CHSIHA’s Second Inline Hockey Season Partners With CERHL’s New Elite Programs A New Era for Colorado Inline Hockey   15 August 2002   The second season of the Colorado High School Inline Hockey Association (CHSIHA, pronounced “SHY-HAH”), a non-profit corporation, is underway. Team registration will begin on September 16, 2002, with practices commencing on December 2, 2002. The first regular season games will begin the week of January 6, 2003. This season will include inter-conference competition between all four participating inline hockey facilities in Fort Collins, Westminster, Denver, and Monument, Colorado. Over 35 high schools from all over Colorado will once again be represented, with as many as 50 teams competing for the CHSIHA Traveling Championship Cup to be awarded in April 26, 2003. New this season is the nomination and selection process for the CHSIHA Skill All-Star Team, Academic All-Star Team, and the CHSIHA Colorado Showcase Team for seniors. These events are scheduled for late March 2003 and designed to recognize and reward Colorado’s high school inline hockey student athletes for their academic and athletic achievements. Participating inline hockey facilities such as Denver's Bladium Sports Club, OD's Sports Crossing in Fort Collins, The Breakaway in Westminster, and Monument's Soc 'N Roll, have joined in partnership with the CHSIHA to make this high school league and the Championship Series a memorable annual event in Colorado. These facilities are making it possible for these teams to compete representing Colorado high schools in Douglas and Arapahoe counties, the city and county of Denver, and the cities of Colorado Springs, Aurora, Arvada, Lakewood, Littleton, Fort Collins, Greeley, Loveland, and Westminster areas. Many volunteer parents have joined forces to help the association recruit teams and players from local high schools and to offer their participation in this unprecedented high school inline hockey league. Players will represent their school with uniforms comprised of their school colors, and in some cases their mascot insignia. CHSIHA President and League Executive Director, Eddie Delgado, comments, "CHSIHA plans to support parents and volunteers by providing its own resources to develop high school inline hockey teams in suburban, rural and inner city communities. We’re doing all we can to gain the support of Colorado communities and local school boards to make inline hockey a recognized athletic program within the schools of our participating student members. We know it will be a long and hard-fought process, but we have a very determined staff and volunteer core that is persistent and dedicated to our mission. The organization has ambitious plans and a few new exciting ways to capitalize on the growing popularity of the sport. Last season the organization awarded over 100 individual and team trophies, as well as numerous achievement awards in their inaugural 2001 season. As part of the awards program, CHSIHA officials awarded the "CHSIHA Traveling State Cup" to Gateway High School for winning the Colorado State Championship Series held at The Breakaway Center in Westminster. Honors and a championship cup trophy also went to Ponderosa's junior varsity. CHSIHA will be proud to announce and introduce many new programs to its lineup this season to cultivate the growth of inline hockey in Colorado. Among the programs are the Colorado Elite Roller Hockey League, CERHL (pronounced “SERL”). The CERHL program will be a grassroots approach to organized recreational and competitive youth and adult inline hockey that will help introduce the sport to men and women of diverse age groups, as well as to kids from ages 6 through 19, across the Front Range. Bladium Sports Club, Soc N’ Roll Indoor Sports Center, The Breakaway Center, and OD’s Sports Crossing have once again partnered with the CERHL to facilitate the process of bringing these new programs to Colorado communities. As CERHL Vice President and League Director Peggy Fulster points out, "The goal of CERHL is to bring inline hockey to communities where we know kids don't otherwise have the opportunity to play. Ice hockey is at times too inaccessible, both financially and geographically, to many kids and adults in our state.” "CERHL plans to offer more value to its inline hockey programs by introducing developmental and novice clinics and camps designed to teach and encourage kids and adults to participate in one of the fastest growing sports in America", says Fulster. CERHL players will have the opportunity to compete in year round tournaments sponsored by the CERHL and corporate affiliates. Interstate competition will also be a part of the scheduled activities for league members. After an extensive marketing campaign, CERHL will start the registration process in October 2002, and begin league play in January 2003 comprising three divisions - Bronze, Silver, and Gold. A team of coaches and league administrators will make the player selections for the 6 & under, 8 & under, 12 & under, 14 & under and 19 & under age levels, as well as selections for the adult men and women divisions. CERHL will feature its Elite Travel Team program. This program will allow the more skilled players, through an extensive selection process, to compete across the state and throughout the country in a more challenging and competitive environment. Advanced developmental programs will exist for those players that want to further their skills in preparation for high school, collegiate, statewide and national competition. CERHL and CHSIHA will recognize scholastic and athletic achievement through annual scholarships and awards programs. Last season CHSIHA awarded four high school athletes and a coach for their outstanding achievements in athletics, grade point average and leadership. Additional developmental programs will be added to assist players seeking further support in areas such as nutrition and weight training through the new Colorado Inline Hockey Training Center located at Denver’s Bladium Sports Center. One other new approach is taking inline hockey online. An extensive website has been created for the new league at www.chsiha.org. League participants and parents will be able to track schedules and league statistics online. This technology allows the league to streamline its administrative costs by communicating to members online, and puts all the league information; coaching and parental support needed only a click away. Trends suggest inline hockey is only going to become more popular. CHSIHA's goal is to better manage this growth and create new enthusiasm and opportunities for the student athletes and their parents while improving the sport at the state level. FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Eddie Delgado, CHSIHA League Director (720) 434-4980 eddie.delgado@chsiha.org or Peggy Fulster, CHSIHA Associate League Director, CERHL League Director (720) 922-8329 peggy.fulster@chsiha.org www.chsiha.org