 WWFHA ASSISTS
Washington Wild Email Newsletter:
May 11, 2017
WASHINGTON WILD NEWS
WWFHA Announces 14UAA Rep Coaches: Erik Hanson, John Dubicki & John Dunn
WWFHA proudly announces the selection of Erik Hanson, John Dubicki and John Dunn as the 14U Rep Tier 2/AA coaching staff for the 2017 – 2018 season. The 14U Rep team includes players of the highest skill (AAA and AA levels) from the Seattle and surrounding area, with the primary goal of skill development and advancement to the next level, including collegiate play.
 Coach Hanson has been developing hockey players in the Pacific Northwest for over a decade, from beginners to professional level athletes. With an eye for biomechanics and an ability to demonstrate complex skills and break them down into teachable components, he is uniquely able to help his players grow and excel. With his primary focus on player development and small group training, he has managed beginner programs for various local hockey associations, taught private lessons, camps and clinics for over ten years, and has coached several successful teams.
Coach Hanson’s commitment to player development has garnered the respect of the hockey community at large, and his expertise in power skating and advanced skill training have been utilized at all levels of play, from individuals just beginning their journey to players stepping into a professional career.
As a player, Coach Hanson signed a tender contract with Dubuque as a defenseman and played for the Fighting Saints in the U.S.H.L. (1997), and was recruited by NCAA D1 programs such as Colorado College, UMASS Lowell and Vermont.
Coach Dubicki grew up in Toronto, Ontario and has been in involved in hockey his entire life. He played Major Midget (AAA) hockey and then non-varsity hockey at the University of Missouri - St. Louis. For the past five years he has been coaching in the Seattle metropolitan area for various elite youth teams, and has an extensive knowledge of the Canadian Pacific Coast Amateur Hockey Association (PCAHA). He is known for his knowledge of the game, system strategies, and bench management.
Coach Dunn coached with Kent Valley Hockey Association for the past five years, in head coach and assistant coach roles from learn-to-play to the midget level. In 2015, his squirt team won the Portland Harvest Cup Championship and the Bremerton Battle of the Sound tournament. In 2014 his team won the league championship for the Western Washington High School Hockey league. Dunn played for Washington State University where is son currently is the team captain, wearing his father’s jersey number, and serving as the president of the non-varsity team.
During the season, the 14U Rep Tier 2/AA team has three hours of ice time per week, receiving over 78+ hours of on-ice practice and 70+ hours of off-ice conditioning designed by and with Engineered Sports. This rep team participates in 30+ female league games per season and attends various tournaments in the US and Canada. Various pro-staff, including hockey nutrition experts, sports psychologists, well body counselors, foot and ankle care, college admissions advisors, and college hockey process advisors support this team.
Last year the 14U Rep Tier 2/AA placed second in the PCAHA Bantam Female Division Playoff President Series and were champions of the San Jose MLK Tournament. They earned second in the Burnaby Remembrance Day Tournament and had several players who won the skills competition.
Open tryouts for the 14U Rep Tier 2/AA team will be held August 5th from 2:45pm – 3:45pm and Aug 6th from 10:15am – 11:15am. Click her to learn more information and to register for tryouts.
To find more information about the 14U Rep Tier 2/AA team, such as the team overview, benefits, coaching staff, practices, conditioning, FAQ and more, please visit: http://www.wwfha.com/u14-rep-aa
2017-18 Tryout & Evaluation Skate -- Registration OPEN!
Register for tryouts and evaluation skates for placement on Washington Wild teams for the 2017-2018 season!
Washington Wild tryouts for Rep 19U AA and 19UA, 14UAA and 12UAA teams are Saturday August 5 and Sunday August 6th. Rep AA teams practice each weekend throughout the month of August.
On Saturday August 26th WWFHA hosts the Evaluation Skate for league teams & league travel teams for the 12U/14U, 10U and 8U age groups. All players interested in playing for a Western Washington Female Hockey League (WWFHL) team and subsequent Travel Team should attend this evaluation skate.
Players will be placed on balanced teams for league play. Those interested in playing on a tiered Travel team arranged by skill level will also be evaluated. Travel teams play local exhibition games against boys’ teams, female teams, and tournaments.
Click here to register.
Congratulations on College Selections / Commitments!
Congratulations to the following players graduating from WWFHA and moving on to their next adventure! We are proud of each and every one of you for the impact you had on the association, and the exciting future you have in hand on and off the ice. Good luck! Go Wild!
Anisa Ryan
 Washington Wild 19U Rep AA player, Anisa Ryan, declares her commitment to Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin, where she will study either sustainable community development or a field related to environmental policy/geology. She has secured a roster spot on the school’s 2017-2018 NCAA DIII women’s ice hockey team.
In August of 2016, Anisa and her mother moved locally from Idaho to participate on the Washington Wild 19U Rep AA team, with the goal of playing college hockey at a school offering education in her field of interest.
Anisa says, “I am excited to attend Northland College because of all the opportunities it will provide me. Although Ashland is a small town, there are multiple ways to get involved with the community and environment. I will be able to study geology and learn about sustainable agriculture with Lake Superior as my classroom. I also have the opportunity to play NCAA DIII hockey; I already have a strong connection with some of my teammates, as well as with my coach. I am very excited to see where my education at Northland College will take me.”
Anisa continues and spoke about her experience with WWFHA. She says, “Moving from a small town, I was amazed at all the opportunities WWFHA provides for girls to play hockey. Whether you had been playing your whole life, or have never stepped on the ice before, WWFHA had a program for you to join. I have grown so much as a player, and as a person since I joined. The connections I made with the coaching staff, my teammates, and girls from the younger teams are connections I will have for the rest of my life. WWFHA is a family and everyone supports one another.”
Debbie Chen
 Washington Wild 19U Rep AA goalie, Debbie Chen, hailing from Taoyuan, Taiwan, will return to her studies at the University of Washington, where she studies bioengineering. She plans to try out for the ACHA D2 men’s non-varsity ice hockey team.
“I am happy to study at the UW because it's a diverse community with an amazing bioengineering department that allows me to participate in cutting-edge research.”
Debbie also says about her experience, “Playing for the Wild helped me rediscover hockey in a whole new way and form bonds that will last a lifetime.”
Laura Stump
 Washington Wild 19U Rep AA player team captain, Laura Stump, announces her commitment to Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts, where she intends to study biochemistry with a minor in criminal psychology or art. She also looks forward to attending the annual tryout for the NCAA DIII women’s ice hockey team.
Laura says about Endicott, “I'm so excited to be able to spend my days studying and playing hockey on the beautiful Endicott campus while exploring internships and the culture of the busy city of Boston.”
Laura speaks about making the transition from boys’ hockey four years ago when she says, “Playing for WWFHA was one of the best decisions of my life. I have not only grown as an athlete, but my family has grown to include the coaches, board members, players, my sisters and teammates. It may sound sappy, but this group of girls just skipped the stage of being friends and barged straight into being a part of my family.”
Kaitie Lindsay
 Washington Wild 19U Rep A team captain, Kaitie Lindsay, accepted her offer of admission to the University of British Columbia's Sauder School of Business. She plans to major in commerce so that she can create her own business after university. Kaitie is also excited to explore the various levels of hockey offered at UBC, which she plans to continue playing while in college.
Katie: “I'm excited to attend UBC because they offer a really great business program, hockey opportunities, and dance clubs, and I'm able to do an exchange program during my third year with McGill University [in Toronto]. Plus it will be great to live in Canada again.”
Kaitie has been a Washington Wild for nearly 10 years. She says of her experience: “It has been amazing to see how much I personally have grown and how much my teammates have grown as well. WWFHA has been a big part of my life and introduced me to many teammates that are more than just teammates, but now some of my closest friends. It's great to see girls’ hockey expanding and I'm excited for the future. I'm so proud of my team this last season ending second in our division! I've learned what it takes to be a great hockey player, a great teammate, and a great leader.”
Tirzah Pilet
 Washington Wild 19U Rep AA assistant captain, Tirzah Pilet, announces her commitment to the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in Rochester, NY, where she plans to study medical illustration and try out for the NCAA D1 women’s ice hockey team.
Tirzah joined WWFHA eight years ago as a peewee. Since then, she has grown through the WWFHA pipeline from 14U house to the highest level, always guarding the blue line.
Tirzah says, “I am excited to go to RIT, because they have the perfect major for me and they also have D1 hockey!”
She continues, “Playing for the Washington Wild has helped me develop my skills and increase my passion for the game.”
Learn to Play Class Photo Fun
Check out the photos by Eric Badeau of the Washington Wild Hockey 1 and Hockey 2 players, as they show their hard work, determination and smiles during class! Click here to view photos on the Learn To Play Team Page.
Hockey Community Meeting Tonight - Key Arena Remodel Review – May 11th
WWFHA members and hockey community... we invite you to represent your sport at a community event on Thursday May 11th from 5pm-8pm at KEXP (Northwest corner of Key Arena) hosted by the Seattle Office of Economic Development -- tonight!.
This event will be an open house to review the response to the Key Arena Remodel. Many representatives from the basketball community will turn out, and the hockey community also needs to be very visible--especially the strong female contingency.
Members of Oak View Group and AEG will attend to answer questions, get feedback, and showcase their responses. You can learn more about them and the full RFPs: http://www.seattle.gov/economicdevelopment/news/keyarenarfp
These two groups have deep NHL ties. Long story short, we need hockey folks there. We need the city and these groups to know there is a viable and vibrant hockey community here whose interests and feedback need to be heard.
WWFHA and the NHL to Seattle group request your presence in your hockey jerseys (WWFHA practice jerseys)!! We know everyone is busy but if you can drop by for even a few minutes, it would be greatly appreciated. We believe it could help bring the NHL to Seattle. Also note that the event is kid-friendly, so bring the entire family and wear your practice jerseys to show your allegiance! It is also a great way to learn about civic action in safe environment. Keep in mind that NHL in Seattle means additional ice sheets available—a commodity everyone needs.
Date: Thursday, May 11 at 5 PM - 8 PM
Location: KEXP
Address: 472 1st Ave N - Seattle 98108
Support WWFHA -- Shop at Fred Meyer for Mother's Day
 Sign up for the Community Rewards program by linking your Fred Meyer Rewards Card to WWFHA at www.fredmeyer.com/communityrewards.
- Search for us by our name or by our non-profit number 84916 (or search for West Washington Female Hockey)
- Use your Rewards Card, when you shop.
- You still earn your Rewards Points, Fuel Points, and Rebates.
- If you do not have a Rewards Card, they are available at the Customer Service desk of any Fred Meyer store.
- For more information, please visit www.fredmeyer.com/communityrewards
Shop and Support the Wild at Amazon Smile for Mother's Day!
For those of you who love the convenience of shopping online, shop AmazonSmile for Mother’s Day at https://smile.amazon.com/.
Amazon donates 0.5% of your purchase to the Washington Wild.
2017 Annual General Meeting - Mark Your Calendar
WWFHA invites all current members (all parents and guardians of 2016 - 2017 registered Wild players) to our Annual General Meeting.
Date/Location: May 20th at 4:00pm at Highland.
We will present a brief re-cap of this season, a summary of plans for the coming season, hold voting for board members, and host a question and answer session.
Spring/Summer Opportunities
 There is still time to sign up for each of these great Spring and Summer hockey programs. Add to your personal training or just keep the dust away during the off-season!
- Weekly Wild Tuesday 3v3 Sessions: All Age Groups & Drop-In!
- Spring/Summer Female Hockey League
- All Hockey Elite Spring/Summer Camp
Expert Edge
 “How Much Sports Psychology is OK, and What Ages?”
-- By Eric Eisendrath, PCA Lead Trainer
Yogi Berra was right when he famously said, "90% of the game is half mental," so it makes sense to focus on the psychological aspects of the game.
Sport Psychology has gradually been working its way into the youth sports mainstream because it has a lot to offer youth athletes (and coaches!). PCA's research-based approach to coaching, especially our ELM Tree of Mastery (E for Effort, L for Learning, M for bouncing back from Mistakes) comes directly from sport psychology research.
PCA Founder Jim Thompson describes how he used visualization with his high school basketball players in his memoir, Shooting in the Dark: Tales of Coaching and Leadership, available here. Jim found out that his players initially were unsure how to react to his use of visualization but he persevered through the "giggly" stage. Ultimately, his players came to believe it was instrumental in their winning their league title and asked him for more. Click here for more information.
ASK WWFHA
Q. How can we as parents and coaches nurture our children to develop intangibles?
A: There’s a YouTube video of 12-year-old Aybatyr Myrzabae competing with teammates in a tug-of-war competition that has racked up an incredible number of worldwide views. Although the competition was of importance to those involved, it’s Aybatyr’s never-give-up attitude that’s inspirational.
Who wouldn’t want this kid on their team? How can we as parents and coaches nurture our children to develop these intangibles?
Click here to find out about motivation and mental toughness.
Thank You to Our Partners
 
 
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