USA Hockey Article About NPYHA
2010-01-15
By Mike Scandura Special to USAHockey.comIn retrospect, what the Nashua (N.H.) Panthers Youth Hockey Association (NPYHA) did in 2003 was a no-brainer.
“I believe what kept us going was starting the Select program in 2003,” said vice president Dan Mahoney, now in his eighth year with the association. “Dave Alves, who was the president then, teamed up with [former Pittsburgh Penguin Jeff Serowik, a native of Manchester, N.H.] and started the Select program. One reason was we wanted to keep the more skilled boys in town instead of their going to [other] teams. Not only did it enable us to keep more kids in town, but it also helped us draw more kids.
“It moved us up to a higher level in order to compete for national championships. Since then, we’ve had one team reach nationals, two go to the finals of our regional and this year we have our Midget minor team going to nationals.”
As a result, the NPYHA added 10 more teams: one Mite, two Squirt, two PeeWee, two Bantam and three Midget.
 |
|
The Nashua Panthers find a team for anyone who wants to play hockey.
|
But there’s more.
“Kids would try out and kids that made Select played Select,” Mahoney said. “The other kids would play in the Town Division.
“When you try out, a lot of organizations stop taking on players as soon as their rosters fill up. Our by-laws state if kids want to play hockey, we find a place for them to play. We don’t turn any kids away.”
The Town Division is comprised of 11 teams: Mite 1 and 2; Squirt 1, 2 and 3; Pee Wee 1 and 2; Bantam 1, 2 and 3; and Midget 1.
“The number represents where kids are placed after evaluations,” Mahoney said. “We want the kids playing at the right skill level so they have fun and aren’t overwhelmed.”
Add those 11 Town teams to the 10 in the Select program and the organization is comprised of 21 teams involving approximately 320 players.
The Town teams play in the Granite State League and the Dual State Valley Hockey League in Massachusetts. The Selects play in the Granite State League and the New England Hockey League.
“In the Granite State League there are five different tiers,” Mahoney said. “Again, it’s about getting kids to play at the right skill level.”
In addition, the NPYHA offers a player development program plus a goalie development program for goalies at all levels.
“We hire [Serowik’s Pro Ambitions Hockey] to teach the skill sessions,” Mahoney said. “And Mike Geragosian, who’s the goalie coach at Boston University for the men’s team holds weekly goaltending clinics for our teams.”
Serowik also helps the NPYHA in another way.
“He runs a program called ‘Sports Save Souls,’” Mahoney said. “He raises money to help parents who can’t afford to have their kids play hockey.”
All players in the NPYHA also benefit from the organization’s bill of rights, which are as follows:
* They shall have the opportunity to participate in sports regardless of ability level.
* They shall have the right to participate at a level that’s commensurate with each child’s developmental level.
* They shall have to right to qualified adult leadership.
* They shall have to right to participate in safe, healthy environments.
* They shall have the right to share in the leadership and decision making of their sport participation.
* They shave have the right to play as a child and not as an adult.
* They shall have the right to proper preparation for participation in the sport.
* They shall have the right to equal opportunity to strive for success.
* They shall have the right to be treated with dignity by all involved.
* They shall have the right to have fun through sport.
Perhaps an indication of how high the esteem in which the NPYHA is held was evident last June when the organization was selected for the 2009 Best of Nashua Award in the Hockey Clubs category by the United States Commerce Association.
The USCA’s criteria is based on “quality and not quantity.”
It also “identifies organizations that they believe have achieved exceptional success in their local community and business category.”
“As far as we know, we’ve never heard of another youth hockey association that’s received this award,” Mahoney said. “Obviously, we were very pleased.”
Link to Story at USA Hockey
