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| Going strong |
Jr. StreetKings debut new 'kid-friendlier' format By Times Sports Staff (Updated: Saturday, May 24, 2008 8:09 AM CDT) HERNANDO – The Jr. StreetKings spring youth hockey league is rolling right along, with six games played and four more to go before playoffs. “We debuted a new format for the younger group that lets the little guys touch the puck more and build confidence,” said league coordinator Derek Landmesser, who also serves as captain of the Mississippi RiverKings professional hockey team. This new format involves three “lines” of players. Each line consists of several players who play a two minute, 30-second shift, and all players receive equal floor time. In the Squirt Division (5-11 year-olds), the older children (ages 8-11) play four players on four, and the children ages 5-7 now play three on three. “Last season, a kid ran up to me and said, ‘Derek! Did you see me? I got to touch the puck!’” Landmesser said. “That’s when I realized that the younger kids weren’t getting enough playing time. Now what you hear them saying to their parents is, ‘I moved the puck all the way down the rink!’ ‘I almost scored a goal!’ It’s really enhancing their playing abilities.” Squirt teams include the Maniacs, the Rink Rats, and the Sharks; Bantam Division teams, for children ages 12-16, are the Jokers and the Screaming Squirrels. The games are 46 minutes long. Two hockey camps, Better Skating Technique and Learn to Skate, will be available this summer. The Jr. StreetKings will also sponsor “Open Skate” hours this summer, with rollerblades available on site to rent. For more information on the camps, open skate times, or how to sponsor a team, call 901-870-PUCK or check out www.jrstreetkings.com. |
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Edited By: Derek Landmesser on 5/27/2008 10:41:40 AM