Cincinnati has a NEW Junior A
Ice Hockey Team
The Queen City STEAM is taking the ice in Cincinnati this season for the first time ever. New owner, Steve Penman from Montgomery, has a goal. He is giving the youth of the Midwest the opportunity to participate in Junior A Ice Hockey right here in the Queen City.
Steve played youth hockey in Canada and Junior and NCAA collegiate hockey in Chicago. His passion for hockey continued while coaching at the NCAA Division 111 level for seven years. Having both played and coached at competitive levels, he is showing his respect for the game of ice hockey by bringing a higher level of Junior Hockey to the local ice.
"I am very excited about the new team identity and grateful that we have such a terrific group of coaches and support staff to make this team successful. Our coach’s, Don Biggs and Danny Lorenz, have both played hockey at the professional level. These two experienced hockey individuals will continue to develop the skill levels of all our players so that they can compete at this advanced level of play. I cannot say enough good things about the many dedicated people that make this hockey team function on a daily basis. Finally, I am anxious to meet the young men who will make-up our 25 player roster for the coming season".
The sport of Ice Hockey is growing at a rapid pace and previous owner of the team, CAHA, Cincinnati Amateur Hockey Association is proud to see the sport progress to this level in Cincinnati. "Steve, a CAHA volunteer coach, brings with him a passion for Junior Hockey and is driven to offer the same opportunities to youth that he enjoyed while playing Junior Hockey as a young man. CAHA looks forward to working with Steve to promote the Queen City Steam and to assure their future success in Cincinnati."
These highly skilled male hockey players between the ages of 16 to 20 can be drafted or invited to attend two intense three day training camps, from which the final team is selected. Once the team is selected and the players sign their contracts, the team begins both on and off ice training in early August and do not conclude their season until the following April. Many players will move here from other states and live with local Host families and attend either high school or colleges throughout the season.
Cincinnati’s new Junior A team will play 48 games in the USA Hockey Tier III Jr A Central States Hockey League. The STEAM will host teams from cities such as Cleveland, Toledo, St.Louis, Flint, Dubuque, Detroit, Peoria, and Chicago. The CSHL is considered to be the top Tier III Junior A league in the country so fans can expect to watch some great hockey in each of the 22 home games. Mr. Don Biggs, Assistant Coach and recently named as Vice President of Hockey Operations, says, "Hockey has progressed in Cincinnati to the point where we now have AAA youth hockey and that level of play will now help support Junior A hockey. Our team for this season will have approximately 9 local players from the surrounding area and that says a lot about the caliber of hockey players that are being developed in greater Cincinnati. We want those players to aspire to play for the STEAM and hopefully move on to the college ranks."
Queen City STEAM will call Sports Plus in Evendale their "home ice." Most of the weekend home games will be played on a Saturday night /Sunday afternoon combination; however, new for this year will be selected weekend dates that will include a Friday/Saturday night schedule that will feature other local hockey teams. Mr. Danny Lorenz, STEAM Head Coach, feels,"With high school games and Junior A games on the same night, ice hockey fans will enjoy great games throughout the season. Our goal is to be highly competitive and play exciting hockey so that the youth players and their families will want to come to Queen City Steam home games whenever possible."
The Home Opener is scheduled for Saturday, September 8, 2007 when the Queen City STEAM hosts the current Tier III Jr A National Champions, the St. Louis Jr. Blues, at Sports Plus. The Steam looks forward to having a packed house that weekend! Please visit their new web-site, www.queencitysteam.com for tickets and other information about the Queen City STEAM Junior A hockey Team.
dbiggs@queencitysteam.com
513-470-1942
