Dallas Junior Hockey Association

 

 

DJHA, the largest hockey association in the Dallas Metroplex with 15 teams playing in the North Texas Hockey League (NTXHL) completed ‘07/’08 league play with a high combined winning percentage again this year. The organization fielded teams from Mite A to Midget Major AA. The success formula continues to be based on a philosophy of developing team play based around the fundamentals of hockey combined with a strong emphasis on individual character building. Penguin hockey is designed to be a successful life experience throughout. In 2007, we provided over 260 local players the avenue for playing rich and rewarding travel level hockey.

 

In addition to winning numerous tournaments around the country, this year our Penguin teams again stood out in the region. Coach Johnson’s Pee Wee AA team won the Texas State Tier II 12U Hockey Title and will continue on towards Regionals/Nationals in 2 weeks.  In addition, they won the Pee Wee AA division with a 19-1 record. Coach Sleavin’s Pee Wee A team won their regular season league with an 18-2 record. Coach Aigen’s Bantam A team was the best A team in the region and posted a 17-4-1 record. Coach Des Rosiers Squirt A team was also the best in the region posting a similar 17-4-1 record. Another great effort included Coach Stromp’s Mite A team at 17-2-1. Other outstanding efforts included Coach Bakke’s Midget Minor A team at 13-7, Coach Layton’s Pee Wee A team at 13-7, and Coach Stensgard’s Squirt AA team at 12-7.

 

In our partnership in the Texas Attack AAA, we also shared in a number of successes. One in particular is DJHA Hockey Director Eric Silverman’s U16 AAA team which is currently ranked 13^th in the country and consists of mostly first year midget minor players. However, with the modest number of youth hockey players in the region, the AAA level programs continue to be a challenge at present. The efforts to fill the AAA teams this year became highly dilutive to the AA teams in the region effectively dragging down the overall quality of those teams. At the end of the season DJHA did reach out to other organizations with our desire to make AAA more inclusive, but a number of fundamental issues prevented that from happening without sacrificing the core principles which makes the DJHA hockey experience the best in the region. Without the proper critical mass and rather than renewing our partnership in the Attack AAA, DJHA will continue to focus on developing the best quality A and AA talent for local, national, and international competition in order to grow the necessary participation of youth athletes in travel level hockey in Dallas.

 

The DJHA organization remains financially healthy, sound, and secure.  Through the experience of 34 years in operation, DJHA has continued to deliver the best youth hockey value in the region. The 2008/2009 year promises to be the best ever.

 

The DJHA Spring Camp will be augmented this year to become more than a pre-tryout program. It is our belief the players need to bridge the gap between season’s end and the tryouts by strengthening their skating and shooting skills and improving their knowledge of the game. The combined experience of DJHA’s winning coaching staff will be brought together to deliver the best curriculum toward improving the player’s game and preparing them the upcoming tryouts. The camp will begin in April and run up until the tryouts in June.

 

Early next season the DJHA will again host the Silver Stick Rocky Mountain Regional Qualifying Tournament. Silver Stick is the most prestigious North American international tournament, having been in existence for 51 years. This past year, three Penguin teams went on to the North American Finals and won Silver Stick Championships. Congratulations to Coach Stensgard’s Squirt AA champions, Coach Des Rosiers Squirt A champions, and Coach Stromp’s Mite A champions.

 

We look forward to yet another successful year for the Dallas Penguins in the upcoming 2008/2009 year. Our thanks to all the coaches for their great effort in contributing to the development of the region’s youth. Our appreciation also goes to the parents for their support in making the Penguin hockey experience such a success. We look forward to seeing our players develop further in our spring camp and good luck to everyone in the upcoming team tryouts.

 

Sincerely,

 

The Dallas Penguin Board of Directors