Volume 13 Issue 7 | July 2025 | | LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT | | |
As I sit here sweltering in this heat, I realize that summer is more than half over. I long for the days of my boys doing clinics so we could dodge the heat and wear our fleeces to the cold ice rinks. I remember people looking at us like we were crazy carrying a fleece on 95 degree days. Hopefully you are staying cool and are back at the rinks attending clinics and preparing for the August conditioning camps and tryouts.
This is an exciting time. We have a new unified league with many opportunities at many levels.
Hopefully you will make the team of your choice. Anything can happen. Work hard and do your best. I can’t wait for hockey to begin!
Kevin Bolger
AHAI President
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Tier II Substitute Choice Application Process for 2025-26 Season
The Tier II substitute choice application process, 10U through 16U/18U began on June 15, 2025. All applications will be submitted online here. The deadline for applying for a substitute choice will be September 2, 2025. The Tier II Committee will have an appeal hearing for those denied a substitute choice on July 31st via Zoom. An August date will be added, if needed.
Questions? Please email Keri Zschach, AHAI Tier II Chairman, at keri.zschach@ahai2.org.
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Has your child always wanted to try learning about being a goaltender but weren’t sure where to start?
We are excited to announce three free clinics throughout the Chicago area this summer. We will provide top notch instruction and goalie gear to use for the clinic to learn the fundamentals: positioning, puck handling, and basic save techniques like butterfly and stance. Each clinic session will be limited to 25 participants per group:
Niles Iceland August 2
Group A ages 6-8 5:00pm-6:00pm Register Here
Group B ages 9-12 6:20-7:20pm Register Here
West Meadows Ice Arena August 8
Group A ages 6-8 5:30-6:30pm Register Here
Group B ages 9-12 6:50-7:50pm Register Here
Players should come dressed in full hockey equipment: we will have “quick change” goalie gear available for all participants.
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Our Major and Minor teams are in the midst of scheduling games for the regular season. The scheduling season concludes for these divisions at our August 9th scheduling meeting at the Hyatt Regency in Schaumburg 9:00AM-12:00PM. All Clubs must have a representative for their teams to verify schedules, and participate in the informational meeting.
Planning for the new Prospects divisions is well underway, and last week all participating Clubs submitted their team declarations for the Red, White and Blue divisions at each level. The newly formed Prospects Committee, led by Jordan Mann and Catie Localo, are in full swing preparing the official league applications which will be due back to the league on August 23rd. Prospects divisions for declaration rounds will be announced on September 1st, with game scheduling beginning soon afterwards. For more information, please see our website: www.csdhl.org
Our CSDHL annual meeting is scheduled for September 9th, 7:00PM at the Oakton Ice Arena.
Wishing all our members a restful final few weeks of summer!
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Julia Schuster Ready To Shine As a Sophomore Forward For New Trier, Windy City Storm
By: Ross Forman
Julia Schuster had quite a freshman season at New Trier, as the Trevians last March came from behind to topple Barrington for the Illinois Girls High School Hockey State Championship, held at the United Center in Chicago.
Schuster, a left-handed shooting center, scored a third period goal in the state championship as the Trevians tallied three unanswered to win, 5-4 in overtime.
“It was such a great experience playing with my sister and at the United Center,” Schuster said. “Since my sister was a senior, that was the only year I got to play with her so it was very special to win state with her. A few of my friends came to support (us) and made posters.READ MORE<<<
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Multi-Sport Athlete Ben Moloney Excels In The Classroom, Too
By: Ross Forman
Ben Moloney is a two-sport, two-time varsity athlete at St. Rita, mixing his drive for success in hockey and lacrosse. He also has seen varsity football playing time in the playoffs.
And he’s a superior honors student in the classroom.
“All my life I’ve been balancing school with sports. Since I was a kid, I’ve had to go from school to a sport and then make time for homework and studying after practice ends,” he said. “After so many years of doing it, it starts to get easier and easier.”
Moloney, 16, who lives in Oak Lawn, is a left-handed shooting center in jersey No. 34 and will be a junior in the fall. He formerly skated for the St. Jude Knights, where he was an alternate captain. READ MORE<<<
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OPRF Identical Twin Goalies Parker & Trevor Moen Set For Their Senior Seasons
By: Ross Forman
Parker Moen is the calm and calculated goaltender who admittedly is a tad scrappy at times. Trevor Moen is the patient netminder with smart playmaking skills. Combined, they are identical twin brothers, seniors, and a large part of the reason for optimism at OPRF.
Both are 17 and Parker is older – by 12 minutes.
“It’s definitely unique but I would describe it as very competitive; it’s like having a teammate who is just another version of yourself,” said Parker, who noted that the best part of having your twin as a teammate is “always having someone who is going through the same experiences and adversities, which can be helpful or at least bring clarity.”
It also can bring arguing about drills or techniques in practice, and just knowing you’ll always be compared to your brother, Parker added. READ MORE<<<
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Next Stop On The Coaching Carousel, Matt Smith Lands At Western New England University
Smith Brings Experience at Saint Ignatius and Buffalo Sabres to the College Game
By: Ross Forman
Western New England University in June named Matt Smith as the next head coach of the Golden Bears' men's ice hockey team, continuing his wide-ranging coaching journey, including slapshots for the Chicago Jets, Chicago Stallions, Saint Ignatius College Prep and the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres.
Smith is the seventh head coach in program history, joining WNEU after most recently serving as an assistant coach for the Amherst College Mammoths under legendary coach Jack Arena. READ MORE<<<
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Matt McManus: Officiating brings ‘joy, passion and friendship’
McManus Was a Linesman at the United Center for the 2024 Illinois High School Hockey State Championship Game (Combined Division)
By: Ross Forman
Matt McManus officiated 171 games this past season, his fifth consecutive season on the ice following a 20-plus year break from his first-ever year as an official, which was only one season. He mostly worked midget AAA/AA and high school varsity during the 2024-25 campaign, along with ACHA action and area junior leagues.
The 36-year-old Orland Park resident, a Level 4 official, could be spotted at such rinks as Arctic Ice Arena, Southwest Ice Arena, Oak Lawn Ice Area, Morgan Park Ice Arena and Fifth Third Ice Arena. READ MORE<<<
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Blackhawks amateur hockey is excited to offer the Little Blackhawks LTP program at several rinks this fall season! Little Blackhawks provides first time participants, between 4-9 years of age, head-to-toe equipment, age-appropriate instruction, and certified coaching at your local rink! It is highly recommended a Learn to Skate program is completed before enrolling in Little Blackhawks, and if you have previously participated in Little Blackhawks or if you already play on a team, you cannot enroll for this program.
The Little Blackhawks program includes 6-8 weeks of lessons at your local ice rink and a full set of hockey equipment! Weekly sessions are run by ice rink staff and local coaches. Registration is currently live at select rinks! CLICK HERE for more information on Little Blackhawks and for a list of current location offerings.
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