MIGHTY MITES PROGRAM GROWS TO 46 PLAYERS `PLEASANT SURPRISE' FOR ICE STATION.Byline: GIDEON RUBIN Staff Writer VALENCIA -- When Ice Station Valencia first launched its 7-and-under Mini Mite hockey program two years ago, it expected it to grow from its original 12-player enrollment. But the program's nearly fourfold fourfold Adjective 1. having four times as many or as much 2. composed of four parts Adverb by four times as many or as much Adj. 1. boom was a surprise. The program now boasts a four-team, 46-player league, with unabated un·a·bat·ed adj. Sustaining an original intensity or maintaining full force with no decrease: an unabated windstorm; a battle fought with unabated violence. growth expected. ``It's something we'd been hoping for, but it's been a pleasant surprise,'' Ice Station director of hockey operations Larry Bruyere said. ``I think it's somewhat infectious. It's an exciting, fun sport, and once kids get a taste of it, they find it so much more rewarding than most sports they play, so then they bring their buddies out. And next thing you know, you have some momentum there.'' Mini Mite players -- most of whom are 6- and 7-year-olds but are sometimes as young as 4 -- are involved in the most advanced level played in their age group. The Ice Station also has a 6-and-under Tiny Tike program, where players get acclimated to skating skating: see ice skating; ice dancing; roller skating. skating Sport in which bladelike runners or sets of wheels attached to shoes are used for gliding on ice or on surfaces other than ice. in full gear but do not play in competitive situations. The Mini Mites play on a 60- by 100-foot rink that's a little more than one-third the size of a regulation Olympic-size sheet. Teams play four-on-four games with one goalie. ``We try to de-emphasize the scoring aspect of it to keep it fun,'' Bruyere said. The teams started practicing earlier this week. Uniforms will be issued early next week, and the first games will be played next weekend. The four-month program includes playoffs in early February. Room for improvement: The Ice Station-based Jr. B Valencia Vipers struggled against the Phoenix Polar Bears The Phoenix Polar Bears are a member of the Western States Hockey League. The Polar Bears are a Tier II Junior Hockey Club based out of Phoenix, Arizona. Their host facility is the Desert Schools Coytotes Center in Chandler, Arizona. in last weekend's three-game series. The Vipers (0-4) were outscored 29-7 by the perennial Western States Hockey League power. About the only bright spot for Valencia was Anthony Kendryna (Saugus High, College of the Canyons College of the Canyons is one of the fastest-growing community colleges in the state. According to the National Junior College Research Association, College of the Canyons consistently ranks in the top 50 community colleges in the nation. ) getting a hat trick hat trick n. Sports 1. Three goals scored by one player in one game, as in ice hockey. 2. Three wickets taken in cricket by a bowler in three consecutive balls. 3. in Sunday's 14-5 loss. The Vipers opened a two-game road series against the Bay City Bombers of Lakewood on Friday, and will play again Sunday. ``We knew it was going to be tough going against Phoenix, and now we're just telling them that we need to put it behind us,'' Vipers coach Bruyere said. Toast of the Coast: The Ice Station will play host to its third annual Toast of the Coast Pee Wee Pee Wee, Pee-wee or peewee may refer to:
Bruyere said he expects about 30 teams from across the country to attend the facility's biggest Pee Wee (12-and-under) tournament. Registration is open, and three teams from Colorado have already signed up. A Bantam Bantam Former city and sultanate, Java. It was located at the western end of Java between the Java Sea and the Indian Ocean. In the early 16th century it became a powerful Muslim sultanate, which extended its control over parts of Sumatra and Borneo. (14-and-under) division was added to the tournament this year. For more information, log on to the tournament's official Web site, peeweetournament.com. gideon.rubin@dailynews.com (661) 267-7802 |
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