This article appears in the October 2011 issue of California Rubber Magazine and is reprinted here with the permission of California Rubber.
La Jolla Program Offers More Opportunity
The Jaguars are doing their best to keep hockey fun, affordable
By Larry O’Connor
California Rubber Magazine
www.rubberhockey.com
The Ten Commandments in La Jolla Jaguar circles don’t bear Moses’ finishing touch, but the prophet would probably sign off on the program’s rink-spun guidelines rooted in hockey fellowship.
The architect of puck-related principles didn’t descend from Mount Sinai. However, the Jaguars’ hockey director and president, Dan Haney, did come to San Diego during the high-rise construction boom in 2002, employed as a construction manager for a large Canadian residential development company.
The program compiled its list through a true team effort involving coaches, parents and players. The commandments cover such things as being a good teammate, working hard and learning from mistakes.
“We’re basically about developing the kids’ hockey skills and making sure they enjoy the sport,” said Haney. “Those are the two most important elements of the Jaguars program.”
Haney assumed the Jaguars’ chief director role three years ago. His mission: restore the San Diego program’s luster.
La Jolla boated promise in the Southern California hockey ranks during the late 1990s and early 2000s, winning a state Pee Wee AA title in 2002-03.
As nearby programs grew, though, the Jaguars’ fortunes began to sag, but Haney, a Thunder Bay, Ontario, native who served as a volunteer coach, saw untapped potential.
“When I got involved with it eight years ago, there really wasn’t much happening with the program,” said Haney. “I saw such a great opportunity here to become involved in youth hockey in Southern California.
“Our rink (Icetown at University Town Center) is in La Jolla, which is a wonderful place. It’s right inside the mall where people can watch games from the food court above.”
This season, the Jaguars have grown to five travel teams at the Mite B, Squirt B (two squads), Pee Wee A (an all 2000 birth year team) and Pee Wee B levels.
This year, the Mite B team captured the Anaheim Jr. Ducks’ Early Bird tournament championship in its division over Labor Day Weekend. The team went 4-0-1 while outscoring its opponents, 31-16.
“It was quite a pleasant surprise for all of us,” Haney said.
Such achievements are cherished, but they’re not the program’s overriding focus. The goal is to develop young players and ideally have them advance to play travel hockey for many years, Haney says. About 100 kids take part in the Jaguars’ house programs.
The organization’s philosophy appears in line with the thinking behind USA Hockey’s American Development Model.
“You could play a system and win more, but ultimately the kids aren’t becoming better hockey players,” said Geoff Leibl, the Jaguars’ secretary. “We just really try to develop kids who fall in love with the game and want to play the rest of their lives – that’s the goal.
“It’s a great game and you want to expose as many kids to it as possible.”
The Jaguars’ brain trust is doing its part to open doors for aspiring hockey players.
Leibl, a Winnipeg native, is a San Diego-based immigration attorney whose clients include NHL stars, and those connections enabled the organization to procure highly coveted autographed jerseys, which will be raffled off during a Jaguars winter carnival scheduled for Dec. 10.
Pure Hockey sponsors the fundraiser, the goal of which is to provide scholarships for at-need families throughout California. The raffle and proceeds are open to all California 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations – not just the Jaguars.
Last year’s raffle raised almost $25,000, which paid for many things, including scholarships, off-ice training and tournaments costs. This year’s raffle has an MVP theme with signed Alexander Ovechkin, Wayne Gretzky and Sidney Crosby jerseys up for grabs and a signed jersey by Cincinnati Reds’ MVP Joey Votto. A special grand prize will be announced on Oct. 15.
For more information, visit HockeyJerseyRaffle.com.
