All the Presidents' hockey players converge

0 Comments | Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Feb 17, 2000 | by Jorge Arangure Jr.

For one weekend, more than 2,000 kids ages 4-18 will invade Colorado Springs.

No, the Backstreet Boys or Brittney Spears aren't coming for a concert.

Today through Monday, 96 youth hockey teams will participate in the 23rd Presidents Day Tournament, held in all seven Colorado Springs ice arenas (Cadet Ice Arena, World Arena, World Arena Ice Hall Olympic and NHL sheets, Sertich Ice Center, the Arena at the Chapel Hills Mall and Colorado College Honnen Ice Rink).

The tournament is the largest of its kind nationally, with participants from 19 states and three Canadian provinces. This is the largest field in tournament history.

Teams hail from such hockey hotbeds as Barnaby, British Columbia, and Wilcox, Saskatchewan, and some non-traditional hockey cities like San Diego and Louisville, Ky.

The first games begin at 3 p.m. today, with the championships on Monday, starting at 6:45 a.m.

A welcoming skate party will be 6:30-9:30 p.m. today at Sertich. The opening ceremony, which includes a laser light/pyrotechnics show and the parade of teams, will be 1-4 p.m. Saturday at the World Arena.

Among the highlights:

The Pikes Peak Amateur Association's Midget AAA team will try to win its fifth straight tournament championship.

Among former PPAHA players now playing for Division I colleges: Joe Casey, senior, University of Denver; Paul Cox, sophomore, DU; J.J. Hartmann, freshman, DU; Bryce Wallnutt, junior, DU; and Ryan Hale, freshman, University of North Dakota.

Two NHL coaches have ties to the tournament.

Ken Hitchcock, coach of the NHL champion Dallas Stars, will be the keynote speaker for the opening ceremonies. Hitchcock's son, Alex Comisar, is a member of the Pee Wee B Dallas Junior Stars team.

Brett Sutter, son of San Jose Sharks' coach Darrell Sutter, plays for the Pee Wee A San Jose Blades team.

PPAHA will have a Web site with scores, stats and announcements updated regularly at www.ppaha.com.

- Jorge Arangure Jr. may be reached at 636-0250 or gtsports@gazette.com Edited and headline by Jim O'Connell

Tourney Opening ceremonies, free and open to the public. Weekend pass-$15, daily pass-$6, senior citizens and children under 18-free. At seven ice rinks in the city.