La Jolla Jaguars Hockey Club - Blog

"Jaguars Around the World" - The Hockey Hall of Fame

2008-09-01T21:21:00.000-07:00

Is there any greater place in the world to visit for a hockey fan than the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto?!?!?!? And isn't it cool to visit the Cup when it is as tall as you are? For Erik, it was extra special since he has "real hockey roots" - his grandpa is a former winner of the Memorial Cup and he played in both the WHA, and in the NHL with the Philadelphia Flyers. How cool is that!!!

What can be said about the Cup? Lots! It was first donated by the former Governor General Of Canada Lord Stanley of Preston in 1892. It started out as a trophy for Canada's top-ranking amateur ice hockey club and was first won by the Montreal Hockey Club. The Cup stands 35.25 inches tall and weighs 34.5 lbs. The Montreal Canadiens, celebrating their 100 year anniversary this year, have won the cup a record 24 times. Henri "Pocket Rocket" Richard has won the most stanley cups - an amazing 11 times! So much to say, so little space to say it.

If you haven't done so already, check out the HHOF at www.hhof.com, especially the 3-D virtual tour of the Stanley Cup.

"Jaguars Around the World" - Vancouver, Canada

2008-09-01T20:34:00.001-07:00

The Richard Brothers (Aidan and Spencer) had a wonderful time in Langley, just outside of Vancouver. Vancouver is well known for lots of things. As an ethnically diverse community, 43% of Metro Vancouver residents have a first language other than English. Vancouver, to some, is known as Hollywood North since it is the third largest film production centre in North America after LA and NYC. And trees, British Columbia has lots and lots of trees. Some are as wide as trucks and have been around for upwards of 800 years. But for the sports fans, it is exciting that Vancouver is the next Olympic city. You can already feel the buzz throughout all of the lower mainland. The 2010 Winter Olympics are scheduled for 12 - 28 February 2010 throughout Vancouver and Whistler/Blackcomb. You can bet that we will be doing our best to try and get Olympic Hockey tickets.

Proud to be Jaguars!

"Jaguars Around the World" - Sydney, Australia

2008-08-31T17:05:00.000-07:00

I've taken the challenge (again) - my Jaguars Jersey has seen a lot of miles. Usually, when you think of Australia and Hockey, you would think of hockey played on a pitch with balls and a stick with an odd little hook. The nickname "Kookaburras" would also come to mind. But, as I came to find out, Australia also has a successful Ice Hockey Federation. Check it out at www.iha.org.au Here are a few quick hockey facts about Australia: the Men's National Team are ranked 33rd in the world; Australia has been a member of the IIHF since 1938; and Australia won Gold at the IIHF World Championships Div IIB (not bad for a country that has only 3,258 hockey players, including Men, Women and Juniors, and 21 rinks).

Proud to be a Jaguar! Coach Troy.

"Jaguars Around the World" - Lake Placid

2008-08-31T16:41:00.000-07:00

There is no better family vacation for a young hockey player in the USA than visiting the Olympic Center and the Home of the "Miracle On ice". I think that Drew would agree :)

The "Miracle on Ice" is the nickname given to a February 22 medal-round men's ice hockey game during the 1980 Olympic Winter Games, in which a team of amateur and collegiate players from the United States, led by coach Herb Brooks, defeated the Soviet Union, considered to be the best international hockey team in the world, 4-3. The U.S. went on to win the gold medal by beating Finland (4-2) in their final game. The Soviet Union took the silver by beating Sweden in their final game. Sweden received the bronze medal, and Finland finished 4th.

Of the 20 players on the U.S. team, 13 eventually played in the NHL. Five of them would go on to play over 500 NHL games (with Neil Broten being the most prominent, playing in 1,099 games over 17 seasons and being the first American to record 100 points in a season).

Why did they win? They impressed everyone with their physical, aggressive play. They worked as a team and never game up, regardless of which team they were playing. A good lesson for all of our Jaguars - worked hard as a team and you never know how far you will reach (it's also a good idea to have fun at the same time)!!!

Will you be watching the upcoming 2010 Winter Alympics in Vancouver, BC, Canada? Who do you think will win? Russia, Canada, Sweden, USA?!?!?!?

"Jaguars Around the World" - Budapest, Hungary

2008-07-04T16:38:00.000-07:00

I've taken the Challenge! This is me standing in front of the Chain Bridge (or Széchenyi lánchíd) in Budapest, Hungary. The Chain Bridge, with its guardian lion statues, spans the Danube River between Buda and Pest (who knew?!?) and was originally opened in 1849 (although it required some reconstruction after the Second World War). The Danube River itself is absolutely massive - it flows through or borders on 10 different countries and is 1771 miles long!!! I must admit that I got a few odd looks when walking around town in my jersey, although no one was bold enough to ask me which team I played for :)

A few hockey facts about Hungary: there are no Hungarian players in the NHL; Hungary is ranked 20th in the world (IIHF rankings); In 2008, Hungary qualified for the highest division of the Men's World Hockey Championships for the first time since 1939.

Proud to be a Jaguar!

Coach Troy

Free Tryouts This year!

2008-06-16T13:52:00.001-07:00

Please click on the image below or go to our front page and read more about FREE Tryouts. http://lajollajaguars.org

In House Game

2008-06-14T20:07:00.001-07:00

La Jolla Jaguars Midget 18A - Silver Stick Tournament 2007

2008-06-13T23:44:00.000-07:00

PeeWee Coaches Announcement 2008/2009

2008-06-10T18:33:00.001-07:00

The La Jolla Jaguars are very excited to present this years PeeWee Coach. Grecia Bocharov has signed with the Jaguars for one year. Grecia has over 11 years of coaching experience at the Mite through Midget AA levels. Grecia’s ability to develop young hockey players is second to none. Prior to joining the Jaguars, he coached with the San Diego Gulls, Desert Coyotes and Inland Valley Wild. Born and raised in Russia, played Russian Pro Hockey along the side with Valerie Bure and Sergei Brylin. He went to the russian central sports academy with major in hockey, first two years were taught by Anatoly Tarasov (Anatoly was one of the first Russians to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.) Grecia’s strong approach to skill development is a great asset to the program.

PLAYER HISTORY

Red Army (Russia)
Novator (KHIMKY, Russia)
Bulat (Kazakhstan)
Bramas Forth Worth, TX

COACHING HISTORY

San Diego Gulls
San Diego Surf JrA
Desert Coyotes
Inland Valley Wild

Relax it is just a Game

2008-06-03T19:53:00.001-07:00

Sunday afternoon: It's -10 degrees, you're 200 miles from home and you're walking into an ice rink to coach a youth hockey game. Some would call this insane - others would call it a dream. So why do coaches decide to sacrifice their free time to put in countless low/un-paid hours with a group of 10-20 kids for 6 months out of the year?

We all hope coaches know why they're there. In youth sports, it's not about the coach - it's about the kids. But how many times have you walked into a rink to hear a coach (or coaches) screaming at a group of kids? Most likely your answer is "more than once." Next time you come across that scenario, take a look around the rink at the reactions of the players and parents. Do you see parents nervously pacing? Are the players hanging their heads? Shoulders slumped? This can be one of the saddest parts of the game. Far too often coaches put too much emphasis on winning. Teams go through win streaks and slumps. During the difficult times, it's even more important to focus on the things that will help you get back on track. This begs the question, "what will get us back on track?"

Each group of kids is a unique puzzle for the coach to put together, but most kids gets involved in hockey to play a game they enjoy. Key words - "game" and "enjoy." Every coach wants to win, but if we don't keep the great game of hockey fun for kids, we're missing the point. There are several indicators to help you gage how much fun your group of kids is having. Ask yourself these questions and answer them honestly:

When you walk into the rink, are your kids excited to see you - or are they intimidated?

Whether it's a practice or a game, the kids should be excited you're there. This one is usually pretty easy to tell. When you come through the rink doors, do the kids come up to you? If they're truly enjoying themselves in hockey, they recognize the coach is a big part of that.

After practice, do your players have sweat on their heads and a smile on their face?

There are plenty of ways to work hard and have fun. Too often we see kids coming off the ice dripping in sweat and in a bad mood. Why? Most likely they just spent the last 15 minutes doing "60 second drills." Big surprise, this isn't fun for any kid! Push the kids within reason based on their talent level, but be creative when it comes time to 'condition' them. What you gain in conditioning by doing 60 second drills isn't worth what you'll lose in morale.

Do the kids feel comfortable enough with you to ask you questions?

Sometimes as a coach you'll see a player make the same mistake over and over again. We as coaches have to ask ourselves why they're repeatedly making that mistake. Do they know what they should be doing? If that player isn't sure, they should be comfortable enough to ask you questions about what they need to do. If they're not comfortable enough, they probably feel intimidated by you and don't want to put themselves through the pain of asking and feeling dumb. We need to create an environment where the kids can learn and be comfortable with making mistakes and asking questions.

Do your players look forward to coming to the rink - or do they dread it?

If the feeling in the locker room is tense (especially on a practice day), then the chances your players are having fun are fairly minimal. Remember, it's only a game. Win or lose, the sun will rise again the next day!

If you weren't able to make it to a game, would your players be happy about it?

Is there a sense of excitement or happiness when you announce you won't be able to coach at the next game? If there is, this goes back to the players being intimidated. This one should be a sure-fire sign that things need to change.

Finally, remember that we're not dealing with professional athletes here. We're working with a group of kids whose parents are paying thousands of dollars for them to play a game. Let the kids have fun. There's nothing wrong with being competitive, but remember - your game probably won't be on the news - or even make the newspaper, so is it really that big of a deal that little Johnny at 8 years old missed an easy breakout pass? Certainly not - instead, let's make sure Johnny knows how he can catch that pass next time and not turn it into an even more negative experience than it already was for him. As Coach Don Lucia says, "let's continue to give the game back to the kids." Let them have fun and learn in a safe, positive environment.

See you around the rinks...

Article written by Kevin Muller for HockeyShare.com

"Jaguars Around The World" Challenge

2008-06-03T16:54:00.001-07:00

As summer vacation approaches, we know that a number of our Jaguars will be traveling to far and away places. Let's show the world just how far reaching our Jaguar community does extend. Here is our challenge for you - when you (Mom and/or Dad and/or kids) go on vacation to your exotic destination(s), bring your Jaguars jersey with you and take a photo at a notable landmark! Then, send in your photo with a brief caption. We'll select one of our entries and try to get it highlighted in our end of summer entry in the "California Rubber" Hockey Magazine (www.calirubber.com) (all photos will get some form of recognition on our website :)

How far will our Jaguars community reach this summer? A Jaguar at the Sydney Opera House in Australia, at the world famous Matthias Church in Budapest, at Canada Place in Vancouver - and this is just from one Jaguars family! Other families' travels will take them to the cherished Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, the culturally rich Denmark, the vast beaches of the Hawaiian islands, to name just a few. Accept this challenge. We look forward to seeing your photos! Please send your submissions to our Hockey Director (cristopher@lajollajaguars.org or icetownhockey@gmail.com) and Coach Troy (coachtroy@lajollajaguars.org).

La Jolla Jaguars in Cali Rubber Magazine

2008-06-03T12:59:00.000-07:00

Here the link to the May Issue of California Rubber Magazine.

http://calirubber.com/assets/200805May.pdf

Mites 1 Game Summary - 31 May 2008

2008-06-01T14:10:00.001-07:00

Hello Jaguars,

Great game yesterday! We are proud of the way everyone played. Just a couple of things that perhaps the parents can pass on to the players.

First off, in yesterday's game Matty and Spencer did an excellent job of forechecking (forechecking is skating as hard as you can towards a player who has the puck in his end of the rink and trying to get it from him). This is something that everyone should try hard to do whenever they are on the ice.
Well done to Zeke and Benjamin for making some great contact with the puck. Keep working hard!
Also, Kaz, Alex and Tyler were very helpful to the new players showing where to lineup for faceoffs. Keep it up guys. Remember that we are a team and teammates help each other.

Parents: One of the things that we would like to instill in the players is how to properly handle themselves, both when they win and when they lose (as both will happen). We would like to teach the Jaguars to "Win with Humility and Lose with Dignity". The coaching staff will try to pass this philosophy onto the players but if you could also explain this to your son/daugther in your own way that would be very beneficial. Some people confuse this philosophy with not wanting to win; that is incorrect. We will try our best and will try to win every game but when it is over we want the players to properly shake hands with the other team, congratulate them on a good game and even shake hands with the refs and thank them for a job well done. We feel this is an intergral part of becoming a well rounded hockey player so please try to pass this onto your Jaguar.

Thank you for your support. See you at practice!

Coach Geoff / Coach Troy

La Jolla Jaguars Memorial Weekend Tournament

2008-05-29T13:34:00.001-07:00

Over the Memorial Day Weekend, the Jaguar Mite and Squirt Tournament teams took part in exciting tournament play in Orange County.

The Jaguar Squirts played in the KHS Anaheim Cup/International Tournament, participating for the first time ever at the Squirt A level.

The Squirts opened up on Friday, against the home team from KHS. The heavily favored, and hometown Wildcats were a seasoned team, with tons of speed and skill. They even imported three kids from Russia for the tournament. The Jaguars were back on their heels fast giving up a goal scored at 1:08 into the game. After the wake up call, Drew Jones answered at 2:09. The goals were back and forth. The Jaguars took the lead, and then the Wildcats tied it up. It was definitely a cat fight. We outscored them each period by a goal. The final score of this hard fought contest was 9 to 6 Jaguars.

Goal scorers were Tony Kolesnikov (3), Jack Gitlin (1), Owen Rice (1), Drew Jones (1), Marco Young (1) and Parker Moskal (2). Assists went to Jack Gitlin (3), Owen Rice (3), Parker Moskal (3), Kenzie DeKeyser (2), Sam Tari (1), Marco Young (1), Drew Jones (1), and Sawyer DeKeyser (1). Goalie James Dawson, who also had an assist on a short-handed goal by Parker, stopped 24 shots in this hard fought affair.

We were down two key players, and coaches elected to go with three defensive players in game 1. Alex Gottwald, Sawyer DeKeyser and Parker Moskal worked very hard, and each played a strong defensive game against a team with incredible speed. The win allowed the Jaguars to start the tourney on a great note.

On Saturday, they boys played the Lady Ducks. This was one great team and there were some amazing skaters out there with size and speed. We won a scrappy game 4-1. The Ducks did not want to hand over the game and it felt like they poured it on us for the most of the game.

Goalie James Dawson was the hero stopping 25 of 26 shots for a .96 save percentage. The offense again was balanced. Tyler Osterhoudt provided and several great passes and back checks while goals went to Tony Kolesnikov (1), Drew Jones (1), Marco Young (1), and Owen Rice (1). Assists went to Jack Gitlin (2), Tony Kolesnikov (1), Marco Young (1) and Drew Jones (1).

The defense was solid once again and the Jaguars were able to achieve victory #2 against an extremely well-coached team.

On Sunday morning, the Jaguars played the Cool Cats. We thought the best team was behind us, but we were incorrect. As it turned out, the Cool Cats were an All-Star team from Los Angeles; A strong collection of players and a fantastic goaltender. The Jags struggled with the strong competitor and the 7:00 AM hour on the way to a 7 to 3 loss.

Owen Rice found the back of the net twice and Parker Moskal put one in as well.

Assists went to Jack Gitlin, Sam Tari, Marco Young, and Tony Kolesnikov with one a piece.

As luck would have it, we played the Cool Cats again in the playoffs that night. The Jaguars again came out flat and gave up a quick goal. Then the officials took over in truly the strangest game we have ever witnessed. Unfortunately, the calls didn't go our way. We had a player put in the box for covering the puck in the crease. Goalie James shut down the attack on the penalty shot, denying a goal and bringing the crowd to their feet. Twice after that, the opposing team covered the puck in the crease with no call. Then there was a truly bizarre goal awarded to the opponent on a post shot where the call was delayed so long that we had already scored a goal. The call represented a 2 goal swing and an opportunity for the boys and coaches to practice "composure" and overcome adversity. Soon after, the opponents played for 35 seconds with 6 players on the ice. Again, no call was made by the refs. We ended the 1^st period down 4 goals to 1.

The Jaguars absolutely pounded the other team in the second and third periods. We displayed great courage and came at them in waves. We were able to climb back to a 5 to 3 game. We were once again derailed by an interesting penalty call with 3 minutes to go. We pulled our goalie. They had a breakaway and we tripped the player up. They gave the goal to the team without even having to take a penalty shot. Our player received a game misconduct on top of the penalty. Final score Cool Cats 6, Jaguars 3. The Jaguars outshot the opponents 37 to 17, but they just could not get the puck past an extremely tough goalie. The coaches and parents are proud of the effort, courage, and heart our kids displayed.

Goals in the final game went to Tony Kolesnikov (1), Sam Tari (1), and Marco Young (1); Assisted by Jack Gitlin (1) and Drew Jones (1).

Alex Gottwald had a particularly outstanding tournament and the entire defensive corps did a great job throughout.

All in all, the Jaguars went up against fantastic competition. They won games, and they fought like champions. With a few breaks, the outcome could have been very different.

The coaches and parents were very proud of this team.

The Mite tournament (details coming soon) was thrilling and it was great to see families from each team supporting each other as one big Jaguar family. The entire Squirt team would like to thank the Osterhoudt family for the tournament t-shirts. It was a wonderful surprise after coming off a tough game.

Summer Camp Info

2008-05-22T11:54:00.001-07:00

Here is the Summer Camp info. We will be having 4 weeks of camp this summer. If you are interested or have any questions feel free to email our Hockey Director

Sign Up for Travel Hockey Tryouts Now!

2008-05-14T18:02:00.001-07:00

We now have our tryout form available on our website. Please make sure to register online to reserve your spot. If you have any questions regarding tryouts please let us know.

La Jolla Jaguars Summer Camp

2008-05-13T22:48:00.001-07:00

More info will come in regards to our Summer Camp. Please stay tuned or email Coach Cris for further questions.

Behind the Scenes - Jags Party

2008-05-12T21:04:00.001-07:00

Here is a behind the scenes gallery from Saturdays Party. This is how fun you can have at Icetown and the jaguar program. Click HERE to view it.

In House Games Schedule

2008-05-12T20:10:00.001-07:00

Our practice and game schedule is now updated. Please take a look at the new schedule and notice that we will update it as soon as we receive further information from the other rinks in San Diego. This coming weekend is set and I anticipate an update later this week.

Coach Cris

Powerskating Clinic - Change

2008-05-12T20:07:00.001-07:00

Our powerskating clinic has changed. We will only have one clinic a week and it will be on Thursdays at 7PM - 8PM. We decided to go ahead and join the two clinics and open Tuesdays up for our Adult teams. Time for the Adult Clinic is Tuesdays at 7PM. Bring your skates and a water bottle and come prepared to skate!

End of Season Party

2008-05-10T21:02:00.001-07:00

I would like to thank everyone who came down to Icetown today for our end of season party and since you are reading this I would like to welcome you to our new blog. Please come back often and make sure to leave your footprints so we know you are here.

Thanks again for a great day!

Coach Cris

La Jolla Jaguars Travel Hockey

2008-05-07T20:21:00.001-07:00

What is the La Jolla Jaguar travel hockey program?

The La Jolla Jaguars travel hockey program is designed to complement the house league program by allowing players to further develop their skills, improve their knowledge and understanding of the game, and nurture their desire, dedication and discipline to play the game of ice hockey against the best competition in Southern California. Some of the players that have completed our travel program have gone on to compete at the next level of competition including Junior A and Junior B hockey in the U.S. and Canada, collegiate club hockey. Some of our players have returned to youth hockey to coach, serve as volunteers, become members of the organization, or even have their children join and play in our programs.

La Jolla Jaguars travel hockey strongly supports the principles and guidelines of USA Hockey, Inc. regarding house and travel programs and we firmly believe in a balance between winning, learning the game, and having fun. No player, team, coach, parent or supporter is more important than the program and the enjoyment of the game by the players.

How are players evaluated during tryouts?

The head coaches for a particular age category (mite, squirt, peewee, bantam, and midget) along with a two or three other coaches will try to objectively assess the skills of each player at the tryouts. Using a set series of drills designed to help demonstrate the skills needed to play the game, the coaches will be looking for skating ability, stick handling and shooting ability, and knowledge of the game. Forward and backward skating, turning, "crossovers", stopping, transitions, lateral movement, and endurance are some of the skating skills that are evaluated. The coaches also evaluate stick handling, puck control with the stick and the skates, forehand and backhand passing and pass reception.

Coaches will be looking at proper puck shooting techniques, weight transfer, wrist shots, snap shots, and slap shots along with accuracy. Coaches will also determine if players have learned how to " read and react" and "have their head on a swivel" . At higher levels, players will be expected to forecheck and backcheck, aggressively pursue the puck, " play their man", and "complete their checks" . In addition to the foregoing, goalies are expected to demonstrate their ability to "cover the crease", " telescope in and out from the net", "drop and recover" , " stack the pads", " focus on the
puck", etc. Every effort will be made to provide a fair, impartial evaluation of the players.

What kind of commitment are the coaches looking for?

All the coaches are looking for players who have the desire, dedication and discipline to play travel hockey. This includes a willingness to attend all practices, off-ice conditioning (if any), games, and tournaments. Coaches expect players to have the self-discipline to notify the coach or team manager of any conflicts, perform well in school and budget their time to avoid excuses for homework or tests, and, above all, be respectful of others. While we understand that every player must balance their home, school, and hockey life, a commitment to a travel team implies a commitment and a responsibility to teammates and the coach. Discipline is also expected on and off the ice regarding proper behavior. Fighting, profanity, and disrespect for other people (including teammates, opponents and game officials) and disrespect for property will not be tolerated and may result in disciplinary action including suspension from games or practices or suspension from the team. Jaguars has a long history of fielding teams that will play the game with dignity and respect whether they are winning or losing and we will not allow this tradition to be compromised. In this regard, and in the best interests of the program, players and coaches, La Jolla Jaguars Travel Hockey may exercise its right to deny participation to a player or parent based on prior incidents involving the player and/or a parent. Players and parents will be provided a "Code of Conduct" that they will be required to sign. This " Code of Conduct" will detail what is expected from them regarding their responsibility to the team.

La Jolla Jaguars Powerskating Clinic

2008-05-07T20:02:00.001-07:00

Youth Hockey
"Too many hockey players at an early age are given a puck and a stick and are expected to play the game of hockey when they can barely skate. Through my methods they will not only learn the correct way to skate but will have fun doing it. Children must enjoy what they are doing to excel in it. I feel Youth Hockey is a great way to channel a kid's natural energy and most likely will influence the way he or she feels about themselves for the rest of their lives. Youth Hockey organizations can either instill leadership, confidence and sportsmanship or it can create boredom, stress, humiliation and low self esteem." - Barbara Williams

There are endless articles regarding Ice Hockey and more than 90% of the articles are indicating that Power Skating is the most important part of develop hockey players.

Join us at Icetown every Tuesday and Thursday at 7PM for an intensive Power Skating Clinic.

/Coach Cris

Mites 1 - How do you practice?

2008-05-07T14:48:00.000-07:00

They say practice makes perfect, right? And are garages meant for cars or for hockey? Within our household, the picture says it all. Nice form Aidan!

Jaguars Information

2008-05-07T14:22:00.001-07:00

I think this is a great start to improving our information flow. I hope that it will allow parents and kids to have access to up-to-date information. But I also hope that it serves to provide a mechanism for the coaches to provide information directly to the parents/jaguars - maybe coaching tips, maybe "player of the week" acknowledgements, etc. Only time will tell. A great start!

Coach Troy

minimites@san.rr.com

Welcome to our New Blog

2008-05-07T10:21:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the official La Jolla Jaguars Blog.

This is the place where we will chat about current events and update
exciting news from our rink. Please come back often and make sure to
leave your footprints.

Todays hockey Quote goes to Sidney Crosby:

Hockey loses openers but shows promise - Sports

1982-07-09T22:22:00.000-07:00