NAU Ice Jacks
Player Meeting and Tryouts
Before the tryouts all existing players and prospective players will meet at the NAU Du Bois Center on Thursday September 2nd, 2010 at 6:00 PM. There the coaching staff will go over the team rules and tryout procedures. The tryouts will begin September 10th, 11th and 12th at Oceanside Ice Arena. The players will be bussed from campus to the rink and the team hotel, Hampton Inn in Tempe, AZ.
The Flagstaff Jay Lively rink is expected to open in mid-October 2010. Until then the team will practice in Tempe, AZ and later at the Tim’s Center in Prescott Valley, AZ.
All players should work out and skate hard this summer. We will not have the rink in Flagstaff open for skates in August or September.
The tryout will be very different this fall. We will travel in vans or bus from campus to Oceanside Ice Arena in Tempe, AZ. We will have two ice slots per day September 10th in the evening, September 11th early in the morning, dryland in the afternoon and September 12th will be the final skates, final cuts and determination as to which team the player is on. The cost for the tryout is $200.00 and will include the transportation and hotel rooms. PLEASE SHOW UP IN SHAPE FOR THIS WEEKEND!!
Both teams will have practice the next weekend in Tempe, AZ, September 17th and 18th. We will have rooms and transportation again. The following week we will begin practice at Prescott Valley, AZ. We expect to practice in Prescott Valley for a least one full month. You will have to be prepared to travel to and from practice. We will have vans for both teams.
RINK SEATS FUND
Parents, Players and Supporters of NAU Hockey, NAU Hockey would like to thank you for your support over the years. Without your help we would not have been able to become the fastest growing and one of the most popular teams at NAU. We are very proud of our accomplishments over the past few seasons including three trips to the ACHA National tournament and an 8th place finish in 2007, 6th in 2008 and again 6th in 2009. Last season we were derailed by the terrible collapse of the roof at Jay Lively Ice Arena.
We would like to take that bad luck and turn it into a positive. Getting over 550 new seats in the Jay Lively Ice Arena would be a great finishing touch to the fantastic new rink that will open October 1st, 2010.
After months of research, Keith Johanson, Travis Johanson and I have determined that the best seating system is the PMI-Global system. The quote was based on the Neville Island, PA bleacher system that is pictured. The colors will be the blue and gold as in the Onadoga, NY photo attached.
These are solid seating systems that are designed specially for ice rinks and indoor use. They are built in steel and aluminum and the seats are covered in plastic. The other bid we received was the Hussey "bleacher" system is based on a section of seating that can be set between each support column and will provide a small upgrade to our existing seating for 235 fans.
The last quote from PMI-Global brought the price down from $125,322.12 to $107,053.26. We know that we will get no funding from the City of Flagstaff for seating. I viewed the rink yesterday and progress is going very well. All of the walls and the roof are completed. They are working now on the facia inside, the lobby area and the dressing rooms.
The boards which were purchased by the group of NAU supporters from Canada for an additional $55,000.00 over the insurance estimate will arrive later this week. We hope to begin to install the boards, glass and safety netting next week.
After speaking with the Canadian group yesterday, they will help us with much of the total cost of $107,053.26. We will need to raise $28,000.00 to have the seating completed before the opening of the seasons for NAU, Flagstaff High Avalanche and FYHA youth hockey teams.
To reach this goal I have inlisted the help of the Phoenix Coyotes, Arizona Sun Dogs, NAU Alumni and supporters. I would also like to enlist the help of you NAU player parents and boosters to help to reach this goal.
Right now we will have a new rink, new boards and glass which will help our Flagstaff teams so much. If we can get the seating NAU will have the opportunity to move up to ACHA Division I in the future. FYHA, Avalanche and NAU will be able to host Coyote training, Sun Dogs training and Junior A teams from Phoenix. Also NAU, Avalanche and FYHA will be able to bring in more tournaments to Jay Lively Ice Arena and the City of Flagstaff.
Parents and supporters please work together to help us reach this goal. I have included the E-mail addresses that I have in my address book. Please pass along to any other supporters that you may know.
If you have any ideas for fund raising please pass them along. The NAU Golf Outing at the Aspen Valley Golf Course will be a tremendous fund raiser for the teams and the seating. We will have to make the final payment for the rink on or near that date.
Monetary donations are great but if you can help with a jersey or other hockey items for auction at our golf outing or home games that would be very welcome as well.
The fund would be raised by sending contributions or items to;
Jay Lively Rink Seats Fund
c/o Leslee Johanson
3229 South Clubhouse CircleFlagstaff, AZ 86001
Thanks, A J Fairchild