2003Season

7/1/2003
NEWSLETTER

Battle of Buffalo Playoffs

Congratulations to the 49 teams that participated in the 3rd annual Battle of Buffalo, the fastest growing tournament in
North America. Sunday's games proved to be well played and contested to the final horn. Thanks for the tons of
positive feedback and the few tips on how things can continue to be made even better. We look forward to having you
as our guests next year.

- 1995 -

Championship
Hollydell (NJ) defeated Buffalo Prospects Black (NY)

Consolation Championship
Mystics (NY) defeated Buffalo Prospects Silver (NY)

- 1994 -

Crossovers
CT Yankees (CT) defeated Buffalo Prospects Silver (NY)
Buffalo Prospects Black (NY) defeated Hollydell (NJ)

Championship
CT Yankees (CT) defeated Buffalo Prospects Black (NY)

- 1993 -

Crossovers
CT Yankees (CT) defeated Regals (NY)
Front Row Sports (ONT) defeated Buffalo Prospects (NY)

Championship
Front Row Sports (ONT) defeated CT Yankees (CT)

Consolation Championship
Buffalo Prospects (NY) defeated Regals (NY)

- 1992 -

Championship
Hollydell (NJ) defeated Empire Elites (NY)

Consolation Championship
Team Florida (FL) defeated Affton (MO)

- 1991 -

Crossovers
East Coast Eagles (MA) defeated Buffalo Prospects (NY)
Hollydell (NJ) defeated Team Florida (FL)

Championship
Hollydell (NJ) defeated East Coast Eagles (MA)

- 1990 -

Championship
Buffalo Prospects (NY) defeated Michigan Ice Dogs (MI) - shootout -

Consolation Championship
Applecore (NY) defeated Peninsula Hawks (ONT) - shootout -

- 1989 -

Crossovers
CT Yankees (CT) defeated Serengetis (NY/ONT)
Syracuse (NY) defeated Niagara Chargers (ONT)

Championship
CT Yankees (CT) defeated Syracuse (NY)

Consolation Championship
Serengetis (NY/ONT)defeated Niagara Chargers (ONT)

- 1988 -

Crossovers
Buffalo Prospects (NY) defeated Peninsula Hawks (ONT)
Tri State (NY/NJ/PA) defeated Canadian Ravens (ONT)

Championship
Tri State (NY/NJ/PA) defeated Buffalo Prospects (NY)

NEWS
MIDTERM REPORT 5/29

Spent the last two nights mingling with parents and coaches and am in the process of distilling them into action plans.
Based on this, and future input, I am going to write up and distribute a final, public report after the Battle of Buffalo.
Many satisfied folks and lot's of great input. Thanks! Given the strong, vocal demand for even more teaching, next
year we are going to have to expand the program. We are enjoying seeing the kids be challenged, learn, have fun,
and build lifelong friendships. That's what this is all about!

Along these lines, the 89 and 91 players who played in the Lakeshore tournament should be prepared to fill out a
form at next weeks 3v3 games. It will be entitled, "Three things I learned at the Lakeshore Tournament." My whole
feeling is that you can't just run off to a tournament, play a bunch of games, and just go merrily along. You have got to
take away something from each of these experiences.

NEWS
ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS 5/21

1. New Battle of Buffalo teams include: Applecore (NY), Belle Tire (MI), Providence (RI), Michigan Ice Dogs (MI), ...

2. Don't discard any old equiptment during your spring cleaning. We are planning to have a used equiptment drive in
conjunction with the Battle of Buffalo weekend and donate all the used equiptment to a local hockey charity. Details to
follow.

NEWS 5/4/2003
Weekend Review - Hamilton Tournament

Our teams fared well over the weekend in Hamilton. The 88s went 3-1-1, the 90s went 4-1, and the 89s went 0-4-1.
89s tended to be tied after 2 periods, but couldn't hold on. Difficult to compete in these tournaments without a full
bench of qualified players. Most of the teams in all the birth years had two, usually three solid lines. Also, it is fair to
say, most teams at 89 and 90 were bigger than ours. All of our teams were a little jumbled due to the short notice and
conflicts that didn't permit all the players to make all the games.

Some other observations:

Bridges were quite clear. Tourist traffic is but a trickle. Going into Canada say "hockey tournament in Hamilton" and
you should have clear sailing. Coming back you must have photo ID for parents and birth certificates (at a minimum)
for kids. They are asking everybody for this. May have to open van doors, too. If transporting a child not your own,
should have signed permission letter from parents including contact phone numbers and the kids birth certificate.

The rinks are small and nets close to the boards. Need to shoot a lot (closer than you think) and lively rebounds. CDN
teams shoot often and crash the net. Also, tag up offsides, D just dump the puck right back in when it comes out over
the attacking blue line. Rinks within 5 minutes of Wendys (pass on the way in), Tim Hortons, Kelseys, and other
restuarants. Ice got real slow shortly into the game. Gotta move the puck hard. In general, the games were very
physical. The referees (who usually ref mens leagues) were somewhat disinterested and wanted to keep the clock
going (minimal icings). Also a lot more head shots let go than would be in the States. In general, Canada is very tough
on hits from behind. Some teams trash talking (including anti-US stuff). Given the 5 game guarantee, the only
complaints were about "too much" ice! The kids worked hard and the overall goals, to apply what they have learned
and pick up a few new tricks, were universally achieved.

Hopefully for those of you who haven't gone to many CDN tournies, this will take some of the initial shock away.
Also, you might take a minute to talk over the hockey related stuff above with your child. This will help the coaches in
advance. Much of the above will apply to all our teams playing in Canada.

NEWS 5/2/2003
HAMILTON SCHEDULES

Schedules for the 92 and 93 teams going to Hamilton this weekend have been posted to the web. As of 1 pm Monday,
this is what we have.

NEWS 4/28/2003
BATTLE OF BUFFALO SHAPING UP WELL

From our posting to the eTeamz bulletin board: This year's Battle of Buffalo June 20-22 is shaping up to be bigger
and better than ever. Here is a just sample of some of the teams who have indicated they are planning to come: Team
Hollydell (NJ), Team Florida (FL), Team Mission (Ont), Young Nats (Ont), Capital City Pride (MI), Connecticut Yankees
(CT), Serengettis (NY/Ont), Front Row Sports Devils (Ont), Regional Express (Ont), Affton Americans (St. Louis),
Hamilton Tigers (Ont), Tri State Selects (NY/NJ), NJ Rockets (NJ), Boston Jr Terriers (MA), East Coast Eagles (MD),
Niagara Chargers (Ont), Rochester (NY), and Buffalo
Prospects (NY). New teams are making plans to come every day!

NEWS 4/23/2003
ANOTHER FAST & FURIOUS NIGHT

Last night's 3v3 games proved to be exciting (and tiring) once again. The 89s played 3v3 with 6 players per side for
an hour. Whew! We had teams that got beat soundly last week turn the tables this week. We had comebacks. And, we
had games come down to the final penalty shot. Great tempo, fun to watch and, most important, learning - it appears
as if everyone is getting the hang of things. Nothing this weekend - see you at next Tuesday's clinics. Everyone's
development obligation should be paid in full to skate next Tuesday. I am sharing some of the written feedback we
have recieved above - this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the written and spoken praise the program
has received thus far. Always looking to improve - so be sure to let us know how we can do things even better, too.

NEWS 4/22/2003
NEW SECTION - CHECK IT OUT

We have taken off the "equipment swap" section since it wasn't getting much use. Still planning to do a used
equipment round-up and charity donation after the Battle of Buffalo though.

In its place we have gathered up a bunch of information and consolidated it in our new "Resources" section [web
pages, books, essays, and news archives]. The current essay is entitled "The Ladder." If you have a relevant essay
you'd like to submit, feel free to send it in via e-mail.

Please note that all development final payments are past due. You can turn in funds to your coach at the 3v3 games
tonight if you are not paid in full.

NEWS 4/21/2003
ACHIEVEMENTS

Congratulations to Pat Kane and Kevin Quick who were named to the Kamloops (British Columbia) Banatam
Tournament All Star Team (for 1988s). Kane was the leading scorer for the tournament.

Congratulations to Pat Kane, Kevin Quick, and Ryan Flanigan (88s) who were selected to represent WNY at the NY
State 15 Festival.

Congratulations to Sean Kelly (89) who was selected to represent WNY at the NY State 14 Festival.

Congratulations to Jake Hannon (88) who has accepted an invitation to attend the Lawrenceville Prep School located
outside Princeton, N.J. Lawrenceville competes at the Division 1 Prep level against the top schools throughout New
England.

NEWS 4/16/2003
WHAT A BLAST!

The 3v3 games went off with great success last night. End to end action on both pads for 5 hours straight! We saw a
great deal of intensity and skill across all the levels. At almost every age, the games were really close (1-3 goal
differential). Where they weren't we'll tweak the team assignments a bit. The purpose of these games is to promote: a)
all out hustle for 60 seconds, b) creativity, c) communication, d) use of the full ice, e) puck pursuit, and f) pressure on
the goaltenders - all in a fun & competitive setting. Even though fatigue set in a little bit, they were applying these
concepts. I predict the last games of our mini season will be really fun to watch - when they'll totally have the hang of
this. Please phone any additional apparel orders in (839-6777) as the order will be going out by the end of the week.
Hamilton tournament times will be sent to your coach and posted as soon as we get them. Thanks for all the positive
feedback, it is motivating us to invest more, and more, and more in these kids. A blessed Passover and Easter to all of
our families, and we'll see you next week.

NEWS 4/9/2003
CANCELLING TORONTO FOR APRIL

We will not attend the Lakeshore Friendship Tournament April 25 due to health related concerns. Many of the teams
will go to Hamilton in early May instead. We will reassess the Toronto situation and make a decision 2 weeks before
the late May Lakeshore International Tournament.

NEWS 3/30/2003
WE ARE ON A ROLL!

Another great night! Lots of excellent teaching on the D zone (coverage, breakouts, and faceoffs) and lots of
specialized skating. To give you some idea of the commitment people have to this program we wanted to share the
following. Some of our 88s (from Rochester and Erie) played a game here from 10-11:30 this morning, went home,
and came back for a 7:45 skate tonight. That is heart. That is desire. Thanks guys. We are back on the ice together
April 13 - keep skating and good luck at 92-88 tryouts.

NEWS 3/27/2003
STANLEY CUP CHAMPION ON BOARD

We are honored to announce that Craig Muni, three time Stanley Cup Champion, a veteran of 932 NHL games, and
current NHL scout (Tampa) will be a teacher in one, and possibly more, of our upcoming sessions. He joins our
growing list of other NHL player and coaching veterans that includes: Jack Brownschidle (player), Jon Christiano
(coach), Jim Corsi (player and coach), Pete Scamurra (player).

NEWS 3/27/2003
FORMER NHL DEFENSEMEN LEAD THIS WEEK'S CLINICS

This week's lead instructors on the Defensive Zone topic will be Pete Scamurra (odds) and Jack Brownschidle (evens).

NEWS 3/27/2003
BUFFALO PROSPECTS PLAYERS MAKE NATIONALS

Congratulations to the following Buffalo Prospects players, and our 88 team coaching staff, who will be participating in
the USA Hockey Nationals at the Pepsi Center (Patrick Kane, Brendan Kerr, Austin Blujus, Vince Caputi, Jake Hannon,
Kenny Joseph, Mike Carney, Jarod Etengoff, Matt Majeria, Ryan Geary, Matt Brownschidle, Ryan Grande, and James
Stanley). Game times for the three local teams Saints 88s, Amherst 88s, and Wheatfield 90s appear below - all times
are p.m. (more info at www.usahockey.com) - good luck to everyone from Western New York:

Saints 88s
4/2 3:00
4/3 2:00
4/4 3:00

Amherst 88s
4/2 12:30
4/3 7:00
4/4 12:30

Wheatfield 90s
4/2 12:30
4/3 7:00
4/4 12:30

NEWS 3/25/2003
TWO FOR TWO

Another well run night with our "even" groups last night. We even managed to get the big boys (88s) in their jerseys,
which looked really sharp. Many of these guys will be playing with Amherst or the Saints in the USA Hockey National
Championships next week at the Pepsi Center. We'll post their names and game times so you can come to cheer them
on as they line up against the top 12 teams in the country. Next week we will take team photos for all the birth years.

NEWS 3/24/2003
OPENING NIGHT A SUCCESS

Our program got underway last night with team practices. We had a great night! People even showed up hoping to
see if anyone had dropped out, so they could join on the spot. Our formant was about 45 minutes of instruction
coupled with our 25 minute skating program (which will be repeated every clinic). If you want to know why we
emphasize the science of skating, ask me to tell you the long version of the Geoff Sanderson story (in brief, when I
talked to him at length about skating, Geoff, who is one of the best in the league, told me how he was a poor skater
until he really learned how to skate properly around age 18. If he can still be learning at 18, our kids can be too.).
Given who was out on the ice and the way it was run, we're more convinced than ever, that your kids are with the best
possible people in the area! The even birth year groups tonight are sure to be the same.

NEWS 3/5/2003
SCHEDULES POSTED TO WEB

Tentative birth year schedules have been added to the web site at the bottom of this page. Click on your schedule to
view it. Once we double check and proof them we may need to modify them slightly. If so, an announcement will
appear in this space. Also, some teams will be modifying the tournament package a bit. Check your team page to the
left for announcements from your coach about your specific team.

NEWS 2/24/2003
BEHIND THE SCENES PREPARATION

While the winter season winds down, we are hard at work preparing the upcoming program. Members of our advisory
board have met on a couple of occasions, spending several hours laying out the teaching points for each of our 10
clinic topics. Guest instructors are being contacted and booked. And, our skating program (which will be part of each
clinic) is being developed. In addition, jerseys, socks, and coaches' jackets are being ordered - along with t-shirts for
each kid. In the interest of cost control, we won't be overly fancy, but we will look sharp. Each player will have a black
jersey with silver trim and a silver jersey with black trim. They'll get black socks, too. At each birth year, we'll divide the
participants into two, hopefully, balanced teams for the 3v3 season. One will be "team black" and the other will be
"team silver". We also have a special treat for the goalies! Shhh, it is a suprise. So as you work hard to end your
season on a positive note, we are working hard to provide a educational and fun experience for you. Good luck in
your year end tournaments, playdowns, states, and nationals.

NEWS 2/18/2003
WHEW! TEAMS ARE FORMED

Thanks to all who attended yesterday's final evaluations. Almost all of the eight teams are overflowing with fine
players. The coaches and evaluators were faced with many difficult decisions. We assure you, they really tried to
make the best decisions possible under the circumstances. In the spirit of accountability and continious improvement,
if you have something you would like to get off your chest, preferably in the form of constructive criticism, please
e-mail John Hannon at hannon@worldhockeyinstitute.com.

A couple of teams may still need a player or two. If you were unable to attend any of the evaluations and are
interested in the program, please go to the team web page to obtain the coach's e-mail and drop him a line.

Also, the clinic times for March have been posted for all the teams. All events will be at Holiday Twin Rinks. They were
the only local facility that could accomodate our two primary needs (large volume of ice and the need for consistent
times & days each and every week).

NEWS 2/8/2003
EQUIPMENT SWAP OPPORTUNITY

Is your basement overflowing with used hockey stuff? We have added a page near the team schedule pages at the
bottom of this site for swapping/selling used equipment. We are also planning to do an end of season round-up of
used equipment to donate to a local charity.

NEWS 1/25/2003
PAYMENT SCHEDULE RELEASED

For selected players payment due dates are as follows:

Deposit #1 - February 17 (Last Evaluation)
Payment #2 - March 23 (First Clinic)
Payment #3 - April 15 (First Game)

NEWS 1/21/03
UNBELIEVABLE!

Thanks to the more than 200 players who attended yesterday's first evaluations. We were shocked by the huge
turnout! It is further confirmation that what we are doing is right and it has given us even more encouragement to keep
forging ahead.

At each birth year between 18 and 25 players were asked to be part of the program as either an alternate or core
player. All of these folks will have the opportunity to take advantage of the most comprehensive teaching program and
best set of instructors for 100 miles (minimum) in any direction. You can play a bunch of tournaments with minimal
instruction and no practices or have your child pick up knowledge and wisdom from a staff of ten former NHL players,
NHL coaches, NCAA coaches, and Junior coaches. Seems like a no-brainer, doesn't it?

As we said several times, we tried to analyze the talent pool as best we could given the circumstances. However, we
do recognize that: there was a large turnout, kids might have had the jitters or been sick, kids might have had other
team commitments, or maybe some people didn't know about the program or how good it is going to be! (even though
there were ads, newspaper announcements, and e-mails).

So, spots have been left open for those not chosen after the first evaluation and any others who are interested in
joining the program. We have developed many overlooked players and take great pride in brining out the best in a
kid. We also apppreciate, recognize, and reward determination. So, don't give up until the roster has been finalized in
February.