Team Wisconsin (Boys) U-18 / U-16 Tryouts
(U-18 2002 USA Hockey National Champions)
This season will be Wisconsin Amateur Hockey Association’s 10th for the Team Wisconsin before and after Tier 1 USA Hockey Midget program. Team Wisconsin assembles the best midget age players to play on either the under-18 or the under-16 teams. The “before” season is made up of a 24 game fall league schedule which runs from September through the last weekend of October, which includes a league playoff tournament. In November, the players return to their respective high school teams and play their normal season. The “after” season begins after the high school state tournament with participation in the USA Hockey Tier 1 Midget National playoffs.
Team Wisconsin’s goal is to give the players junior level game development with maximum exposure to NHL, college, and junior scouts. It’s not uncommon to see 30-40 scouts per day in the elite league. The Upper Midwest High School Elite League (U-18) and the Elite 2 (U-16) truly represent the best of the best from Minnesota, Wisconsin, and North Dakota. In the league, all games are played on Saturday and Sunday in a round robin format. Some games are played at D1 facilities such as the Kohl Center with 20 minute periods for the U-18’s and 17 minutes periods for the U-16’s. NHL scouts rank the Upper Midwest High School Elite League as the best in comparable development in all of North America. Elite high school players that play in the league have a great reason to stay home and finish their high school experience. Every year more and more players are electing to stay home and play in the best fall venue. Any player whose parent’s residence is in the state of Wisconsin is eligible to tryout. Many of the players that played in the new Wisconsin High School Elite League last year will be trying out for Team Wisconsin. For elite league information see www.hselitehockey.com and www.elite2hockey.com. Also visit www.teamwisconsin.net for a list of TW players that have moved to the next level. The Wisconsin High School Elite League will also have online registration available at a later date at www.wi-ehl.net.
The National Hockey League Central Scouting ranks 210 skaters in North America. Thirty two high school players from Minnesota and Wisconsin (28 MN,4WI) played high school last season or currently played this past season. Shattuck St Mary’s prep team has four players listed so that totals thirty six players at high school age. There are fourteen Midget AAA (ages 16-18) from USA and Canada, nine players from the National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, none from the NAHL and eighteen from the USHL. By all measures, the Upper Midwest High School Elite League and high school hockey are doing very well at developing top prospects for college and professional hockey. Leaders within the hockey communities in the upper mid-west agree that talented players do not have to leave home to develop their skills.
To find the results of the program you can look at the junior and college rosters. Wisconsin has produced more players in the last 9 years than any other period. In fact, there were over a hundred Wisconsin players playing college hockey during the 2006-07 season. The Team Wisconsin model has worked very well with the high school programs. Together they have produced more junior and college players than any other program in the state. This season four TW players received scholarships before they graduated from high school or before they played their first junior hockey game. Here are the results thus far: Nate Condon (Wausau West) – University of Minnesota, Ted Behrend (Oregon) Colorado College, Jeff Costello (Catholic Memorial) Notre Dame, and Seth Solely (Eau Claire Memorial) Michigan Tech. There could be more players added to this list before the school year ends.
The three players are ranked in the NHL Draft: Nate Condon #78, Seth Solely #87, and Chase Drake (Mosinee) #136.
Finally, senior class high school players that make the spring Team Wisconsin Showcase tryout will be part of the Chicago Showcase experience and will have an added bonus to their development and exposure. In 2008 the Chicago Showcase will complete its’ 24th year and it still remains as one of the top scouting venues in the nation. When you add it all up there is a lot to like about Team Wisconsin and Wisconsin Amateur Hockey. Follow Team Wisconsin at the 2008 Chicago Showcase April 16-20 at www.wisconsonprephockey.net or www.AHAI.com.
The 2005-06 UW Badgers had 14 players from Wisconsin and 10 of those players have played for Team Wisconsin. The state also has the some of the best Division III hockey in the nation and many players have also moved on to play in the NCHA and the MCHA.
2008 Team Wisconsin Tryouts – 1st Step
Greenheck Field House 6400 Alderson St. Schofield, WI 54476
Tryout registration is open, but not unlimited. WAHA reserves the right to close the tryout at any time.
You must already have USA Hockey Membership or USA Hockey Insurance in order to register online for these tryouts. You will have to enter your USA Hockey confirmation number when you register for these tryouts.
All 1990-93 goalies will be selected for this year’s tryout from the 2007 & 2008 WAHA Midget and Bantam Festivals.
PLEASE DO NOT REGISTER A GOALIE AS A FORWARD OR DEFENSEMAN. THERE IS NOT A GOALIE TRYOUT!
Online registration will be open April 16th 2008.
CLOSED! U-18 tryout = birth years (90 & 91) = Saturday & Sunday May 24-25. Deadline May 19th. No refunds
CLOSED!
CLOSED! U-16 tryout = birth years (92 & 93) =
Saturday & Sunday May 31st-June 1st. Deadline Monday May 26th. No refunds CLOSED!
Register online by clicking the link below. You must use a debit/cash card (from a checking account), credit card, or a gift card for the exact amount.
The cost is $75.00 for each tryout.
All players will be notified by email of their schedule no later than the Thursday before the tryout.
All tryout players must have USA Hockey Insurance after September 1, 2007 (USA Hockey Individual Membership Registration = IMR). If not, participants will have to purchase the insurance using online player membership registration at www.usahockey.com. The cost is $40.00 using a debit or credit card. Note any players that participated in the 2007 fall Wisconsin High School Elite League or the 2007-08 before & after Tier 1 or Tier 2 midget teams or the 2008 spring WAHA Bantam Midget Tryouts / Festivals already have USA Hockey Insurance coverage until Sept 1st, 2008.
Two yeas ago the Team Wisconsin program added even more to the development picture for high school age players. Thirty four players (4 goalies, 12 defensemen, and 18 forwards) will be selected from each TW tryout (total 68 players) to participate in a High Performance Camp in Stevens Point, Wisconsin on June 27-29. Check-in time is noon on Friday June 27th and the finish is 5PM on Sunday June 29th. This camp will determine the final selections for both TW teams.
The sixty eight players selected from the above tryouts for the High Performance Development Camp will be notified by email no later than the evening of Tuesday June 3rd. The cost of the camp is $160.00. Players must commit to the camp immediately by clicking their name on the invitee list at www.wahahockey.com home page and completing the online camp payment. Players will have until June 8th to complete the online camp payment or an alternate player will be invited. Once all players are committed and the payments are made, a camp schedule will be developed and sent by email to the players by June 24th. Please note that there are no refunds for this camp.
2008 Team Wisconsin High Performance Development Day Camp – 2nd Step
June 27-29 - ICE Hawk Arena, 801 Badger Ave Stevens Point, WI 54481
Each player will gain more development through a highly specialized instruction on and off the ice. The 2007 camp was a great success.
From this camp the Team Wisconsin final player roster will be notified by email no later than the evening of July 3rd.
Questions can be directed by email to Mike Connor (mconnor@wahahockey.com).
REGISTER