PYHA is hosting a memorial skate in honor of Ric and Joe Olson on July 20th from 2:00-3:30pm. This skate is free and open to the public. and will be held at Owens Center in Peoria. Joe and Ric loved being at the rink and around the sport of hockey and this is a great way to remember two great men. If you can't make it and would like to donate to Peoria Youth Hockey, please contact PYHA President Andy Babcock via email at ababcock@yahoo.com.

The Tru Hockey: Hockey School Mustang Camp is coming up on July 29th through August 2nd. This camp is for ages 5-13 and is a great way to get a head start for the upcoming season. You can't beat the level of instruction and amount of fun the players who come to this camp have. Peoria Rivermen Coach Jean-Guy Trudel runs the camp along with AHL/NHL/SPHL/College caliber instruction from former and current professional players and coaches as well as former and current Peoria Mustangs NA3HL. The camp flier is below.

Please see welcome letter for information on Tru Hockey Complete Player Growth Development Camp coming up on August 5th through August 9th. This camp is only for travel players first year Bantam and above. 

The PYHA is looking to increase our numbers of referee's and to do this we will be offering eligible people the ability to become a referee for free.  Applications are due by August 16th.

• If you’re accepted PYHA will pay for:  first year registration, referee jersey and class cost. Also, PYHA will consider reimbursements for certification level increases for referees in good standings.
• Referees will commit to a minimum of 3 years to PYHA
• If a referee does not complete their 3 years they will be responsible to reimburse PYHA for their first year certification cost.
• If PYHA has no games available, you will be allowed to referee for other organizations, PYHA is first priority.
• Children under 18 will need a parent signature, showing they understand all terms and conditions as well.

A Huge Thank-You to the Blackhawks and Stanley Cup alumni Jamal Mayers

Last Saturday the Little Hawks Learn to Play sessions had a special guest coach on the ice helping with lessons.

Jamal Mayers, Blackhawks alumni from the 2013 Stanley Cup winning team and his son Crew visited Peoria to help with the PYHA and Blackhawks Little Hawks program.

During the sessions Jamal went back and forth between groups and worked with the kids on group skill sessions and took time with each kid individually.

It was a great experience for the kids (and parents).  His son Crew jumped right into one of the groups and practiced his skills along with everyone else.  At the end of the session Mr. Mayers spent a few minutes talking to the kids letting them know how impressed he was with them.

After the  on ice session, Mr. Mayers stayed and signed autographs then had to head to Chicago for a Hawks game where he is the NBC Sports Chicago Blackhawks analyst.

The Peoria Mustangs are getting ready to start their season and they are in need of some more billets. Billets are host families that the families live with during the season. For more information please see the flier below.

PYHA would like to identify and track our former players who are playing at the "next level". Please let us know if you or your child has played or is currently playing at the junior, college, or professional levels. We would like to post the names of these players as well as the organizations they moved on to on the website and at the rink. Please contact Brad Mitchel at bmitchell@pyha.org.