COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Hockey’s Annual Congress finished here last weekend and highlights included the election of Jim Smith as the organization’s fifth president; a record number of players reported to USA Hockey’s Board of Directors; and a spotlight on the success of U.S. teams in international competition.
“We’re in a great position, but never satisfied,” said Dave Ogrean, executive director of USA Hockey. “Our volunteer base across the country is second to none and those volunteers are the unsung heroes of our sport. We continue to grow, and through the efforts of our American Development Model, our retention is better with kids having more fun while reaching their full potential like at no other time before in our sport.”
Smith, an Illinois native who has been part of USA Hockey for the last 30 seasons, including 20 years on the executive committee, was unanimously elected to replace Ron DeGregorio, who retired after 12 years in the position.
The 2014-15 season finished with 533,172 registered players, with increased participation at all age levels. Additionally, the overall landscape of USA Hockey, including players, coaches, officials, administrators, parents, and team managers/volunteers comprised a record total of 1,103,867.
USA Hockey also celebrated its success on the international stage, where it earned gold medals in the International Ice Hockey Federation Women’s World Championship, the IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship, the IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship and the International Paralympic Committee Sled Hockey World Championship and a bronze medal at the IIHF Men’s World Championship.
“We’re to the point where we expect to be in contention for the gold medal at every world championship,” said Ogrean. “We’re proud of the fact that no nation won more gold medals this year than the United States and that’s a credit to our athletes, coaches, and staff as well as all those across the country at the grassroots level that contributed in the molding of our athletes through their youth hockey years.”
USA Hockey’s Annual Congress included the President’s Gala on Friday evening (June 5), which celebrated outgoing president Ron DeGregorio and his 40-plus years of contributions; honored players and staff of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Team on their 35th anniversary of winning gold in Lake Placid, New York; and featured the presentation of the Wm. Thayer Tutt Award to Teddy Cunniff, the Builders Award to Peter Lindberg and the Distinguished Achievement Award to Butch Johnson. Rene’ Fasel, president of the IIHF, Scott Blackmun, chief executive officer of the U.S. Olympic Committee, and Bill Daly, deputy commissioner of the NHL, were among the featured speakers at the event, which included a sold-out audience of more than 800.
NOTES: USA Hockey is divided today into 12 districts and the rise of the number of players in the Southeastern District of USA Hockey, which includes the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington, D.C., is noteworthy. During the 2001-02 season, the Southeastern District ranked last of USA Hockey’s then 11 districts in total players with 29,928. In 2014-15, the Southeastern District has risen to fourth of now 12 districts (USA Hockey split what was the Minnkota District into two districts in 2007-08) with 50,021 players, behind only the Central (62,665), Minnesota (55,450) and Michigan (50,602) Districts … USA Hockey’s top seven states in terms of total players in 2014-15 include Minnesota (55,450), Michigan (50,602), Massachusetts (49,591), New York (48,580), Illinois (30,553), Pennsylvania (30,078) and California (26,383).
