skip navigation

A letter from the President

By Bob Larence, 03/27/15, 1:45PM EDT

Share

Hi All,
 
This was an extremely busy end of the season for RI Hockey so I will start by saying "thank you" to all those who had a hand in planning, organizing, and running any of the events over the last few weekends.  
 
We held two girls Tier II Regional Tournaments. Congratulations to Ray Morgan and his team of assistants. Ray coordinated the 16U tournament in Smithfield and Austin Livesy stepped out of retirement for the weekend and ran the 19’s at West Warwick. Everything ran smoothly and parents seemed especially pleased with the elimination of the gate fees.  
 
I also visited Burrillville for the Mite C Jamboree. Hats off to Chris Doherty and his team. The action was non-stop and the kids were really giving it their all – it’s always amazing to see these little guys and girls skate. We have a solid group of future stars.
 
On Sunday I was able to drop by Lynch Arena to see the Mite B’s.  Sarah Fraser, AJ Picchione, and their team did a nice job on short notice pulling together another great event. It was fun to see Sarah and Jason Hopkins coaching the little guys from GPYHA and SRI respectively – maybe the start of an annual rivalry?
 
I also was able to get down to Warwick for the Squirt Smythe finals.  It was a packed house and an exciting game that went down to the wire. All were having a great time, even the runners-up. Big time kudos to Jack Coffey and Matt Hammatt on transforming the old SNEHC into a top notch operation. I continue to hear great things and receive positive feedback on the changes they have made. I fully expect the improvements to continue next year, as well as those that will follow.
 
There is more to come in March with many players attending Yankee Conference Festival and the Peewee Regionals and Sectionals here in RI. We should all take a moment to celebrate a job well done while we prepare for the next wave of events. Thanks again to everyone who contributed in making memorable and rewarding experiences for kids, parents and spectators.
 
Regards,
Bob Larence
President
RI Hockey