Since 2008, when the North Shore Ice Hawks were founded by Rick Tolstrup and Bill Heney, the program has grown from 15 to 75 athletes.
The Ice Hawks plan on continued growth in 2011-12.
“I think we’ve found an interesting niche,” said Tolstrup, still involved with the program. “Our focus has always been on skills, developing each player to their potential, rather than wins.”
The North Shore Ice Hawks, a USA Hockey-sanctioned program, have as wide a membership as their name suggests. Players in the program hail from Gloucester, Ipswich, Byfield, Rowley, Manchester, Marblehead, Boxford, Hamilton, Wenham, Topsfield, Middleton and Lynnfield.
Each player on Tolstrup’s team was mandated to play five to six games in a row at each position (wing, center and defense) to learn different skills.
“That’s not a formula for maximizing wins but it did give each kid an appreciation of how to play each position and the chance to settle in and develop the skills particular to that position,” said Tolstrup.
The Ice Hawks are back to enjoying independent status after formerly playing in a league. The league format was too focused on victories to determine success, not matching the Ice Hawks’ philosophy.
“Again, rather than focusing on wins, standings, etc., this [independent] approach minimizes the impact when a kid makes a mistake,” Tolstrup said. “We can really say ‘It’s only a game,’ and take each error as a learning experience.
“We are proud of our practice-to-game ratio,” Heney added. “Games are fun, but practice is when the kids improve.”
The Ice Hawks’ schedules, for their five teams ranging from Mite in-house to Peewee travel, include games against town league and AAA travel teams to give their players the full range of youth hockey possibilities.
“We have no early morning 6 or 7 a.m. games and no games on school nights,” said Tolstrup. “Our games are comfortably right in the middle of the weekend day at local rinks. Being independent, we can also select not only kids who can skate, pass and shoot, but we can select good kids with supportive parents.”
Even though the players are from different towns, they hang out together on the weekend, go skiing together, and recently, they all attended a Bruins game together. In fact, the entire program was able to attend the Bruins game due to the generosity of one parent.
Ice Hawks teams played on the big ice before the Bruins game and the Mites got to play in front of a sellout crowd between periods. It was a very exciting event for the kids and parents.
When a Peewee players’ mother passed away this winter after a battle with breast cancer, his teammates excused themselves from schools all over the North Shore to attend the funeral in support of their teammate.
“For the rest of the season, each player on the team now wears one pink skate lace in her honor,” Tolstrup added. “It’s a tight group.”
Skills development is the mantra for the Ice Hawks, and the players are being pushed to be the best hockey players they can be.
“I’m realistic. I’m not preparing kids to become NHL players,” said Tolstrup. “But we do work on skills quite a bit — edgework, stride, hands, passing, shooting, checking legally. We also strive to develop good character — kids who are good winners and good losers, respectful of the refs, kids who have a strong work ethic and team focus.”
The character-building exercises for the Ice Hawks include their annual food drive for food pantries all over the North Shore.
“Our kids not only get involved in collecting the food but they also show up at the pantries to stock the shelves,” said Tolstrup. “It’s about building character and learning to give back.”
The team has also spread its brand around New England, appearing at tournaments in Stowe, Vt., in Martha’s Vineyard and an upcoming tournament in Marlboro in April.
For more information on the Ice Hawks, and how your child can become an Ice Hawks’ player, go online to www.northshoreicehawks.com.
