Reminders: Important dates in December

Upcoming Dates:

December 8, 2008: "Dine to Donate Night" at Max & Erma's in Westland. We really need everyone in the organizations to come out and support this 20% of your lunch or dinner purchase will go back to our organization. (please note you must have a flyer) So please tell your friends and family to go out and support our “Dine to Donate Night at Max & Erma’s.

December 11, 2008: ABC (Adam Butzel Center) Mix and Mingle 6pm-9pm. Come out and join all the ABC organizations and staff for a evening of food, fun and fellowship.

December 13, 2008: Hockey in the Hood 5 Planning Meeting @ 12pm.

December 14, 2008: "DHA Day" Come out and see you favorite Dragon teams play games. Spend the day with us (games from 1pm-7:00pm)! Do you have a special recipe or favorite dish? If so bring it along with you to sell in the concession stand.

December 14, 2008: All association fees are due!!! Please note anyone still owing a balance after this deadline may risk possible removal from the roster. So please don't delay pay those fees today! Anyone needing to make payment arrangements please see Paul Clark.

December 17, 2008: ABC (Adam Butzel Center) Children's Christmas Party


Please feel free to contact me for any questions or concerns.

Thank You,
Cynthia Wardlaw
313-834-2563
313-727-7330
cw20033@aol.com

Willie O'Ree video from the NHL

The NHL published a link to this video on Willie O'Ree's blog.

The DHA looks forward to welcoming Mr. O'Ree back to Detroit for Hockey in the Hood V - February 13-15, 2009.

Jack is Back - Dragons Home Ice is Ready for Action!

Hello Everyone,

I have some great news for you all.

At last the ice is up at Jack Adams!!!!! That's right we are back at Jack Adams!!!!!

Starting this Sunday, November 9, 2008 all home games and practices will resume at home (Jack Adams Arena).

We have truly appreciated the use of the Inkster Ice Arena as well as City Sports Arena.

We are truly thankful and grateful to Eddie at Inkster for welcoming us and making Inkster our temporary home while our ice was down.

DHA Day is this Sunday, November 9, 2008: Please come out and show you support to all your favorite Dragon teams. DHA Day is a day filled with hockey. So come and cheer all the Dragon teams on. Games start a 1:00pm until about 7:00pm. I will be there I hope to see you there to!!!:-)

Practice Schedule:


Saturday, November 8, 2008:
Mites have game away in Monroe
Peewee Practice 10am-11:30am
Squirts have a home game @ 12pm in Inkster

Sunday, November 9, 2008: This is "DHA DAY" !!!!!!!! (All games will be played at Jack Adams)

Good Luck Dragons On All Your Games!!!!!
"Go Dragons"


Important Dates:
Saturday, November 8, 2008: I-Program Parent Meeting @ 4pm at Jack Adams
Friday, November 14, 2008: ABC (Adam Butzel Complex) Fall Ball. This is a semi-formal event for teenagers. If you have teenagers please have them enjoy a evening filled with food, dancing and fun! The cost is $7.00 per person.
Saturday, November 15, 2008: I-Program Begins 10am-12pm

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Thanks,
Cynthia
313-834-2563
313-727-7330
cw20033@aol.com

Practice schedule & volunteers needed

ATTENTION** ATTENTION**ATTENTION
Volunteers Needed This Friday, October 3, 2008

We Need 15-20 Volunteers (*age 18 or older) this Friday.

The Detroit Hockey Association Will Be Participating In A 50/50 Raffle During The Detroit Red Wings Game.

Volunteers will need to be at Joe Louis at 4:30pm. If you are interested in volunteering please contact me ASAP! I need to have a list of who will be volunteering so please contact me. We really need your support so if you can make it let me know.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Due to technical difficulties, we still have no ice at Jack Adams we hope we will real soon, but in the meantime we will continue to have practices in Inkster.
Thank you to all the parents and players that came out to practice last weekend in Inkster!

We will be practicing in Inkster again this weekend. Here is the practice schedule for this weekend:

Saturday:
9:00am-10:30am (Mites/Squirts)
10:30am-12:00pm (Peewee/Bantams)

Sunday:
2:00pm-3:30pm (Mites/Squirts)
3:30pm-5:00pm (Peewee/Bantam)

Please make sure your player is at these practices. It so important for our players to be at these practices because we will soon be having games. Some of our teams will be having games as early as next week. So we really need you to be at practice!!
We also need many of you to complete your registration paperwork so that we can get the players roster. A roster must be completed before you can play a game so please be at practice this Saturday so we can complete all the neccessary paperwork and make sure our players are ready for their first game.

All players and coaches please be in attendance this weekend!!!

There will be a Coaches Meeting this Saturday, October 4, 2008 @ 12pm in Inkster.
All coaches should be in attendance! We need for all the coaches to complete their coaching paperwork. Some of you have games coming up in the next week and this paperwork must be complete.

Coaches we also need to talk about our plan for the season and our players which should have a strong focus on developing fundamental skills. If we give our players the skills they need they are sure to be a success!
I hope to see each one of you this Saturday.

Practice starts this weekend at Inkster Arena

Our ice (Jack Adams Arena) is still down it is tentatively scheduled to be up the first week in October.

We know that we need to have our players on the ice with the season right on us. So we have ice schedule for our players in Inkster at the Inkster Arena. Please see the schedule of times below:

Friday September 26

6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
- Mites/Squirts (6:00-7:20 PM)
- Peewee/Bantam/Midget (7:30-9:00 PM)

Saturday September 27

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
- Mites/Squirts (9:00-10:20 AM)
- Peewee/Bantam/Midget (10:30-12:00 PM)

The Detroit Dragon really need our players to come out to these practices. We are already behind due to our ice not being up yet so we really need our players at these practices. Before you know it we will be having our first games so we need to make sure our players are prepared.

We will be having a parent/player meeting on Saturday, September 27, 2008 @ 10am at the Inkster Arena. Please make a note of this there will be no parent/player meeting at Jack Adams at 12pm this coming Saturday it will be at the Inkster Arena at 10am. Those unable to make it in particular those returning to the I-Program and others that are unable to attend there will be additional parent/player meetings scheduled.

If you have not registered your player yet you may do so this Friday, September 26, 2008 6pm-9pm (*in Inkster during practice times) and Saturday, September 27, 2008 9am-12pm. Player registration for the teams needs to be done as soon as possible because we need to get rosters together for us to start playing games.

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me.

FYI: The I-Program date to start is tenatively scheduled to begin on October 18, 2008 at 10am.

Thanks,
Cynthia Wardlaw
313-727-7330
313-834-2563
cw20033@aol.com

Important meeting dates & additional information

I hope everyone had a fun summer and enjoyed their break from hockey!!

Well guess what it's that time again. That's right it's hockey time!!!!!!!!

I hope you are as excited as we are about the upcoming season and you are ready to have a great season! GO DRAGONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Are you returning to play with the Dragons?
Please email me or call me (Cynthia) to let me know if you will be returning to play with the Dragons for 2008-2009 season. We hope all will return this season.
We really need to know this information so that we can continue to prepare for the upcoming season which is literally around the corner. So please contact me as soon as possible to let me know your plans.

Tentative Start Date:
The ice is tentatively scheduled to be up by September 8, 2008. We will confirm this with you once we definitely know if the ice is up so please look for more information regarding the exact start date and specific practice times.

Registration:
If you have not already registered you are still able to receive an early registration discount until August 31, 2008. If you register by August 31, 2008 you can save $25.00 of your registration fees (all fees minus discount must be paid for the discount to applicable). As of October 1, 2008 regular fees will apply. All fees must be paid by November 2, 2008.

We will have several on-site registration dates:
September 13, 2008 10am-12pm
September 20, 2008 10am-12pm

*additional dates TBA

Are you Interested in your Player's Health???
Some of the coaches have suggested that we start now with teaching our children healthy living. The coaches would like to initiate a off-ice training session for our players it would take place two days per week tentatively on: Saturdays 8:30am-9:45 & Sundays 8:30am- 9:45am. The coaches will go over nutrition, exercise and fitness training. Please contact me if you are interested.

Parent/Player Orientation:
Once again we will be having a player and a parent orientation at the begin of the season. Each parent and player should plan to attend one of the schedule orientations. These orientation will prove to be very informative and give you a head start on what to expect for the upcoming season. Here is a brief synopsis of the information that will be discussed: Rule, Team Rostering, Team Fees, Parent and Player expectations, Volunteering, ABC Center Memberships, Practices and games, Equipment are just of the few things we will discuss.

Parent and Player Orientation dates:
September 13, 2008 @ 11am-12pm
September 20, 2008 @ 11am-12pm

* Please be on time to these meetings they will begin promptly and will not last more than a hour.

Parent Committee
We would like to welcome you to be a part of the newly formed parent group which is the Detroit Hockey Association Parent Alliance Committee or PAC. We are looking to get more parents involved in and be more apart of the association. This is one way for you to become more involved join this committee today! Helping to make the DHA better. I hope that many of our parents will be involved in this group. If you are interested in being apart of this organization please plan to attend the upcoming meeting September 27, 2008 time TBA.

Manager's Needed
Are you interested in being a team manager? We are looking for a few managers. If you are interested please contact (Marilyn or Cynthia). All managers please plan to attend the managers meeting on September 13, 2008 @ 12:15pm.

Please feel free to contact me with nay questions or concerns!!
Please look for more updates!!!

Thank You,

Cynthia Wardlaw
313-727-7330
313-834-2563
cw20033@aol.com

Join us for Coach Akil Adams Summer Hockey Skills Clinics

Coach Akil's skills clinics are scheduled for this weekend Saturday, July 26, 2008 from 11 am - 12:30 pm and Sunday, July 27, 2008 12pm-1:30pm at the Dearborn Disc.

All are welcome to attend I-Program - Midget. The cost of the clinics are $30.00 each session or $60.00 for both days. Below is the schedule for the remaining weeks. Please feel free to contact myself or coach Akil 586-791-2859 akilalbert@yahoo.com for more information, questions or concerns.

Akil Adams Weekend Skills Clinic Schedule (through August 17th) Please note,
the clinic schedule has also been added to the Detroit Hockey Association Calendar


July 26th: 11am-12:30pm
July 27th: 12pm-1:30pm

August 3rd: 3:00pm-4:30pm

August 9th: 1pm-2:30pm
August 10th: 12pm- 1:30pm

August 16th: 1pm-2:30pm
August 17th: 1:30pm- 3:00pm


**Don't forget about the early registration discount. Save $25.00 off your fees now thru August 30th**

Thanks,
Cynthia
313-834-2563
313-727-7330
cw20033@aol.com

Stanley is Back in Detroit!

DON'T FORGET TO REGISTER EARLY!
Please take advantage of the $50.00 registration discount now thru June 30, 2008!!
This date will be here before you know it so don't delay register your player today!!


Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Thanks,
Cynthia Wardlaw
313-727-7330
313-834-2563
cw20033@aol.com

Volunteers Needed!!! - Jack Adams Arena cleanup & May events

This Saturday, May 3, 2008 @ 9 am for Clean-Up Day at Jack Adams.

We need your help cleaning the inside and outside of our arena! So let's show our Dragon Spirit and show up to help make our arena shine inside and outside! I'll be there I hope to see you there to!

Upcoming Events:

May 2, 2008: Mr Darden's (center director) retirement party @ 7pm at Adam Butzel Center tickets are $15.00.

May 3, 2008: Clean-Up day at Adam Butzel Center and Jack Adams Arena 9am-1pm

May 10, 2008: DHA Cage Clean-Up we will need some volunteers to help us clean out the equipment cage on this day from 9am-1pm.

May 10, 2008: ABC Day camp registration at Belle Isle 8am-11am.

May 17, 2008: DHA Cage Clean-Up we will need some volunteers to help us clean out the equipment cage on this day from 9am-1pm

May 17, 2008: Fishing Derby @ Palmer Park 9am-2pm.

*Don't forget about the pre-registration discounts. Register now through June 30, 2008 and save yourself $50.

Please look for more information in the mail, through your email, and at this site for upcoming fundraising events and meetings.

Please feel free to contact me for any questions or concerns.

Thanks,
Cynthia Wardlaw
313-834-2563
313-727-7330
cw20033@aol.com

We are the Champions! Detroit Dragons Mites win LCAHL championship at Joe Louis Arena by 5-1 score.

Solid defense, strong skating, and an explosive transition game lead the Detroit Dragons Mites to a 5-1 victory over the Wayne Knights for the Little Caesars Amateur Hockey League (LCAHL) Championship at Joe Louis Arena last evening.

The Dragons struggled early with Wayne applying constant pressure in the Dragons end. The score remained tied 1-1 through much of the second period. However, the skills clinics and hard skating paid off in the end as the Dragons scored four unanswered goals and kept the puck in the opposing end to secure the win.

Congratulations Mites!

Congratulations is also due to the enthusiast Detroit Dragons fans. They overwhelmingly won the traditional LCAHL chicken dance contest between the second and third periods.



Reminder: On Saturday, March 29 @ 10:00 AM, the DHA has a unique opportunity for players, coaches, their families, and supporters to visit the Joe for a Detroit Red Wings open practice!! This will also be an equipment drive for the DHA. This practice is open to the public and each person must either donate a piece of equipment or $5 all proceeds go to our association.

We will need some of our players to be there and collect equipment!! Please send Cynthia an email to let her know that you will be there. We would like to have players from all age levels their from the I-Program, Mites, Squirts, Bantam and Midgets!!. Please email or call me and let me know if you will be there. This is very important we need to let the Red Wings know the number of players and parents who will be there.

Detroit Dragon Mites to Play in Little Caesars Championship Game at Joe Louis Arena on Tuesday, 3/18/08

The Mites have their LCAHL championship game vs. the Wayne Knights at the Joe (Joe Louis) on Tuesday, March 18, 2008 @ 5pm. If you can please come out and support the Mite team at this game. Lets help cheer the Mite team on to a win! Way to Go Dragons!! Win Win Win!!! - If you plan to attend this game, please see the bottom of this section for more information about parking, etc.

REMINDERS:
DHA Annual Awards Banquet: Sunday, April 6, 2008 at the Karas House 4pm-8pm Tickets are $21.00 for parents/siblings and (players, managers and coaches eat for Free) are available now please see Cynthia for tickets. Please let me know if you will be attending the banquet I have to turn in a count by next week.

ABC (Adams-Butzel Center) Volunteer Dinner: Sunday, April 13, 2008 3pm-6pm. The center is hosting a dinner in honor of the centers organization volunteers. All DHA volunteers should plan to attend. If you have not RSVP with Cynthia please do.

photos courtesy of Jim West Photography

LCAHL CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES FAQ

If our final game is at Joe Louis Arena, where should we park? You should park in the player's lot if there is room or in Riverfront parking across the street from the player's lot. There may be a fee for parking in Riverfront parking

If our final game is at Joe Louis Arena, where should we enter the building? Please enter the building through the suite holder's entrance. Teams will be directed to their locker room and fans will be asked to take the elevator or stairs to the viewing areas.

If our final game is at Joe Louis Arena, where should we sit? Fans will be asked to sit only in the designated areas. If you sit outside of these areas, you will be asked to move.

Are cameras allowed at the championship games? Both still and video cameras are allowed at all games. Remember that only rostered coaches and players are allowed on the bench.

Will the concessions be open? Concessions for food and drink (non-alcoholic) will be available at Joe Louis Arena and all venues as applicable. In addition, LCAHL play off wear will be available from Alley Cat at all locations.

What determines the home / away team? Home and away teams are pre-determined based on the original seeding. Please see PointStreak to determine if your team is home or away.

What color does the Home team wear? Home teams are expected to wear white or light color jerseys, visiting teams are expected to wear dark colored jerseys.

Are there any time outs? No time outs are allowed in any games.

Please be sure to check the LCAHL website at http://www.lcahl.org/ for up to the minute information and contact your Division Director with any other questions.

Picture Day and Annual Banquet

There has been a change in the date for the picture day that will be held at our arena.

The Picture Day will be Saturday, March 15, 2008 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM.

I will have information forms available for those interested in taking photos. If you are interested in taking photos please send me a email or call me so I can get a general idea of the number of people interested.

The Annual Awards Banquet will take place on Sunday, April 6, 2008 tickets will be available this weekend.

Greatings from Columbus & Fantastic Finish to Hockey in the Hood

WOW!!!!! What a wonderful weekend.

The Columbus Ice Hockey Club would like to thank everyone from the Detroit Hockey Association for all their hard work and dedication to this splendid event. It was by our estimation the best HITH tournament ever!!! I'm only sorry that most of the Diversity Clubs were unable to see the two championship games.

Alaska gave Detroit a wonderful game that went to overtime and then shootout! I didn't think it could get any better, but the midget game was one of the best hockey games I've ever seen PERIOD. Speed, teamwork, emotion, effort, sportsmanship, it had everything we as program directors are trying to accomplish with our programs! I'd like to thank all who participated for a truly wonderful weekend and let you all know we in Columbus already miss you all.

Thanks again, and see you next year in Detroit.

John M. Haferman
Program Director
Columbus Ice Hockey Club

Note: The bantam final between the Wasilla Wild and Detroit Dragons finished regulation play tied 2-2 and Detroit won the shoot out. In the midget finals, Columbus vs. Detroit, the Dragons won 4-3. Both games were played at Joe Louis Arena and will be memorialized on the Willie O'Cup

Press Release: Willie O'Ree Commemorated at Fourth Annual 'Hockey in the Hood' Tournament (updated with game schedules)

Detroit, MI (PRWEB) February 6, 2008 -- Willie O'Ree, the first black player in the National Hockey League (NHL), is to be commemorated with a championship trophy that bears his name, "The Willie O Cup" at the annual "Hockey in the Hood" (HITH) tournament. Hosted by the Detroit Hockey Association, the fourth annual HITH will also celebrate the 50th anniversary of Willie O'Ree joining the NHL. http://www.HockeyintheHood.org

Over 400 inner city youths representing 22 hockey teams from Detroit and nine other U.S. cities will compete in this year's HITH tournament, running February 15 - 17th. In addition to the Detroit Dragons teams, the others represent: Boston, MA; Buffalo, NY; Chicago, IL; Columbus, OH; Mount Vernon, NY; Philadelphia, PA; Pittsburgh, PA; Washington, DC; Wasilla, AK and Southwest Detroit's Clark Park Coalition.

Click here for the HITH IV Itinerary & full game schedule

Games in the fourth annual HITH will be played at the Detroit Hockey Association's Dragons home ice - Jack Adams Arena and at the Michigan State Fairgrounds Coliseum. Thanks to the generous support of the Detroit Red Wings, championship games will be played at Joe Louis Arena.

"Hockey in the Hood is the highlight of our season," says Detroit Hockey Association President Will McCants. "It is great to see inner city youth hockey players come from all across the country to compete here in Detroit. With this year marking the 50th anniversary of Willie O'Ree's breaking the color barrier in the NHL, it makes us especially proud to host a tournament celebrating what he symbolizes and continues to work for as Director of Youth Development for the NHL's Diversity Task Force."

The Detroit Hockey Association is more than just hockey. It's about youth development through hockey. For example, following the 2006-2007 season 98 % of its seniors graduated from high school and 95% went on to college. Throughout its history Detroit Hockey Association's players have far exceeded the graduation rates and college education ranks of their classmates.

For more than 30 years, the Detroit Hockey Association has helped develop youths both as skilled hockey players and men and women of character, guided by its motto "Where goals are achieved, not just scored." Its affordable programs have enabled many youths from low and moderate income households to experience the rush of the rink as they build values lasting a lifetime. The Detroit Hockey Association is member of the Little Caesar's Amateur Hockey League, the largest youth amateur hockey league in the nation. For more information, go to: http://www.DetroitHockey.org

SANDRA EGGERS
Purple Eagle Marketing
248-921-0232
Email us Here

Important Reminders - Hockey in the Hood IV is almost here

Skills Clinics:

This Saturday, February 2, 2008
- Mites/Squirts: 12:00 pm-1:30 pm (Squirts away game)
- Bantams/Midgets: 1:30 pm-3:00 pm.

There will be no clinics or practices on Super Bowl Sunday

**IMPORTANT HITH REMINDERS**

ADVERTISEMENTS FOR PROGRAM BOOK: Please remember the deadline for all ad sales is February 9, 20008. No exceptions!!!

PANCAKE BREAKFAST: Each family has been asked to support our pancake breakfast by selling 5 tickets. The pancake breakfast is all you can eat for only $5.00 and will take place on Sunday, February 17, 2008 from 7am-1pm. If you have not received your tickets please see me this Saturday, money for the pancake breakfast tickets is due Saturday, February 2, 2008. (* please remember the player is free)

HOCKEY IN THE HOOD BANQUET: will take place on Saturday, February 16, 2008 at the Ren-Cen Marriott @ 7:30pm. All are asked to come and join us this will be a wonderful evening the tickets are $25.00 (players eat for free). We will need a count of who will be attending the banquet by this Saturday. Please let me know that you will be attending by Saturday!!

*Please feel free to contact me if you have questions or concerns.

Thank You,
Cynthia Wardlaw
313-834-2563
313-727-7330

Press Release: Detroit Hockey Association Seeks Corporate Sponsors

Detroit Hockey Association Seeks Corporate Sponsors for Youth Hockey

Detroit, MI (PRWEB) January 17, 2008 -- The Detroit Hockey Association is now seeking corporate sponsors for its youth hockey programs. For more than 30 years, the Detroit Hockey Association has offered affordable youth hockey programs, regardless of income.

"The Detroit Hockey Association is proud be at the forefront of efforts to grow hockey in Michigan and around the country," says Detroit Hockey Association President Will McCants. "We have a long history of providing inner city kids opportunities to play the game of hockey at an affordable price. The association's mission, 'Where goals are achieved, not just scored' is the message we instill in our players."

The Detroit Hockey Association's mission is more than a statement; it is an action. Following the 2006-2007 season 98 % of its seniors graduated from high school and 95% went on to college. Throughout its history, Detroit Hockey Association players have far exceeded the graduation rates and college education ranks of their classmates.

Another showcase for inner city hockey is "Hockey in the Hood" a tournament that draws youth hockey teams from across the country. The 2008 event will be hosted at the Jack Adams Arena, in Detroit on the weekend of February 15 - 18. The Detroit Hockey Association has sponsored this tournament for the past three years, awarding the "Willie O'Cup" trophy to the winning teams. The cup was named to honor Willie O'Ree, who began his National Hockey League career in 1958 as the National Hockey League's first black player. This year Hockey In The Hood IV will celebrate the 50th anniversary of O'Ree breaking into the National Hockey League.

The Detroit Hockey Association is seeking corporate sponsors for youth hockey. To become a sponsor, please call Will McCants at 313-485-6396, or visit http://www.detroithockey.org/detroit_hockey_sponsors.htm to download a sponsorship form. Your donations are tax deductible, as the Detroit Hockey Association is a 501(c)3 organization.


For more than 30 years, the Detroit Hockey Association has helped develop youths both as skilled hockey players and men and women of character, guided by its motto "Where goals are achieved, not just scored." Its affordable programs have enabled many youths from low-income households to experience the rush of the rink as they build values lasting a lifetime. The Detroit Hockey Association is a member of the Little Caesar's Amateur Hockey League, the largest youth amateur hockey league in the nation. For more information, go to: http://www.detroithockey.org

SANDRA EGGERS
Purple Eagle Marketing
248-921-0232
Email us Here

photos courtesy of Jim West Photography