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2017 Tier 1 League Tryout Schedules Released

By Minnesota Hockey, 05/11/17, 3:45PM CDT

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Minnesota Hockey has released the available tryout dates and locations for the CCM Minnesota Hockey High Performance Tier 1 15 (2002 birth year) and 14U (2003 & 2004 birth years) Fall Leagues. Registration is now open for the Leagues, which will be presented by Mayo Clinic this season.

Minnesota Hockey’s Tier 1 structure was established in 2016 to enhance Minnesota’s community-based association and high school model by bringing together the most talented 14 and 15 year olds from all over Minnesota for highly competitive League play and playoffs. 

Teams will once again be made up of players from Minnesota Hockey Districts and will begin the tryout process this summer with games being played on weekends beginning in August and running through late September. In keeping with the Tier 1 framework established in 2016, all Tier 1 competition in Minnesota will conclude in October to allow for players to return to their association or high school teams.  

Last year, the CCM High Performance Tier 1 Leagues included 24 teams between the Youth 14U (7), Youth 15 (7), Girls 14U (6) and Girls 15 (4) classifications. Plans are for the Youth 14U classification to increase nine teams: Loons (District 2), Walleye (District 3), Polars (District 5), Lakers (District 6), Moose (District 8), Green Giants (District 10), Grey Ducks (Districts 4/9), Voyageurs (Districts 11/12) and Blue Ox (District 15/16). The Youth 15O League will have the same teams for the Youth 14U except Districts 11, 12, 15 & 16 will once again combine to form the Blue Ox and Districts 4, 8 & 9 will play together as the Moose.

The Girls 14U League is expected to once again have six teams: Loons (District 2), Lakers (District 6), Green Giants (District 10), Polars (Districts 3/5), Moose (Districts 4/8/9) and Blue Ox (Districts 11/12/15/16).  The Girls 15 League will once again have four teams formed equally based on evaluations and will not be sending a team to the National Championships. 

As part of the CCM Minnesota Hockey High Performance program’s commitment to long-term development, there will be 18 on-ice skill development practices and eight off-ice training sessions, in addition to the 12 League games and three League playoff games. Training will include Tier 1 player clinics as well as dryland education and nutritional information provided by the experts at Mayo clinic.

“The format of this League will really allow players to continue to develop their abilities on and off the ice, and will be a great lead up to the association season” said CCM Minnesota Hockey High Performance director, Mike Macmillan. “The importance of practice and skill development can’t be overlooked, so we wanted to ensure that was a part of this program.”

Four regular season competition weekends will begin August 25 – 27 and will include host sites around the state including AMSOIL Arena and Essentia Health Heritage Center in Duluth, Herb Brooks National Sports Center in St. Cloud, Sanford Center in Bemidji, Ridder and Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis and Fogerty Arena in Blaine. The Youth 14U and Youth 15 regular seasons will conclude with a National Festival that will include Tier 1 teams from around the country.

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