take precedent in practice, to keep our players well rounded.

TONY'S TIPS

Tip #36 Communication With Your Coach

Hello Goalies!

I hope everyone has enjoyed their season. I know it was far from normal regarding the circumstances but WE ALL MADE IT THROUGH! I would like to focus on the importance of communication and feedback between a goalie and their coach. Many goalies can feel intimidated or shy when they speak with their Head Coach. I used to be very respectful and quiet whenever I was around my coach. I understood that he was ultimately in charge of my ice time and how much I got to play and that was intimidating. I didn’t want to say or do anything wrong that affected his opinion of me in a negative way.

Ultimately, we have to understand that our coach is there to look out for our best interest. He might get mad and yell at you or tell you something that doesn’t make you happy but in the end you always have to remember that he wants the best for you. If you have a tough coach that yells a lot then you are going to have to build mental toughness. That starts by telling yourself “He or She does care and only wants the best for me.” So always remember that they care. There are a few things that we should always ask during the end of the year. Feedback is important from your coach. It can help give you guidance in your development and give you an idea of what to work on and focus on during the off season.

Having trouble with figuring out what to ask first? Ask about your performance. “Coach, how do you think I played this year? Was there anything that you seen I need to work on to get better for next year? How was I as a teammate? At what point did I play my best during the year? At what point did I have a slump?” These are all questions that need to be asked. It's important to start doing this at a young age. It will help teach you how to communicate about yourself and reflect on what you have done over the course of the season.

Remember that not all feedback is positive and the truth sometimes hurts. It’s only until you begin to understand that nothing is perfect in life and things need work, you will begin to develop in more ways than you ever could imagine.

Coach Petrak

SABRES GIRLS PROGRAM

Sabre Girls Program by Carissa Baier

Despite the challenges that Covid presented this year, our coaches and managers worked tirelessly so they could turn this season into a memorable one for our girls. Our biggest news this month is our 14U Major team is advancing to Nationals!! We are excited to cheer our ladies on!

Our 16U/19U Sabre Girls were able to play over 45+ games this year in safe fashion. This includes tournament champions of both the National Girls Hockey League - North Carolina Showcase and the TCS Kansas City Showdown. Well done 16U/19U Sabre Girls and congratulations on a great season!

This past month our 14U Major team came home as Champs from the South Bend Cup while our 14U Minor and 12U teams both came home with second place finishes. All our girls had a ton of fun along the way and created new team friendships and grew existing ones.

Thank you to our coaches and managers for the hours you have poured into our girls this season. And thank you to all of team parents for being so flexible in order to keep our girls on the ice.

We hope to see you at the rink this spring!

COACHES CORNER

Coaches Corner: End of the Season

Congratulations to all players, coaches, and parents in yet another successful season of youth hockey. Yes, it is a different season, but a fun one to say the least. As the season ends it is important to realize, reflect, and celebrate all of your accomplishments and successes.

Hockey is a game of development both on and off the ice and it truly is amazing to see how far skaters have come along this season.

It is also fun to look back at your time thus far as a Sabre over the seasons. My son is a 13 year old and we have played with the Sabres for more years then I can count. It is amazing to see the player he has become as well as all of the other players that he has played with over the years.

As a parent and coach I remember when my sons were a younger age and they first learning to skate and handle the puck. Even though it was years ago it still feels like yesterday that they were that that age. Enjoy your time as a player, parent, coach, and as the seasons do go by too quick sometimes. Facebook is great in this way as posts from years past show up to remind us of the times we have spent on the ice with family and friends.

Cherish your time as hockey is a great sports and this is a fun time to be with our skaters in their lives. Do take time to remember, reflect, and appreciate all that happened this season and over all the past seasons. Enjoy this spring and we will see you back on the ice soon!

NOTE: A huge thank you to Coach and Board Member, Mike McGinnis for his many months of Coaches Corner. This is his last issue and we all appreciate him sharing his words of wisdom over the years. Thanks Coach!!!

STEEL EVENTS

Read With Rusty (spring session) is our signature reading program designed for kids 14 years old and under. As participants reach their reading goals over the 4-week timeframe from Friday, March 12 to Thursday, April 8, participants will receive a ticket to a future Chicago Steel game and an exclusive Read With Rusty button. Join the Steel for a virtual reading session on April 7 at 6 p.m.

The Steel will be hosting a Drive Thru Teddy Bear Toss presented by Geneva Family Dental on Sunday, March 28 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Fox Valley Ice Arena. Join Steel mascot Rusty, the Easter Bunny, and Sparkle from Geneva Family Dental for our re-imagined Teddy Bear Toss benefiting local charities.