Volume 9 Issue 4 | July 14, 2021
GEORGE HAYES: A CELEBRATION OF LIFE
You Are Invited to a Celebration of Life for George Hayes
George Hayes, a member of the Illinois Hockey Hall of Fame and the founder of the Illinois Suburban Hockey League, passed away in March of 2020. Due to COVID, George's friends and family were unable to celebrate his life in the way they wanted to in March.

With COVID restrictions now lifted, the family of George Hayes cordially invites the Illinois hockey community to attend a CELEBRATION of his life on Sunday, July 25, 2021, from 1:00pm to 4:00pm at the Villa Park VFW located at 39 E. St. Charles Road in Villa Park, IL.

Please plan on attending this wonderful event as we honor George and pay tribute to his 4 decades of service to the high school hockey community. Finger foods and soft drinks will be provided. Cash bar service will be available.
TIER II YOUTH & GIRLS SUBSTITUTE CHOICE INFORMATION
Tier II Girls Substitute Choice Application Process for 2021-22 Season
The Tier II Girls' substitute choice application process, 10U through 19U will begin on July 18, 2021.  All applications must be submitted online (please refer to the AHAI website at www.ahai.org). The Girls' Committee will have appeal hearings as deemed necessary for those denied a substitute choice. If denied, please email Anita Lichterman, AHAI Girls' Chair at girls@ahai2.orgDates for appeals hearing(s) will be sent to those denied a substitute choice. 

Please note: The Tier II Girls' choice substitution is separate from the Tier II Youth choice substitution. Please familiarize yourself with Article 17 - Girls/Women's of the AHAI Rules & RegulationsThe deadline for applying for a substitute choice is September 12, 2021.

Tier II Youth Substitute Choice Application Process for 2021-22 Season
The Tier II substitute choice application process, 10U through 16U/18U will begin on July 15, 2021. All applications will be submitted online. The Tier II Committee will have (3) three appeal hearings for those denied a substitute choice. The dates for the appeals are August 12, August 25, and September 9, 2021 at 6:30 p.m. (location is TBA). If denied, please email Gregg Chudacoff, AHAI Tier II Chairman, at gregg.chudacoff@ahai2.org. The deadline for applying for a substitute choice will be September 12, 2021.
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS SUMMER CAMPS
2021 Blackhawks Summer Hockey Camps
Camps are at Fifth Third Arena from July 26-30th. Camp is open to Boys and Girls ages 6-13. Campers will have (2) on-ice sessions per day and off-ice training will be provided in partnership with Goodman Elite. Come join us for a week of fun this summer! Click button below to register.
COACHING NEWS & INFORMATION
Coaching Education Program (CEP) Clinics Are Filling Quickly!
Attention Coaches: CEP Clinics are being posted and are filling up extremely fast. Be sure to check the USA Hockey website, under the Coaches Tab, for available clinics. Because the clinics are virtual, you may register for any clinic listed regardless of location. AHAI will be posting more clinics for October and November soon. All the Level 4 clinics we have scheduled are full. Currently, the Level 1 Clinic on August 24 & August 26 has open seats as does the Level 2 Clinic on August 30 & September 1.
 
If you have any issues finding a clinic to attend, reach out to Jim Clare, AHAI Coach-in-Chief at jim.clare@ahai2.org and he will assist you. Again, due to the circumstances of this past year, clinics are filling up extremely fast. Do not get caught short in December by not renewing your certification soon enough. Please note: to register for a CEP Clinic, you must first renew your USA Hockey membership.
Important Information for Coaches with COVID Temporary Cards
Due to the extenuating circumstances that COVID produced this past season, USA Hockey allowed coaches to either participate in online coaching clinics to certify at their next coaching clinic level or apply for a temporary card to coach. As of now, any coach that received a temporary coaching card - in other words, did not attend a clinic for their next level, but opted for the temporary card - needs to be aware that those temporary card designations have been removed from the system.

This means that a coach will need to attend a coaching clinic in order to be eligible to coach this season. For example, if you were a Level 1 coach in 2019-20 and in the 2020-21 season you did not attend a virtual clinic but rather received a temporary card for your Level 2 in order to coach, it is no longer valid. You will have to attend a Level 2 clinic to be roster eligible. The same applies to a Level 2 coach; they must now get their Level 3 certification and Level 3 coaches must get their Level 4. READ MORE>>
2021 USA Hockey Level 5 Coaches Symposium
The Level 5 Coaches Symposium will return to the State of Hockey when coaches from around the country come together in Duluth, Minn., in search of USA Hockey's highest certification. The highlight of the USA Hockey coaching calendar, the Level 5 Coaches Symposium will take place August 19-22 at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center and is available to all Level 4 registered coaches. The topics presented will deal with all aspects of the game of hockey. Please click here for Level 5 FAQs or click here for registration.
2021-2025 USA HOCKEY PLAYING RULE CHANGES
The 2021-25 USA Hockey Playing Rule change process was concluded on June 12, 2021 during the Board of Directors Meeting at Annual Congress. Click here to find a summary of all accepted rule changes, in addition to updates to the USA Hockey Points of Emphasis and Standard of Play, and an explanation of the new Standardization of Discipline regarding Match Penalties. The 2021-25 USA Hockey Playing Rules will take effect starting September 1, 2021.
IHOA NEWS & INFORMATION
IHOA Announces 2021-22 Officiating Seminar Schedule
Please note the following information. USA Hockey has various requirements for each certification level. Please visit the USA Hockey website for more information. To be completely registered, you must meet both IHOA and USA Hockey requirements. The minimum age for IHOA membership is 14 years of age as of December 31 of the current year. Officials under 14 before December 31 must work their first game with a mentor; information will be available at their seminar.

All Level 1 officials under the age of 18 by July 1 of the current year will be required to have a parent or guardian attend a short session at the beginning of their seminar. This meeting will outline how to become an official, how to get games, what to do if you have a problem with fans, and the responsibilities of the on-ice official. You must first be registered with USA Hockey as an official before you may register with IHOA.

If you have any other questions about seminars, that are not found on the IHOA FAQs page, or the registration process (name changes, registration account mistake, etc.) please contact Dave Zednik, IHOA Registrar, at registrar@ihoa.com.



ATTENTION AFFILIATE CLUB PRESIDENTS:
You are encouraged to reach out to have an IHOA representative speak at your Affiliate club, team, player, parent and/or coach meetings. Please click button above to schedule a club visit today!
Ask the Official by Dave Zednik
QUESTION: Can a player lift the opponent's stick without being penalized under the Standard of Play guidelines? ANSWER>>

QUESTION: The first principle of the Standard of Play is "the use of the stick will be limited to only playing the puck." Does this mean that any time a player uses their stick to contact the opponent, a penalty must be called? ANSWER>> 
ILLINOIS PLAYERS IN THE NEWS
Twenty-Seven Players Invited to USWNT Residency Program; Includes Illinois' Cavallini, Bozek, Harmon, Coyne Schofield, Compher & Murphy
By USA Hockey - USA Hockey has announced the 27 players invited to be part of the 2021-22 U.S. Women's National Team Residency Program that will commence in October at the Super Rink in Blaine, Minn., in preparation for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games. The invitees include Illinois' Alex Cavallini (Chicago Mission/Delafield, WI), Megan Bozek (Buffalo Grove), Savannah Harmon (Downers Grove), Jesse Compher (Northbrook), Kendall Coyne Schofield (Palos Heights) and Abbey Murphy (Evergreen Park). READ MORE>>
USA Hockey Announces 2021 U.S. Under-18 Men's Select Team; Roster Includes Illinois' Szyszka, Ali & DeAngelo
By USA Hockey - Twenty-three players who participated in the USA Hockey BioSteel Boys Select 17 Player Development Camp have been selected for the 2021 U.S. Under-18 Men's Select Team that will compete Aug. 2-7 at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Breclav, Czech Republic, and Piestany, Slovakia. The roster includes Illinois' Lucas Szyszka (Westmont), Brennan Ali (Glencoe) and Mikey DeAngelo (Itasca). READ MORE>>
Girls 16/17 Players Selected For Under-18 Select Camp; Includes Illinois' Tatum Blacker
By USA Hockey - As the 2021 USA Hockey BioSteel Girls 16/17 Player Development Camp came to a close, it was announced that 13 players, including Illinois' Tatum Blacker (Libertyville), have been selected to advance to the Girls Under-18 Select Player Development Camp, set for July 16-22, at Herb Brooks Hockey Center in St. Cloud, Minnesota. READ MORE>>
U.S. Captures Sled Hockey Gold, Chicago Native Grabs Tournament MVP Honors
By Ross Forman - Team USA cruised past Canada on June 26 to capture the gold medal at the World Para Ice Hockey Championships, held in Ostrava, Czech Republic, marking the second consecutive and record-extending fifth overall world title.

The U.S. has now finished on the podium at the last nine World Championships dating back to 2004, and they will hold the No. 1 world ranking heading into the Beijing 2022 Winter Games as both the reigning Paralympic and world champions. READ MORE>>
Keane Cherishes 'A Dream Come True' - Playing in the NHL
By Ross Forman - The Chicago Wolves lost 3-1 to the host Grand Rapids Griffins on May 8th, but, after the loss, Joey Keane heard the news every hockey player dreams about. He was headed to the National Hockey League. The next day, Keane and his family drove from the Chicago area to Nashville, where he joined the Carolina Hurricanes for the team's last regular-season game - against the host Predators at Bridgestone Arena. "It was a great experience. I was grateful for the opportunity and thankful that my family was able to be there. It was awesome, a dream come true," said Keane, who turned 22 on July 2. READ MORE>>
USA Hockey Announces 2021 U.S. Under-17 Men's Select Team; Roster Includes Illinois' Strathmann, Burchill and Oliver
By USA Hockey - Twenty players who participated at the USA Hockey BioSteel Boys Select 16 Player Development Camp have been chosen for the 2021 U.S. Under-17 Men's Select Team that will compete Aug. 17-21 at the Under-17 Five Nations Tournament in Visp, Switzerland. The roster includes Illinois' Andrew Strathmann (Beach Park/CYA), Michael Burchill (Mundelein/Detroit Compuware), Dashel Oliver (Bloomington, IN/Chicago Mission). READ MORE>>
AHAI FOUNDATION GOLF OUTING
Mark Your Calendars! The 2021 AHAI Foundation Golf Outing Set for Friday, August 13
The AHAI Foundation Golf Outing is open to foursomes, individuals, youth golfers and non-golfers! The revenues generated from this event will be donated to Chicago Blackhawks Blind Hockey, Sled Hockey, Deaf Hockey, Chicago Blackhawks Special Hockey, Chicago Blackhawks Warriors, Hockey Is For Everyone, IHOA Memorial Fund and the AHAI Catastrophic Relief Fund for players who have been catastrophically injured.

We hope you can join us on Friday, August 13 at 10:30 a.m. at the Schaumburg Golf Club for this great annual event! Click buttons below for both the sponsorship and registration forms, as well as the official golf outing flyer. For more information, contact Don Allord at travelmore1017@aol.com.