RISE OF THE PHOENIX

"A mythical bird that never dies, the phoenix flies far ahead to the front, always scanning the landscape and distant space.  It represents our capacity for vision, for collecting sensory information about our environment and the events unfolding within it.  The phoenix, with it's great beauty, creates intense excitement and deathless inspiration."

The phoenix was a fabulous mythical Arabian bird, said to be as large as an eagle, with brilliant scarlet and gold plumage.

Following a very successful tryout that was attended by players from 30 different high schools, the rosters for the upcoming "Before & After" season have been finalized.  The coaches look forward to getting on the ice for the team's first practices at the KERN CENTER on Monday, August 17th.  Preparation for the trip to Detroit for the Little Caesar's Motor City Cup the weekend of September 11-13 will begin immediately.  Both teams will travel to Faribault, MN for games with Shattuck St.-Mary's the first weekend in October.  As the game schedule begins to fill out, confirmed games will be posted on each team's sub-site.  We are all looking forward to a very exciting PHOENIX HOCKEY "Fall Session"! 

Click below to access a printable document of the rosters of both teams.  When the document opens, hit the print button and you will have a one-page document with header and footer.  As soon as we have the opportunity, we will convert this from an .xls file to a .pdf file. 

The tryout registration closed at midnight on Monday, June 15th.  Registrations were received from players who represent 30 different high schools.  We look forward to a very competitive tryout and exciting "Fall Session".  Specific tryout assignments will be e-mailed to all of the participants on Wenesday, June 17th.  The first regular tryout sessions begin on Saturday, June 20th at the KERN CENTER in downtown Milwaukee on the campus of the Milwaukee School of Engineering (Home Ice for PHOENIX HOCKEY).    

All of the players who have participated in either the special or regular tryout will be eligible and considered for a roster position.  Click below to view the 2008-2009 team rosters and game opponents. 

Phoenix Force players SAM FRANK (Defense - Kettle Moraine Mukwonago) and DEVIN STUERMER (Forward - Catholic Memorial / Pius) have been named by the sports staff at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel to the 2009 ALL-AREA HOCKEY TEAM.  Joining Sam and Devin on the first team are BRIAN BERGER (Forward - Arrowhead), TOM CHAPIN (Defense - Catholic Memorial / Pius), NICK KOHN (Goalie - Arrowhead) and CONNOR MCBRIDE (Forward - Arrowhead).  Nick Kohn received "Player of the Year" honors and the Arrowhead Warhawks Coach Carl Valimont was named "Coach of the Year".

DAVID CLARK, Phoenix Force forward from Arrowhead, received second team honors.

To access the full Journal Sentinel article which appeared in the sports pages of the Saturday, March 28th edition, just click on the headline above.  

PHOENIX HOCKEY is a developmental "Before and After" Midget hockey program that has been in existence in various forms since the Spring of 2001. The program is designed to provide the committed high school player, who wants to excel at the high school level and beyond, with a combination of advanced skill development and a competitve (AAA) 20 game fall schedule. This program places a stronger emphasis on practices than games, and individual skill enhancement over team building. Players from 21 different high schools in Southeastern Wisconsin participated in the 2008 - 2009 program. Most of the players were from schools in the Milwaukee Metropolitan Area. Travel demands will be limited, and most games will be played within a 100 mile radius of "Home Ice" (MSOE Kern Center).

The 2009 - 2010 program will commence with a tryout for both the U18 (PHOENIX FORCE) and U16 (PHOENIX) teams in late June. The coaches will select the best 17-25 players for each team at the tryouts. Practices for both teams will begin in mid-August. Teams will practice twice a week in August and September. In October, to allow the players to join their high school teammates for "Captain's Practices", the teams will practice once a week. Games will be scheduled and played on weekends (never on Fridays except tournaments) up until the high school tryouts begin the second Monday in November. The KERN CENTER, at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, will be used by the teams for tryouts, practices and games.