Foundation For Success Spokane Americans Program Peaking

Long-term success is built on a strong foundation. An athletic program not built on one may enjoy the periodic success that comes with having a gifted group of kids enter its system, but its ability to consistently produce fundamentally sound athletes is certainly dubious.

The Spokane Americans Youth Hockey Association, which has been around for more than 40 years, is an excellent example of a group enjoying the fruits of having built a program anchored in strong coaching.

A year ago, Americans teams won every level at the state championships. This year, the Americans have showed that success was not a fluke, capturing state titles at all but two levels.

“Last year was a breakthrough year for us,” Americans president Keith Denigan said. “Normally, we just have a few teams win.”

Denigan, in his fourth year with the group, has a 14-year-old son and 17-year-old daughter in the program. He attributes the unprecedented achievements of the past two years to the coaches.

“The coaching has improved every year I have been here,” he said. “The coaches have positive attitudes and are consummate professionals. They are really into the kids and not their (own) egos.”

Gus Porco, the Americans’ coaching director, points to the program’s ability to get “the right coaches for the right kids.”

Coaches have to clear background checks and attend coaching clinics before they get a chance to work with the kids.

USA Hockey, the governing body for hockey in the U.S., sponsors the clinics before the start of the season. The association pays for its coaches to go through the sessions. Topics include how to use ice time efficiently and having productive relationships with parents.

Many of the coaches also take higher-level training courses, which discuss positioning and strategy, at their own expense.

Coaches instruct kids in either the association’s local or traveling programs. Traveling teams are the ones that compete at state. Children who make one of the association’s 11 traveling teams are the most advanced in the system.

Tryouts for the traveling squads are in September and the season, highlighted by the state championships in March, runs through April.

Travelers play close to 40 games a season. They practice three times during the week and have two games or more on weekends.

A change in the tryouts for the traveling squads may have sparked the recent success, Porco said.

Instead of forcing coaches to choose their players a few days after a one-day tryout, the association allows coaches to delay firming up their rosters until December. This way, kids who had an off-day at the tryout still have a chance to play their way onto the traveling squad through their in-house play.

“Coaches can make better decisions now and make sure they get their best team on the ice,” Porco said.

Players who are either at a beginner/novice level or just want to play locally participate in the “house” program.

The Americans have most of their ice time at Eagles Ice-A-Rena. Occasionally, they get some time at Riverfront Park.

The association holds a “rate skate” at the beginning of each season where coaches observe the kids and put them on teams with kids who have similar skill levels.

First-time skaters are not usually placed on teams until after they have been in an initiation program for at least a year. That program, which began three years ago with help from USA Hockey, is designed to help beginners learn to skate first, then teach them basic fundamentals, like stick handling and passing.

“IP has really strengthened house play because house coaches can teach the game instead of basic skating,” Porco said.

There are about 40 house teams. That season starts in October and ends in March. House players practice once during the week and usually have one game on the weekend.

Aside from the strong grounding in hockey fundamentals, the association receives high praise from parents for its character building.

“It’s a terrific opportunity to get involved in something positive,” said Al Pierce, who has a son and a daughter in the system. “It’s not a win-at-all-cost type of organization. The coaches teach the kids to be good hockey players and people.”

YOUTH HOCKEY FACTS What: Spokane Americans Youth Hockey Association for boys and girls ages 5-17 Seasons: Local, October to March; traveling, September to April Cost: $250 to $325 depending on level (plus travel, equipment) Info: (509 744-8986