Florida Ice Hockey

The Florida Eels Travel Ice Hockey Teams Announce Tryout Dates for the 2010-2011 season.

The Florida Eels are very excited about the prospects of having 5 travel teams in the fall 2010. All of the teams will be playing in the FAHL. At tryouts, we will determine whether the teams will play AA or A. It is the policy of the Florida Eels organization that the level of the team should be decided when we evaluate the talent of the players at tryouts rather than arbitrarily designate AA or A.  The Eels teams will be having 3 practices per week for all of the player.  Also 2-3 hours of fitness and off-ice training as well.  In order to

give each player and team the most out of their season.

The league provides a 20 game schedule.  The Eels do not mandate that teams participate in extra tournaments but do strongly encourage that the teams partake in 1-3 Florida Tournaments. Since tournaments are optional these fees are not included.

Tryout includes off-ice strength and conditioning evaluations and on-ice competition. Cost for the tryout weekend will be $100.00 for the primary tryout and $20.00 for each additional tryout weekend.

Florida Eels Ice Hockey

Tryout dates and times are as follows:

May 13th Thursday 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm Squirts and Peewees

May 15th Saturday 3:;0pm – 4:30 pm Bantams

May 15th Saturday 4:30 – 6:00pm Midgets

May 16th Sunday 9:00 AM – 10:00 am Mites and Squirts

May 16th Sunday 10:00 am – 11:00 am Peewees

May 22nd Saturday 3:00pm – 4:30 pm Bantams

May 22nd Saturday 4:30 pm – 6:00pm Midgets

May 23rd Sunday 9:00 am – 10:00 am Mites

May 23rd Sunday 10:00 am – 11:30 am Squirts

May 23rd Sunday 11:30 am – 1:00pm Peewees

For more information, please contact Florida Eels GM and Coach, Frank Scarpaci at 941-400-9023 or at scarpacif@aol.com

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Off Ice Training Program

This is a Free download for everyone, so take advantage of it now.  You need to be strong on the ice and you can get that way by training off the ice first. You can also check out this link to see some different Off Ice Training Products that might just help you get your Ice Hockey Game going faster, stronger, and longer.

Off Ice Training Products

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The Florida Eels Bantam AA team competed in the Big Bear MLK Tournament this past weekend in Brandon FL.  The composition was very strong and all of the team seemed to be tough.  The Eels played their first game against the Brandon Bulls on Saturday in the morning.  The game ended with a score of 5-2 with the win going to the Bulls.  Trey Dougherty got both of the goals for the Eels with and assist on the second goal coming from Joey Colatarci.  It the second game of the tournament the Eels faced the Jr. Trashers where the Bantams came out hard and ready to play. They got the win, 4-3 from 4 different players.  Bill Carmelia, Jordan Court, Joey Colatarci, and Trey Dougherty.  The assists came from Marlin Schmidt, and Bill Carmelia.

The Sunday game brought the Jacksonville Barracudas and the Florida Eels together and the score ended in a 1-1 tie.  Sean Kopper got the only goal for the Eels and the assist went to Trey Dougherty.  This keep the team worried that they would have to settle for playing in the consolation game for 3rd or 4th place.  But later that Sunday night the Trashers and the Barracudas would have to play and the final score put the Trashers on top with the win giving the Eels just enough points to face the Brandon Bulls once again, but this time in the Championship game.  This was a great game that the Eels had.  The 1st period ended 0-0.  2nd period ended with the Bulls in a 1-0 lead.  In the 3rd period Bill Carmelia found the back of the net to make the score 1-1.  With just about half of the final period left the bulls took the lead again and very late in the game put one more in on us to take the championship 3-1.

The tournament officials recognized Brian Hotaling as the Tournament MVP in goal.  The team did have a good weekend and they did play hard.

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The Florida Eels Ice Hockey Team, Bantam AA, Is holding its big Raffle of the season.  With over 20 prizes that will be raffled off on Febuary 14th 2010.  The Bantam AA team will be around the Fort Myer Skatium allmost every day of the week untill Valentines day with raffle tickets for you if you wish to get some. 

The tickets are selling for $2.00 each or you can get 3 for $5.00. 

 If you are not at the rink and wish to get some tickets you can get ahold of me by email at BlaineSword@gmail.com and put Valentines Raffle in the subject line and let me know how to get ahold of you.  I have placed the list of items at the bottom of this post so you can see what we have to raffle off.  You don’t have to be present to win but I will need to get you your half of the ticket.

Grand Price – Round of golf for 4 guests ( applicable cart fees included) (a value of $600)
Sponsored by: Worthington Community Renaissance, Ft. Myers

Florida Elite Hockey Summer Camp with Coach Frank Scarpaci  –  2 x 1 week value each week of $ 375
Sponsored by F. Scarpaci

Patricia D./ Brenda R. Grider/ Judys Nails  – Hair, Pedicure, Massage – Gift Certificate $ 135

Sanibel Day Spa – Gift Certificate Pedicure/Manicure Value $ 105

Charles of the Village Saloon and Dayspa 2 Haircuts/ 1 Massage

Eco Tours Sanibel – Gift Certificate 2 P. $ 60

Ruth Messmer Florist – Gift Certificate $ 50

Joe s Crabjack – Gift Certificate $ 25 and T-Shirt

Zumba – Gift Certificate 4 x

Heart n Home Country Cape Coral – Candle

Pete s Philly Steak – Gift Certificate $ 10

Merrick Seafood – Gift Certificate $ 10

Every Detail – Gift Certificate Car Detail Cleaning (Wash,  Wax, Tires, Vacuum, Windows, and Armour-All) $85 .00 Value

Cheeseburger Paradise – Gift Certificate 2 x $ 25

Dinner Bell Café – Gift Certificate $ 10

Sports Authority – Gift Certificate $ 10

Starbucks – Gift Certificate $ 10

Target – Gift Certificate $ 10

City Tavern – Gift Certificate $ 20

Cape Crematory.com – 2 Tundra Wood Hockey Sticks/ 3 pair CCM Hockey Socks/ 1 Bobble Head Doll

City of Fort Myers – 10 Gift Certificates for a Free Public Skate Session

Sweetbay Supermarket – Gift Certificate $ 15

Blockbuster – Gift Certificate 2 x $ 10

The Florida Eels Squirt team headed off to Huntsville Alabama in Dec. to take on some heavy competition.  After a hard fought weekend of great hockey games the Eels brought home 1st place.  With getting 1st place in the Regional Silver Sticks Tournament they get the shoot to travel all the way to Sarnia Ontario in Canada on Jan. 15-17.  This team has been training hard and they are confident.  The News-Press just put out a nice article on the Eels Squirt team and you can read it right here:

When players aren’t practicing at the Fort Myers Skatium or traveling to tournaments around the state, their parents are
taking turns playing host each night.
“There are always sleepovers,” said Eels coach Craig Niland. “It’s one big hockey family.”
That familiarity has created a cohesive unit that has gone from losing games by double digits in recent years to
winning the Huntsville (Ala.) Silver Stick Regional Tournament last month.
In that tournament, the 10-under squad beat teams from all over the Southeast to qualify for the Silver Stick
International Tournament in Sarnia, Ontario, on Jan. 15-17.
“These kids went crazy,” Niland said. “They couldn’t believe it.”
The players and coaches credited that closeness as the overriding factor in their championship run.
“We’re used to playing together and we all know each other,” said defenseman James Rowe, 10.
All the time together creates a smoothly operating unit on the ice, with players quick to pick up each other’s
slack and watch each other’s backs.
“There’s no individual efforts on the team,” Niland said.
Even the post-tournament celebration in Huntsville involved more time together.
“Oh, yeah, we celebrated,” said Niland, who has two of his five children, Peyton and Stephanie, on the roster.
“With a long, 12-hour bus ride home.”
That wasn’t the only celebration, though. The parents got in on the act, too.
“One of the dads said, ‘If you guys win, we’ll jump in the pool,’ ” wing Asher Markowski, 9, said of the hotel
pool in the near-freezing temperatures in Huntsville. “And they all did.”
But the celebration is over, and it’s been back to work for the Eels. The team has been squeezing in extra
practice time every chance it can to get ready for the toughest competition it has seen yet.
“They’ll get the experience of knowing what to strive for if they want to compete at the highest level of hockey,”
said Craig Niland, who was an assistant coach when his oldest son, Marco, made the trip with another Eels team a
few years ago. “Everyone looks at Florida and thinks we’re weak at hockey.
“That’s starting to turn around.”
More will be at stake this time than a celebratory dunk in an icy pool. This time, the Eels will have beaten the
best in the world. The champion also gets its banner raised in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
“I think it’s going to be a lot of fun,” Markowski said. “We get to play a bunch of different teams.”
Either way, that long plane trip and five days in the same hotel should provide plenty of opportunities for the
Eels to drive each other crazy.
“That’s one thing that’ll never happen,” Rowe said. “We’ll never get tired of each other.“

We will all be cheering for our squirt team and hope they give it everything they have.  You can leave a comment here to show your support.

Go get the Eels and do your best.

Want to get the most out of your Skating and Stick Handling in your hockey game?  Skate Weights and Stick Weights are the way to go.  Use them when you are out for practice or even out for a stick and puck season.  The skate weights come in a verity of different sizes, shapes and weights and attach to your ice skates.  Get the endurance to last into the 3rd period and the speed and explosiveness to get past the defence and put the puck in the net. 

The power in ice skating along with the endurance to last the whole game can give you the edge you need over your competition.  Check out this link and see all of the great products that you can get to improve your hockey game and take it to the next level.  And always remember that if you can out skate them you have a better chance to beat them.

Imporve your Skating and Stick Handling

The Florida Eels have many great parents and coaches that give a lot of their time to help out the organization.  One parent and coach, Paul Carlson, has been have a tough time this year.  Paul was diagnosed with cancer a few years ago and after being laid off from his job as many people have been the Eels knew that some help and support should be giving to such a great family.  The Eels set out to have a fundraiser to raise some extra money for the Carlson’s just to help them pay some bills and to make this holiday season just a bit more enjoyable. 

The 21st of Novermber was the perfect day for a fundraiser at the Fort Myers Skatium. With 3 Bantam AA games, 2 Junior games and a College roller hockey tournament we knew that the building would be full of people that would love to help out a fellow hockey parent and coach.  With a bake sale, a raffle of close to 20 prizes, and a pasta lunch and dinner going on all day it could not have gone any better.  All of the parents and players that were there starting from 9:00 am that day gave in many different ways.   With all of the bake goods sold, raffle tickets, and dinners the Eels managed to raise a good amount of money so far for the Carlson family. And we are not done just yet.

The Florida Eels still have a few more events that we are planing to put together in the near future.  A car wash will be held soon, a special Public Skate this weekend on Saturday the 28th and the Fort Myers Skatium and a roller hockey event that will be announced very soon also at the Skatium. 

A very special THANK YOU to all of the volunteers who donated time to cook, those who bought the food to make,  who contributed money to the cause, who solicited restaurants  and local stores who contributed, those who ran around to pick up items, those at the bake sale, those who sold tickets, those who helped publicize the event to the media,  and those who simply came to eat.

You can check out the video I put together from a lot of pictures we had taken a few ago at a scrimage game against the Florida Everblades Midget U16 A team.  Not too bad but I will be making new ones as we get some video’s and more pictures taken this season.

Let me know what you think by leaving a comment.  Comments really help so read some of the other articles too and pass them on to others.

The Bantam AA Team split their home stand this weekend. The Bantam team defeated the Golden Wolves AA team on Saturday 4-2. With the goals coming from Garret Bulla, Jordan Court, Gyllian Smith, and Trey Dougherty.  Assists for the game were from Zackary Sword, Jordan Court, Billie Carmellia, Jonathan Carlson, and Alex Groeper. This was a good win as the Golden Wolves are always strong and it was nice to come up strong against their East Coast rivals.  The Eels meet up with the Golden Wolves again on the 7th of Nov. and we will see how the team does and let you know.

The Bantams lost to the Brandon Bulls earlier in the day.  The Bantams were nursing  several injuries that hampered their play. In the first period three of the eels players got beat-up pretty good.  William Roberge recived a big check into the boards that left him on the ice, and when the coaches checked him out they decided it would be best to call the ambulance  just to be safe.  William got checked out at the hospital and he is doing just fine. The boys kept playing hard and we are very proud of their work ethic.

Over all the weekend was not too bad and this left the Eels Bantam AA team with 2 wins and 2 losses so far this season. 12 goals for and 21 goals against

I just came across a great article  on  “How Young is Too Young for Serious Travel Hockey”  If you have a few minutes and you are a parent of a youth hockey player you should take the time to read it.  Also leave a comment and tell us what you think.  I have been a hockey parent for the last 5 seasons and my outlook on where my son was going to where he could go have changed.  I really think that if he can push himself on the ice and more importantly in the class room, he just might be able to get himself into a good college someday.

Here is the link to the article and please let me know what you think on the topic in a comment.

How young is too young for serious travel hockey?

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